GSGE Statement
August 1, 2020 – The events over the last few months have made it clear that serious and systemic racial injustices and violence are being committed against Black people, Indigenous peoples, and minorities in Canada and elsewhere. We at the Queen’s University Geological Science and Geological Engineering Department condemn anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, and the biases embedded in academic life. Addressing past and ongoing violence and discrimination against people of all communities - including, but not limited to, members of the Black, Indigenous, LBGTQ+, lower income, disability, and faith-based communities - requires both immediate action and continuous work, and we are committed to working towards building a welcoming and supportive environment for all members of these communities.
GSGE Commitment
The GSGE Department recognizes that action is required, and we are taking the following steps:
- We have formed a departmental Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee in order to look into systems of oppression in our own department and to promote the creation of a more equitable and diverse community. We invite members of the community to provide feedback and volunteer to contribute to this committee, and our efforts.
- We will write and establish a Code of Conduct to ensure discriminatory behaviours are not acceptable in our department.
- We will commit to self-education and to listening about past and current racial injustices in geoscience and geological engineering.
- We will actively work to create opportunities for diverse groups to learn and engage in geoscience and geological engineering education and research considering equity and sustainability.
Our actions will speak louder than our words.
EDI Committee Updates
This page will be updated as the EDI committee’s work progressives over the coming months. Stay tuned!
Resources
The university has broad policies that cover discrimination and harassment for the Queen’s community as a whole and Queens employees. Students, faculty, and staff in the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering as well as anyone in the broader Queen’s community have access to a number of on campus resources that provide confidential guidance on university policies and procedures, possible next steps, and available support for those experiencing harassment, discrimination, or otherwise not feeling included in the Queen’s community. These services aim to foster a better campus environment and allow you to decide whether any further action will be taken.
- Human Rights Advisory Services offered through theHuman Rights and Equity Office – a confidential advisory service that “provides advice to Queen’s community members concerning human rights issues arising at Queen’s.”
- Inclusive Queens Harassment and Discrimination Support and Reporting – A list of all resources and support services available to members of the Queen’s community.
- Queen’s University - Administration’s Declaration of Commitment to Address Systemic Racism
- Queen's University, Resources, Programs and New Initiatives – Inclusive Queen’s
- Student Affairs – Inclusive Community
- Human Rights & Equity Office – Queen’s Equity Services
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission Task Force – Final Report
- Aboriginal Access to Engineering
- Queen's Promise Scholar Program
- Queen's University Women in Science and Engineering
- AdvanceGeo Partnership – Community resources empowering geoscientists to transform workplace climates
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) – Canadian Region & Queen's University Chapter
- Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) – Resources on diversity, inclusion, and equity
- Center for First-Generation Student Success
- Diverse Geologists – Resources for geoscientists & students
- Engineers Canada’s 30 by 30 network –Women in Engineering
- Future RX Doc – A collection of career and research resources for geoscience graduate students
- Indspire -Indigenous Education, Canada’s Future&Bursaries and Scholarships
- International Association for Geoscience Diversity- Resources on racism and disability
- GSA 2017 Pardee Symposium on Diversity in the Geosciences –Articles recommended by symposium participants
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – StigmaFree on Campus
- National Association of Black Geoscientists
- National Society of Black Engineers
- National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals Inc
- PDAC Indigenous Affairs Program
- Race and Racism in the Geosciences – Dutt (2020), Nature Geoscience
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
- Society of Latinxs/Hispanics in Earth and Space Science
- The Geological Society – Diversity, equality and inclusion resources&opening the gate to accessible fieldwork
- Washington University in St. Louis Dept. Earth & Planetary Sciences – Bibliography of news and research on diversity in science
- Women in Mining Canada & Indigenous Student Trailblazer Award
- Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) –PDAC’s commitment to stand against racism and discrimination
- American Geophysical Union –Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at AGU
- Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) –AWG stands with our fellow Black and BIPOD geoscientists
- Geological Society of America (GSA) –Diversity in the Geosciences Community Position Statement&Diversity at GSA
- International Association for Geoscience Diversity (IAGD) –Commitment to Social Justice and Our Community
- No Time for Silence -A Call to Action for an Anti-Racist Science Community from Geoscientists of Color: Listen, Act, Lead
- Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) –Supporting Positive Culture Change
- Call for a Robust Anti-Racism Plan for The Geosciences
EDI Committee Members
General Committee Email Address - geoledi@queensu.ca
| Name | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Heather Jamieson (Commitee Chair) | jamieson@queensu.ca | Professor |
| Joyce Hostyn | joyce.hostyn@queensu.ca | Adjunct Faculty Member |
| Jean Hutchinson | hutchinj@queensu.ca | Professor |
| Brittany Jennings | brittany.jennings@queensu.ca | MEERL Program Manager |
| Matt Leybourne | ml164@queensu.ca | Professor |
| Edward (Ted) Matheson | edward.matheson@queensu.ca | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| Sterling Mitchell | s.mitchell@queensu.ca | Graduate Student |
| Sharlotte Mkhonto | s.mkhonto@queensu.ca | Graduate Student |
| Elisabeth Steel | e.steel@queensu.ca | Assistant Professor |
| Linda Tsuji | linda.tsuji@queensu.ca | Miller Museum Curator |