The LTER Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee would like to invite all members of the LTER community who self-identify as a member of a group that is underrepresented in the network, their site, or their professional spaces to join a monthly conversation group via Zoom. Each month the group will highlight the work of underrepresented researchers from a different region within the network and discuss a topic of general interest in a safe, professional, but casual setting. 

The goal of this monthly meetup is to create spaces for community-building and mentorship among those of us who do not see our identities sufficiently represented in our professional spaces. 

These meetings kickoff next Tuesday, February 9th, 2021 at noon PST/ 2 pm CST by highlighting work from our colleagues in the Southwest, Dr. Anny Chung and Dr. Laureano Gherardi, and by talking about mentorship and the ways that we have found (or not found) the support and guidance we need to navigate mostly male, white, straight, cis, able bodied spaces in ecology and the academy. 

Please register here for this and other upcoming seminars! And learn more about the working group here. The attached flyer provides more information about the Feb 9th event.

For questions, you can reach out to Cristy Portales Reyes (porta020@umn.edu). 

On behalf of the LTER Diversity Committee and Community Building Working Group, we welcome your participation and feedback!