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ESIP Partner Assembly Endorses the Santa Barbara Charter
The ESIP Partner Assembly voted unanimously to endorse the Santa Barbara Charter: Broadening Participation in Environmental Data Science in July 2023.
The Partner Assembly of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) endorsed the Santa Barbara Charter, which seeks to broaden participation in environmental data science. ESIP is committed to being a welcoming and inclusive space. The Santa Barbara Charter offers guidance on leading practices to establish a just future in Earth science data and related fields.
Inclusiveness – We put people first and recognize, appreciate, and cultivate diversity in our global community.
Inclusiveness is one of ESIP’s core values. The ESIP Partner Assembly’s endorsement of the Santa Barbara Charter: Broadening Participation in Environmental Data Science is a reflection of our community’s commitment to seeking many voices and perspectives.
Collaboration and openness are two other core ESIP values. That means our organizational leadership felt strongly that official endorsement through the ESIP Partner Assembly was the most effective way for ESIP to support the Santa Barbara Charter and its implementation. Individuals and organizations are welcome to sign on.
“People are the heart of ESIP,” said Susan Shingledecker, ESIP Executive Director. “Our community cares deeply about equity, diversity, inclusion and justice. But the demographics of the computer sciences and geosciences speak loudly – and caring alone is not enough to create welcoming, truly open spaces for collaboration.”
Santa Barbara Charter
“This charter addresses the need to develop a culture and practice in environmental data science (EDS) where people of all identities can participate, thrive, and attain satisfying and rewarding careers. The actions taken to improve the situations of those most marginalized, disenfranchised, underrepresented, and excluded will increase the quality of experience for all.”
ESIP Partner, the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at UC Santa Barbara, hosts an annual Environmental Data Summit where the charter was initially drafted. Since then, more than 125 individuals have signed on. Sign on as an individual or organization.
ESIP Endorsement is about Community
As a community-serving organization, ESIP welcomes discussion of all products, services and official statements for the advancement of Earth sciences. New tools and charters are opportunities for ESIP to make an endorsement, which can help to bring concordance and direction for the benefit of the larger community. The process requires an open-comment period of 30 days and a formal vote by ESIP partner voting representatives. The endorsement passed unanimously at the ESIP Partner Assembly Business Meeting held at the 2023 July ESIP Meeting.
“Our theme this year is ‘Opening Doors to Open Science’ and last year we explored ‘Data for All’ in our meetings and community focus,” said Denise Hills, ESIP President and program director at Advanced Resources International. “We also formed the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice (EDIJ) Committee. Along with the Santa Barbara Charter endorsement, we continue to step forward into a future where our principles match our actions.”
The ESIP vision is a world where data-driven solutions are a reality for all by making Earth science data actionable by all who need them anytime, anywhere. The “all” requires ESIP to broaden participation in environmental data science. A starting point is the ESIP Partner Assembly’s endorsement of the Santa Barbara Charter.
This blog was written by Allison Mills from ESIP with edits from Susan Shingledecker and Megan Carter from ESIP and Denise Hills from Advanced Resources International.
ESIP stands for Earth Science Information Partners and is a community of partner organizations and volunteers. We work together to meet environmental data challenges and look for opportunities to expand, improve, and innovate across Earth science disciplines.
Learn more esipfed.org/get-involved and sign up for the weekly ESIP Update for #EarthScienceData events, funding, webinars and ESIP announcements.
