The debate around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, or simply put, DEIJ, has been going on within the scientific community for a while now. The topic is often discussed in hushed voices during recruitment drives or, once in a while, at the international forum. But how does DEIJ impact our research? Here’s an example. I work in the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem, the Sundarbans, home to the only swamp tiger in the world along with 453 other species, including 290 birds, 120 fish, 42 mammal, 35 reptile and 8 amphibians. An ecosystem so fragile that it might be lost by 2050. Nearly one million people are at risk- the largest population that has had to migrate due to climate change. To know more about such fascinating ecosystems and research being done to address critical scientific questions, the ASLO ECC Committee launched Amplifying Voices (AV) in November 2021-a webinar series aimed at allowing interaction between underrepresented scientists (read Early Career Researchers) with the wide audience of ASLO. The AV webinars became a medium to equalize opportunities- an action point to address DEIJ instead of just talking about it. At AV, we host two ECRs each month to present their research, while making a conscious effort to include researchers from diverse backgrounds and study topics aligned with the aquatic sciences.

Tutorial/Invited: Invited

Primary Presenter: Anwesha Ghosh, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (anweshag91@gmail.com)

Authors:

Anwesha Ghosh, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata  (anweshag91@gmail.com)