Volcanologists—who are we and where are we going?

Abstract

Equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) are principles all scientific groups and organisations should strive to achieve as they secure working conditions, policies and practices that not only promote high-quality scientific output but also well-being in their communities. In this article, we reflect on the progress of EDI in volcanology by presenting data related to memberships of international volcanology organisations, positions on volcanology committees, volcanology awards and lead-authorship on volcanology papers. The sparse demographic data available means our analysis focuses mainly on gender identity discrimination, but we show that discrimination related to ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability and socio-economic background is also occurring, with the intersection of these discriminations further exacerbating marginalisation within the volcanology community. We share suggestions and recommendations from other disciplines on how individuals, research groups and organisations can promote, develop and implement new initiatives to call out and tackle discrimination and advance EDI in the volcanological community. There is a lot of potential for improvement if we all see our role in creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive volcanology community. This requires (1) awareness: acknowledgement of the problem, (2) commitment: through the statement of EDI core values and the development of action plans, codes of conducts and guidelines, (3) action: aiming for representation of all groups, and (4) reflection: development through critical self-reflection and a willingness to address shortcomings.