Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at IMAGE

When you think about attending a conference, what feelings come up? Are you excited and energized? Do you envision sharing technical results to inspire respectful debate and form the foundations for future collaborations? Do you plan to learn from diverse technical programming

and exhibition pavilions, and build relationships with participants from around the world? Do you plan to simply have a great time?

This is the conference we aim to create. AAPG and SEG strive to provide a diverse and inclusive environment for every participant to be respected, learn, grow, and shine.

Why should you care?

Think back to every small moment in your life that led to a big impact. Every small interaction or conversation that influenced your development and resulted in who and where you are today. Think about how much we influence each other. We are a community. We celebrate ups and weather downs together. The more inclusive and diverse our community is, the stronger we (you) are. The more innovative we are. The more impact we have. We care because we are a community with a rich history and an innovative future, and we aim to continue growing together.

What can you do?

• Speak to or act as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advocate. Look for participants at the meeting with “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” badge ribbons and ask us how you can show your support.
• Familiarize yourself with the conference Code of Conduct.
• Introduce yourself to someone different from yourself. Do you come from different countries or generations? Do you share differing views on a scientific topic? Great! Sounds like you have a lot you could learn from each other and there is potential to form a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship.
• Respect everyone’s different boundaries, both physical and verbal. Our global participants represent a wide variety of cultural practices, and everyone has different levels of comfort with health and safety practices. Perhaps a handshake is comfortable for you but maybe not for others. Consider other ways to warmly introduce yourself. A brief nod of the head? A wave of the hand? Consider that different people will have different comfort levels discussing various topics of conversation, such as family or perspectives on current events.
• Respect different communication styles and assume positive intent. This is a best practice when interacting with diverse participants with different cultural and speaking norms and abilities. Consider that people assign different meanings and connotations to words and inflections when they speak. Remember that people have a range of abilities in speech and movement. Consider that it might be uncommon for some to maintain prolonged, direct eye contact. Be flexible and accept that some remarks may feel awkward to some. On the other hand, assume positive intent and consider asking for clarity to be sure you understand someone’s intent. A reminder - humor does not always translate well across cultures.
• Check out diverse booths, pavilions, presentations, panels, and events! Make it a point to go to at least 1 program outside of your comfort zone per day. You might be surprised by what insights you have and who you meet!

What are we doing?

IMAGE hosts a large, diverse range of programs and activities for all participants. Full list of activities and events coming soon.

Code of Conduct: see copy and reporting mechanism here.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact us at IMAGEinclusion@gmail.com.