Black Women in Ocean Science: Barriers to Advancement and Strategies to Move Forward

Abstract

Less than 2% of graduate students and 1% of tenured faculty in Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences identify as Black or African-American. Discussions about diversifying ocean sciences are incomplete without acknowledging the distinctive challenges faced by Black women. We present new survey data on the dominant barriers to entry within the field, which can result from racism and discrimination, financial difficulties, and lack of accessibility. We also discuss mitigation strategies that can be employed, with the hope that the entire ocean science community can collaborate to foster a culture of inclusion. We cannot have a healthy ocean if we do not support everyone who wants to study it.