Inclusion & Climate

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) affirms its belief in and commitment to inclusion and will continue to develop and promote an inclusivity community. EPS is dedicated to maintaining a welcoming working environment where differing ideas, abilities, backgrounds, and needs are fostered with opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and visitors from divergent experiences to participate in and contribute to the Department. EPS recognizes that many perspectives are important and necessary in teaching, research, and service. Therefore, EPS will strive to ensure that every departmental activity is open to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors regardless of race, sex, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or disability.

Inclusion and Belonging Committee

The EPS Inclusion and Belonging Committee is dedicated to advancing the department’s vision for an equitable, inclusive working environment where all individuals feel welcome, encouraged, and embraced regardless of differing ideas, abilities, backgrounds, and needs. Membership of the Council normally consists of a Chairperson, two other faculty members, a graduate student representative, and an undergraduate representative.

The Committee serves three main functions in the department:

1. Providing programming and training opportunities to broaden awareness of inclusivity-related opportunities.

2. Offering venues and reporting opportunities where inclusivitiy-related issues can be brought forward, discussed, and addressed.

3. Tracking inclusivity-related metrics of department performance.

In addition, members of the EPS Inclusion and Belonging Committee participate in the EPS Department’s URGE Program, work with the Undergraduate and Graduate Program Committees to encourage recruiting students, and work to build partnerships with other inclusion-related organizations and opportunities across UT and in the broader community.

Resources