In 2021, a module on environmental racism was added to the introductory environmental geology course at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The content aligns with existing learning objectives, and mindfully placed after groundwater and soil in the broader context of contamination. Discussions of case studies from hazardous sites and regulatory agencies is also extremely valuable – offering specific examples and 'real-world' context. Early qualitative feedback suggests students had not been exposed to these topics previously, and the content increased student engagement and active learning. To get additional feedback, I gave a talk about what I've learned at the recent GSA meeting (October 2021).

Environmental Racism and the Role of Ethics in Geoscience:

Course curriculum & Associated Content:

1. Highlights how politics/ societal policies influence geologic hazards/risk and community,

2. Demonstrates how contamination disproportionately burdens BIPOC communities,

3. Creates a platform for anti-racism within geology coursework, &

4. Illustrates the role of ethics in geosciences.

The short term goal: Create a shareable (and accessible) teaching module introducing students to environmental racism and the impact of ethics in geosciences. Content can be easily integrated into various other courses.

The long term goal: Develop an interdisciplinary course that connects geosciences topics to ongoing and systemic social justice issues. Course curriculum would be taught through case studies and demonstrate how geoscientists can act as an oppressor due to poor decision making, often having silent but far-reaching impacts to vulnerable groups/ communities. This course examines how subsurface geology/ resources, physical properties of rocks, and geochemistry all influence how an area becomes contaminated… and the communities that are disproportionately burdened by the results.

My previous work experience as a geologist at environmental consulting firms, provides familiarity with hazardous sites and regulatory agencies. This course builds anti-racism into geoscience curriculum and highlights BIPOC scholars and activists who are at the front lines of environmental racism. The content provides a unique opportunity for transdisciplinary collaboration between the geosciences and the humanities. Each week the material will be taught through different case studies and presented in a very specific order through the term/semester. Scaffolding of material enables students to focus on one case study (i.e. location) while also building on previous cases and drawing similarities between instances of environmental racism across the country and world. Specific case studies/ communities include: Flint, MI; Cancer Alley, LA; Tar Creek, OK; and the Ecuadorian Amazon (ongoing 50 year fight for clean water).

In addition to this course, I hope to see these topics incorporated into other geology courses, such as economic geology and geochemistry. Mineral and rock resources are often located in places where the local community is not represented in decision-making processes. This is especially true in economic geology and oil and gas, where resource owners and investors are often from a dissimilar socioeconomic background from the workers. I aim to cultivate diversity and increase inclusion and representation by identifying historically excluded communities and engaging to create more seats at the table.