The Black in Marine Science Blueprint

Area of Science:

• Marine science and geoscience diversity.
• Representation of Black individuals in scientific fields.

Background:

• Marine science is a notably non-diverse geoscience field.
• Despite diversity efforts, Black representation remains low, impacting community-issue awareness.
• Systemic and cultural barriers exclude Black talent from marine science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline actionable solutions to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in marine science.
• To present the Black In Marine Science (BIMS) Blueprint for systemic change.
• To foster ocean justice through enhanced representation.

Main Methods:

• Development of the BIMS Blueprint based on addressing systemic and cultural issues.
• Implementation of joy-centered partnerships and direct membership feedback.
• Creation of a dedicated journal issue to showcase BIMS scholars' achievements.

Main Results:

• The BIMS Blueprint provides a framework for increasing DEI in scientific spaces.
• Joy-centered partnerships and feedback led to the creation of this journal issue.
• The journal issue highlights scientific achievements resulting from BIMS Blueprint implementation.

Conclusions:

• The BIMS Blueprint offers a scalable model for enhancing DEI in scientific communities.
• Collaborative approaches and community feedback are crucial for driving meaningful change.
• Achieving ocean justice requires sustained commitment to equitable representation and inclusion.