Creating welcoming, supportive, and productive research environments requires addressing safety concerns and identity-based harassment in field campaigns. While harassment and discrimination in the field are not new phenomena, widespread recognition of their prevalence and harm has led to demands for a culture change and increased training and preparation for fieldwork.

To better understand these challenges, we conducted a survey of AGU members that examined forms of “harmful field interactions” such as incivility or microaggressions that often go unreported yet significantly affect field experiences. Findings reveal that such behaviors undermine individual well-being, shape team dynamics, and may contribute to attrition in the geosciences. 

                In response to these challenges, the ADVANCEing FieldSafety program was developed as a free and accessible online training suite designed to prepare field teams for safer, more inclusive, and more welcoming field experiences. The program integrates a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) hosted on Coursera, a field-ready resource hub, and structured reflection workshops. Grounded in an intersectional framework, the training addresses field safety, harassment, power dynamics, and team culture to improve both individual experiences and collective outcomes in the field.

This presentation will describe the design, content, and evaluation results of the ADVANCEing FieldSafety program, highlight how its approach responds to community-identified concerns, and discuss lessons learned from early implementation as well as recommendations for cultural change in Geoscience fieldwork environments and campaigns.

Bio:

Dr. Anne Gold (she/her) is a Fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder, the Director of the CIRES Center for Education, Engagement and Evaluation (CEEE), and Affiliate Faculty member in the School of Education. She is a climate scientist by training, has extensive field research experience from field sites across the world, taught many college-level classes, and including field-camps. Among other programs, she is the PI for the ADVANCEing FieldSafety program, the Polar Science Early Career Community Office and a Geoscience-focused Research Experience for Undergraduate Students site that has trained over 130 students over the past 12 years. She conducts education research and focuses on how to improve teaching and learning in the Geosciences. Her projects translate research into educational resources and opportunities.

* For the Zoom link, please email Xueyao Cheng  > xc272@stanford.edu