Federal Support Fosters Ocean Workforce Diversity Through Programmatic Investments and Community Action

Abstract

This article highlights efforts across four US federal funding agencies (National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Office of Naval Research), each with differing, yet complementary, priorities and approaches to increasing and retaining diverse talent in ocean science education and workforce development. To understand the success and impact of our endeavors, we call attention to the need for meaningful evaluation of supported programs, which requires collecting and analyzing robust demographic data. Finally, we underscore the important role of federal agencies working alongside professional societies, national boards, and academic institutions in effecting cultural change and creating environments where the talents of all ocean sciences students, researchers, practitioners, and faculty can be fully recognized and supported.