URGE (Unlearning Racism in GEosciences)

URGE (Unlearning Racism in GEosciences) is a curriculum (8 sessions) focused on providing tools and resources to help Geoscientists develop policies that improve accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (AJEDI) in the workplace and community. The primary objectives of URGE are to:

  1. Deepen the community’s knowledge of the effects of racism on the participation and retention of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in Geoscience.
     
  2. Draw on existing literature, expert opinions, and personal experiences to develop anti-racist policies and strategies.
     
  3. Share, discuss, and modify anti-racist policies and strategies within a dynamic community network and on a national stage.

URGE encourages individuals within organized groups (e.g., academic institutions, industry, professional societies, etc.) to form “pods” that will serve as individual discussion groups to address and take action on AJEDI initiatives within their communities. Each pod is provided with material (e.g., reading, interviews, inclusivity tips, etc.) in order to address URGE deliverable for each session and create effective action within the community.

In response to URGE, members of CCOM/JHC, the Center for Ocean Engineering, and SMSOE have formed an URGE pod called the Ocean Mapping and Engineering (OME) pod. In addition to the primary URGE objectives, the OME pod has several objectives that focus on the broader UNH community. These objectives are to:

  1. Discuss and assess the racial justice, equity, and inclusivity of our organization, specifically CCOM/JHC, the Center for Ocean Engineering, and SMSOE.
     
  2. Develop an anti-racism Action Plan with actions specific to the groups mentioned in pod Objective 1, including methods for measuring and reporting progress to University of New Hampshire leadership and the broader community.
     
  3. Create outreach materials and engage in events that aim to increase the participation, recruitments, and retention of underrepresented minorities, both in local K-12 schools and university programs throughout the country.

To learn more about URGE and their efforts, visit their website (urgeoscience.org/). Visit the URGE OME pod website (https://urgeoscience.org/pods/unh-ocean-mapping-and-engineering/) to see our deliverables for each URGE session.