Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Who we are:

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (DEIB) of ASIH was formed as a result of a resolution read at the 2016 JMIH in New Orleans. Acting President at the time, Mo Donnelly, founded the group by selecting Michael Franklin and Rocky Parker as the co-chairs, and it was named the Diversity Committee. Since then, the committee officially changed its name to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee. This name reflects the committee’s aims to recruit and support diversity within ASIH and promote ASIH as a welcoming home to all who want to join and participate.

What we do:

The main charge of the DEIB Committee is to improve the experiences of all members of ASIH, both in the Society and at our meetings, especially the experiences of Black, indigenous and other people of color as well as those from additional underrepresented backgrounds (e.g., LGBTQ+ people, first generation college students). The purpose is to facilitate the career development of anyone who wants to dedicate their professional life to studying fishes, amphibians, and/or reptiles regardless of a person’s background, experience, or access. Our recurring membership surveys indicate that the membership of ASIH is not representative of the demographic diversity in the U.S., even compared to STEM graduates broadly. By developing programming (e.g., professional development panels, affinity working groups) and funding opportunities (e.g., Cashner Student Awards), the DEIB Committee is positioned to remain action-based. We have also assisted in broadcasting messaging on issues of historical oppression (e.g., the name change of ASIH’s journal) as well as those that continue to plague progress in our discipline (e.g., signing on to the statement from Inclusive Herpetology). Our work is far from done, and if any of this motivates you to join us, please reach out.

How to contact us:

If you have any ideas for how to improve ASIH culture or better support ASIH community members, please reach out to us at diversitycommitteeasih@gmail.com We value and act upon community feedback. No idea/issue is too small or too big! And please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to get involved with current DEIB initiatives or spearhead a new initiative.

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