Crafting Field Station and Marine Lab Communities for Undergraduate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Field stations and marine labs (FSMLs) in the United States are predominantly white and often heteronormative and cis-g­endered spaces. As such, it can be difficult for people of color and other minoritized groups to gain access, persist, and succeed as field scientists-­in-­training. While making large-­scale changes in how our FSMLs look and operate can seem daunting, many FSMLs are working on DEAI (diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion) initiatives through their undergraduate student programs. We give examples from some of these efforts, and we suggest some concrete, achievable steps that we hope the FSML community will find helpful to enhance the human diversity of FSMLs and craft more inclusive and equitable communities. We call on the FSML community at large to collaborate and support each other in this work.