Diversity is a vital priority that promotes innovation and strengthens a community's resiliency. The lack of diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is not a new development and the geosciences continue to lag other STEM disciplines in this area. Many current and historical geoscience education funding efforts have focused on increasing the numbers of participants from under-involved groups in the geosciences but often have lacked the equally important focus of developing appropriate climates for retention. Expansion of scientific knowledge and preparation of the future professional geoscience workforce includes increasing the pool of educated, well-qualified individuals, but it should also include efforts to develop and sustain supportive learning, research and professional environments to retain said individuals. To this effect, social science expertise is critical and should be enthusiastically welcomed to help broaden the understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion in the geosciences.

Join California Sea Grant at the 2020 Ocean Sciences Meet...