Awards, keynotes and gender equity in coastal geoscience and engineering: A 50-year perspective

Awards and invited keynotes are critical markers of scholarly achievement that shape visibility, career advancement and retention in academia. Yet extensive evidence across science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine shows that women remain underrepresented among recipients of these honors. To evaluate equity within the coastal geosciences and engineering (CGE) community, we compiled the gender distribution of 1,138 awards and invited keynotes granted by professional societies and conferences relevant to CGE over the past 50 years. We additionally reviewed publicly available nomination and selection procedures to assess transparency and inclusivity in award processes. Overall, 65% of honors were presented to men, and 35% were awarded to women and gender-diverse recipients. While men received more than 94% of awards before 2000, female representation among honorees increased to an average of 42% since 2020, outpacing the growth of women in the global scientific workforce and in tenure-track positions in the physical sciences and engineering in the United States. Disparities persist, however, across organizations and career stages: late-career awards and invited keynotes remain disproportionately male-dominated. Most organizations publicly share eligibility criteria, but few provide information on committee composition, evaluation rubrics or conflict-of-interest policies. Our findings show substantial progress toward gender equity in CGE recognition, yet highlight continued gaps in senior-level honors and the transparency of selection procedures. We provide community-focused recommendations such as clearer nomination policies, actions to reduce implicit bias, improved record-keeping and expanded mid-career awards to support equitable recognition across career stages and to ensure that honors reflect the evolving diversity of the CGE workforce.