GeoCoLab

Project Description

The foundations of a discipline shape the way in which knowledge is created, by whom, for what, and dictate who is allowed to generate knowledge. Geoscience as an academic pursuit was born from colonialism, allowing for Western knowledge and scientists to dominate the discipline. This manifests in a number ways. In the Global North, there is a lack of diversity in those who pursue geoscience research, and marginalised researchers struggle to access quality mentorship, funding, networks and opportunities. They are more likely to be prevented from career progression and development and ultimately, leave their geoscience careers. However, the Global North dominates geoscience knowledge production.

Geoscience publications regardless of the country in which the study is based, are mainly authored by scientists in the Global North and men from the Global North are disproportionately awarded Society honours and medals. The end result being that geoscience research is created by and for a small subset of the global population (white, cisgender, straight, able-bodied men in the USA, UK and Europe).
Geoscience research is essential to solving society's grand challenges. These global challenges require global solutions. Much geoscience research relies on funding to access analytical facilities to create the most fundamental datasets. During the 2021 NERC Digital Sprint we investigated inequities (in the UK and globally) in access to these facilities and the creation of and publication of analytical geoscience research.

An analysis of a global database of geochemical research (PetDB) found that the USA, UK and Europe produced the largest research output, but predominantly on samples from other countries. Less than 30% of this research involved local researchers. We conclude that parachute science is observed in igneous geochemistry and leads to inequities in published research in this field. In this project we will expand this analysis to all global geochemical databases. We infer that this is an issue in the broader field of analytical geoscience.

An online survey of geoscience researchers identified an 'access gap' to analytical facilities. We reveal that some groups have preferential access to analytical facilities and associated funding and that those with minority identities in the UK and those from the Global South are more likely to be excluded from access to analytical facilities. The 'analytical facilities access gap' disproportionately affects both minority researchers in the UK and those in the Global South, and it goes on to negatively affect success and retention in research impacting diversity in geoscience. In this project we will expand the reach of our online survey to include a larger, international sample size.

Our proposed digital technology solution to this EDI problem is an online collaborative research platform that aims to reduce inequities in geoscience research by closing the identified 'access gap' in analytical geoscience research. GeoCoLab 'match-makes' underserved Geoscience researchers (e.g. unfunded ECRs; minority researchers; those from the Global South) who need access to analytical services, with Collaborating Laboratory facilities who have agreed to offer a quota of pro-bono services. We will develop this platform with project partner the British Geological Survey. We will partner with UK analytical facilities, enabling those facilities to meet their own EDI strategic aims and opening new global collaborations.

GeoCoLab will lead to better support for currently underserved researchers, more equitable practises, greater representation of minority and Global South researchers in analytically-based geoscience publications, thus leading to better retention and recognition of historically excluded groups.