Huliāmahi
The Department of Earth Sciences strives for all people to thrive personally and professionally. To do so, we promote:
- Justice: defending equity and pursuing accountability from offenders
- Equity: impartial, fair and provide equal possible outcomes for every individual (different from equality)
- Diversity: not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic class, nationality, physical ability, parental status, etc.
- Inclusion: ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace
Student JEDI Council, Huliāmahi: Our student JEDI Council, composed of graduate and undergraduate students working together with the JEDI ERTH Departmental Committee, aims to bring about change for greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our department and in the geosciences community.
Through Huliāmahi, we have:
- Hosted monthly seminars focused on JEDI topics, like indigeneous knowledge and sexual harassment
- Brought all-gender restrooms to our building
- Collectively completed the Unlearning Racism in the Geosciences (URGE) curriculum
- Began writing the NSF ADVANCE proposal exploring gender equity
- Created a school-wide speed-mentoring event
- Generated a resource road map for resolving conflicts
- Investigated department demographics and encouraged the university-wide data collection system to add metrics
- Drafted a field trip safety plan
Land Acknowledgement: We, the Earth Sciences ʻohana, acknowledge Hawaiʻi as an indigenous space whose original people are today identified as Native Hawaiians. The ‘āina on which we gather, teach and learn is part of the larger territory recognized by Indigenous Hawaiians as their ancestral grandmother, Papahānaumoku. We recognize that her majesty Queen Lili‘uokalani yielded the Hawaiian Kingdom and these territories under duress and protest to the United States to avoid the bloodshed of her people. We also recognize that Hawai‘i remains an illegally occupied state of America. Furthermore, we recognize that generations of Indigenous Hawaiians and their knowledge of systems shaped Hawaiʻi in a sustainable way that allows us to enjoy her gifts today. For this, we seek to support the varied strategies that the Indigenous peoples of Hawai‘i are using to protect their land and their communities, and we commit to dedicating time and resources to working in solidarity.
JEDI Resources: We believe that all students in our department should have access to the best advice, and the resources they need. We also realize that information and resources can be a barrier to equitable success and inclusion in the sciences. Below is a list of useful links and contacts for students:
Active JEDI Programs
In addition to efforts to make the Department climate more inclusive and supportive, there are multiple currently active programs to recruit and open science opportunities to #underrepresented# groups, as well as provide support beyond academics:
Earth Science on Volcanic Islands Research Experience for Undergraduates (ESVI REU) : Undergraduates: Participate in cutting-edge geoscience research in Hawai‘i! The ESVI REU Program at UHM offers 10 motivated undergraduates the opportunity to engage in independent research with scientist mentors at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Participants in this 9-week summer program receive a research stipend plus travel and room/board. Students also participate in field trips to sites of active volcanism and a short marine expedition on a research vessel. The ESVI REU program is open to US citizens, US nationals, or permanent residents of the United States currently enrolled in undergraduate studies leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree. Underrepresented minorities and students from institutions with limited undergraduate research opportunities are encouraged to apply.
Earth-Planets-ʻIke-Kuleana (EPʻIK): The EP‘IK Program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa offers opportunities for high school students in Hawai‘i to gain exposure to Earth and planetary science in preparation for a successful college experience. EPʻIK is committed to diversifying and broadening participation in the geosciences, while establishing a thriving educational pathway for Hawai‘i’s emerging Earth science stewards. We offer a 2-week summer camp (EPʻIK Summer) for high school students and teachers, in addition to tuition scholarships (EPʻIK Scholar) for introductory Earth Science courses offered through the UHM Summer Scholar program.
SOEST Maile Mentoring Bridge: The Maile Mentoring Bridge program offers individualized mentoring and peer support to kama‘aina undergraduates in SOEST degree programs. Maile mentees are Native Hawaiian undergraduates in the UH system who are either current or prospective SOEST students. Each mentee is paired with a mentor who is an underrepresented SOEST graduate student, post-doctoral research associate or recent graduate. Mentor-mentee pairs meet regularly (~1–2x/month) over a paid lunch, and all participants attend group meetings (~1–2x/semester) to share experiences, provide a sense of community, and strategize solutions to any problems that they may be experiencing.
Graduate Admissions Policy : SOEST is actively seeking to increase the diversity of our haumāna (student population). We strongly encourage applications by individuals from underrepresented groups, including (but are not limited to) those representing the intersections of race, ethnicity, cultural background, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and physical ability. To encourage a wider applicant pool and facilitate a more equitable screening process, GRE scores are no longer required and will not be formally considered during the evaluation process (#GRExit) Furthermore, the first 50 applicants who submit complete applications are eligible to request a $50 reimbursement to help offset the cost of the application fee.
Native Hawaiian Student Services (NHSS): NHSS programs and services are designed to support Hawaiian students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the largest body of Hawaiian students in any post-secondary educational institution in the world. NHSS programs are designed to improve institutional access, student-faculty engagement, research, leadership, and success, by fostering Hawaiian identities and cultivating Hawaiian scholarship.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP): UROP aims to help undergraduate students engage in faculty-mentored research and creative work. Each year, UROP awards approximately $500,000 in funding to support students working on faculty-mentored research projects or presenting at conferences. Students have used UROP funding to conduct field research abroad, purchase critical supplies, earn stipends and more.
Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP): NHSEMP strives to increase the advancement of underserved students in the STEM fields, including Native Hawaiian, Polynesian, Alaska Native, and Native American pre-college, community college, undergraduate, and graduate students. The NHSEMP mission is to provide comprehensive support involving outreach, recruitment, retention, and placement strategies aimed at increasing the number of qualified individuals on a successful path to leadership in community, industry, and academia.
KOKUA Program : The KOKUA Program, provided by UHʻs Office of Students with Disabilities, serves undergraduate, graduate and professional students with learning, physical, psychiatric and other documented disabilities. In the spirit of "aloha" and respect, we work together – students, faculty, staff and KOKUA – to facilitate equal access for students with disabilities to the Mānoa experience.
UH Womenʻs Center : The Women’s Center is committed to providing personal and academic support for the success of women and LGBT students at UHM. The Women’s Center provides crisis and referral services, connecting individuals with on and off campus resources for intimate partner violence, sexual assault, legal aid, and other emergency needs.
SACNAS : SACNAS, or the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics, is an inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.
AISES : The American Indian Science and Engineering Society, or AISES, promotes the highest standards of education and professional excellence to widen the STEM workforce and grow sector support. We highlight the geographic, economic, and social aspects of STEM education and careers.
Access to College Experience (ACE) : ACE is UHM First Year Program designed to assist first-year students' transition to college by giving them the option to register for their classes through major-specific learning communities, or clusters, instead of standard, class-by-class registration.
