Our Core Values
You belong here.
Science thrives when diverse perspectives and lived experiences converge. We welcome and encourage talented individuals of all racial, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and persons with disabilities to join us as we engage with profound questions about the natural world, for the benefit of humankind.
Guided by our Principles of Community and the MIT Values Statement, EAPS is committed to building a vibrant, inclusive community of scholars in our department, and in the geosciences more generally, through actions in the following areas:
We seek to improve representation and participation of people from diverse backgrounds at all levels in the department.
Examples of current activities by our department members:
- Recruitment efforts aimed at diversifying the student applicant pool
- Faculty recruitment guided by best practices on promoting a broad and equitable search
- LINK12 volunteer outreach program to Boston area schools
- Participation in the MIT Summer Research Program
- EAPS Student Advisory Committee (E-SAC) Graduate Application Mentorship Program
We seek to ensure equal access to resources for all department members, and to measure across key indicators of success.
Examples of current activities by our department members:
- Regular review of key metrics of student success
- First-year seminar and pre-thesis mentoring program for graduate students
- Development of handbooks that clarify expectations and support structures
- Support for faculty mentoring and group leadership
We seek to support the well-being and sense of belonging of all members of the EAPS community.
Examples of current activities by our department members:
We seek to foster ongoing learning about issues at the intersection of Earth science and society, and about ways to support recruitment, retention, and inclusivity.
Examples of current activities by our department members:
- Collection of books available in the Charney Library (Room 54-1425) on topics connecting Earth science, history, and social and ethical responsibility.
- Regular discussions on career pathways and inclusive practices in geoscience by seminar speakers
We seek to regularly reflect and report on the status of belonging, achievement, and composition in the department with input from department members and external experts, and adjust our approaches as necessary.
Examples of current activities by our department members:
- Regular surveys of department climate and quality of life
- Sharing data related to the composition and achievement of our community internally with current department members
The CORE Committee
Community, Opportunity, and Respect in EAPS
The aim of the CORE Committee is to envision, coordinate, and accelerate action toward making EAPS a place where people of all backgrounds and identities feel welcomed and supported and are treated with respect, and where our exploration of Earth and other planets is informed by, and mindful of, a wide range of perspectives and lived experiences.
The committee’s work includes supporting community groups within EAPS, coordinating outreach strategies (including EAPS participation in the MIT Summer Research Program), and promoting internal community-building events to foster networking and the exchange of ideas across disciplines.
Chaired by the Associate Department Head, membership composition includes representatives of the junior and senior faculty, postdoctoral scholars, undergraduate and graduate students, and administrative and research staff.
EAPS Community Groups
EQUAL
EAPS QUeer ALliance (EQUAL) invites all students, postdocs, researchers, and staff in EAPS to participate in our peer-led group supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, including monthly meetings during the semester and community events.
