INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the online supplement to the special issue of
Oceanography magazine on Building Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion in the Ocean Sciences. As part of this project, we
present a series of one-page autobiographical sketches writ-
ten by ocean scientists from diverse backgrounds and modeled
on the sketches published in the two Women in Oceanography
special issues of Oceanography (March 2005 and December
2014). The motivation was similar: people are fascinated by sto-
ries—by learning what the scientists do, how they faced chal-
lenges along the way, and what they find rewarding about their
work. By including these personal journeys, the autobiograph-
ical sketches complement the many articles in the special issue
that describe programs that focus on building diversity, equity,
and inclusion in the ocean sciences and the lessons the lead-
ers of those programs have learned as they have attempted to
address structural and cultural obstacles encountered by under-
represented and marginalized scholars.
We sent out targeted invitations to contribute sketches in an
attempt to capture a range of career stages and paths, including
those of guest editors of the special issue (see sketches contrib-
uted by Corey Garza, Deidre Gibson, Catalina Martinez, and
Wendy Todd). Most contributors provide examples of how they
are nurturing diversity in the ocean sciences through teaching,
developing and implementing programs, mentoring and cham-
pioning others, or writing children’s books. Nearly all talk about
the importance of support of family and community in enabling
their careers, as well as mentors who believed in their abilities.
In our invitation letter, we asked potential contributors to
provide roughly 500 words that focus on some/all of the fol-
lowing questions, although we gave them leeway to write about
anything they wished.
1. Briefly, what are your scientific/research interests, and/or
professional endeavors?
2. Please share anything about your background and life jour-
ney that you feel is important.
3. How did you choose your field of study?
4. What have you found most rewarding about your career and
why?
5. What have been your greatest career challenges? How have
you responded to these challenges?
6. How have you balanced your career and personal life? How
has this balance influenced your career choices and your per-
sonal life?
7. Are the conditions for underrepresented scholars in your
area of the field different now than when you began your
career? If so, how has that affected your work?
8. Is there any advice you would like to provide for young ocean-
ographers and other scholars from diverse backgrounds?
The handful of autobiographical sketches shared here dis-
play only a fraction of the depth, richness, complexity, and chal-
lenges faced by scholars from underrepresented and marginal-
ized groups in the ocean and geo sciences. There are so many
more stories to be told; I hope that this collection inspires others
to write about their journeys.
— Ellen S. Kappel, Editor