INS 10: Beyond the Glass Ceiling: Ground-Breaking Women in Soil Science

Session Organizer(s)

• Courtney Collins

  Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder
  Boulder, CO, USA

Moderator(s)

• Michala Phillips

  Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California Riverside
  Riverside, CA, USA

Volunteer(s)

• Brianne Palmer

  Plant Science, University of California, Davis
  San Diego, California, United States

Despite the significant progress in improving gender balance in ecology, women remain underrepresented in the fields of soil science, particularly at higher levels (Hampton and Labou 2017). This imbalance is far higher for women of color, with only 7.5% of Ecology PhD recipients since 2000 reported as non-Caucasian (Hampton and Labou 2017). Historical and structural discrimination has decreased the diversity in leadership roles, while also decreasing visibility of the research accomplishments of women and particularly Black, Indigenous, women of color. Further, this lack of diversity limits the diversity of perspectives and has disadvantaged the field of ecology as a whole (Singh 2018). Highlighting the accomplishments of women and historically excluded women is key to not only increasing inclusion and equity in our field, but also advancing the next generation of scientific thought.
Here we gather ten soil ecologists from a diversity of identities, career stages, and disciplines to highlight fundamental contributions of women to the field of soil science. Their work addresses a broad range of topics, and encompasses intersections between research and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Speakers will share their research, furthering diverse perspectives and enhanced representation in our field. These speakers are paving the way for more women in the future of soil ecology, while also leading the field with new conceptual, methodological, and theoretical breakthroughs. We couldn’t imagine a better fit for this year’s theme of “Vital Connections in Ecology” as our session highlights the vital connections women are making between science and social justice.

Presentations:

• ON DEMAND

  Braiding knowledge systems for more resilient reclamation
  

  Presenting Author: Lydia Jennings – University of Arizona
• ON DEMAND

  From the world of soil microbes, to using science for social justice
  

  Presenting Author: Evelyn Valdez-Ward – Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine
• ON DEMAND

  Learning to speak for the soil
  

  Presenting Author: Yamina Pressler – Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences, California Polytechnic State University
• ON DEMAND

  On the depth of soil: Literally and figuratively
  

  Presenting Author: Asmeret Asefaw Berhe – School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced
• ON DEMAND

  Rare events control ecosystem N loss: Beyond the leaky pipe for Black students in ecology
  

  Presenting Author: Aral C. Greene – Environmental Science, University of California-Riverside
• ON DEMAND

  Science trails of a White Latinx into tropical rainforest biogeochemistry
  

  Presenting Author: Daniela Cusack – Ecosystem Science & Sustainability, Colorado State University
• ON DEMAND

  Science-ing and more
  

  Presenting Author: Aditi Sengupta – Biology, California Lutheran University
• ON DEMAND

  Soil health stewardship of California's rangelands: Conducting science to inform action
  

  Presenting Author: Chelsea J. Carey – Point Blue Conservation Science
• ON DEMAND

  Unraveling the impacts of land-use change on tropical soil microbial communities
  

  Presenting Author: Andressa Monteiro Venturini – Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture - University of São Paulo
• ON DEMAND

  What soil fungi have taught me about diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality
  

  Presenting Author: Adriana Romero-Olivares – New Mexico State University