PRI’s Statement on Diversity & Inclusion

The Paleontological Research Institution’s Statement on Diversity & Inclusion

June 4, 2020

The staff at the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) is united in denouncing the terrible acts by those who abuse their place of privilege to subjugate and strip life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness from their fellow citizens. The long list of human beings who are the victims in the history of systemic racism and violence in our country is a terrible indictment of our nation. PRI firmly believes Black Lives Matter.

The fact that acts of hate and violence have disproportionately impacted people of color calls out for us to recognize the deep-rooted systemic inequities that still exist in our country, in our institutions, and in our communities. Systemic racism and oppression persist and continue to negatively impact the lives of people of color.

We can and must stand up and speak out about racial injustice within our local, national, and professional communities. We can and must make our public venues safe and welcoming spaces for all.

Sadly, the staff at PRI, like most institutions in the Earth sciences—and the sciences in general—in this country, is overwhelmingly white, as are most people in our audiences. While we as scientists, educators, and citizens have long strived to do what we can to change these conditions, we have yet to make much measurable progress. This is unacceptable. We must do better.

Society at large benefits the most when we include and value diverse contributions to scientific and educational processes, and when we ensure that everyone can engage with and share in the results and benefits of scientific research. To that end, PRI is committed to challenging and changing the biases that lead to discriminatory practices wherever they occur, driving productive discussions about these issues, and creating opportunities to make science education and research available to everyone.

An example of how inclusion is vital is in climate change education--one of our primary focuses at PRI, and a topic that disproportionately affects communities of color in this country. One of the most important things that science educators can and should do right now is talk about how racism can compound the effects of climate change. As difficult as these conversations might be, the profound effects of climate change on marginalized communities makes them all the more important, and we need to improve our outreach in areas such as this.

In this vital work of improving our institution, our community, and our nation, we must avoid falling back on doing what we know how to do rather than doing what needs to be done. We are dedicated to this goal. We welcome input from everyone in our communities on how we can improve.