Fisheries sciences tackle complicated, societal-level problems. Addressing these challenges requires a fisheries science workforce with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertises. However, in a recent study, researchers reported a disparity in gender and racial representation and a lack of recruitment and retention of gender and racial minorities in fisheries science across sectors and regions of the United States (Arismendi and Penaluna 2016). A workforce that does not represent the general population will fail to consider and address all the problems faced by the whole society.
- One in four fisheries faculty or scientists is a woman
- One in ten fisheries faculty or scientists is nonwhite
- Progress towards recruiting and retaining minorities has been slow in the last three decades
The state of our fisheries and aquatic resources cannot wait for greater representation to happen passively. Actively identifying and dismantling barriers and changing fisheries science culture is needed to accelerate this process.
The Western Division of the American Fisheries Society (WDAFS) Recruitment and Retention Committee was established in 2017 and is currently composed of 13 members.
Mission and Objectives
To increase the participation and equitable treatment of members of the WDAFS, and further, to identify, recommend, and implement recruitment and retention initiatives that benefit the fisheries profession.
- Develop and support initiatives that address leadership actions identified by AFS Equal Opportunities Section (EOS) in 2020, namely governance, membership, outreach and recruitment, affinity and support, education and training, equity and access, representation, and conferences, as well as the themes strategic planning and visibility.
- Develop connections with the Society, Sections, Committees, Chapters, and Subunits to share information and collaborate on areas of overlap.
Ongoing Work and Accomplishments
- Support the Society, Western Division, Chapters, and Sub-units
- Provide recommendations on recruitment and retention needs
- Serve as a nexus for Chapters and organize roundtable discussions among Chapters to exchange initiatives, successes, and collectively problem solve and address shared challenges
- Develop initiatives that support the Plan of Work of the Western Division and Society Presidents and help meet the objectives of the AFS Strategic Plan.
- Developed strategies on increasing and diversifying nominations for awards
- Contributed to Meetings Code of Conduct and Code of Professional Conduct.
- Recognize and support the efforts of community heroes
- Honors an individual(s) annually through the Community Development Service Award (and past awardees)
- Funds and supports a Community Development Fellow every year
- Contribute to the annual Western Division Meeting
- Hosts the first-timers orientation and social for new attendees
- Sits on meeting planning committee and contributes to identifying plenary speakers, continuing education topics, and symposia themes
- Contributes posters, presentations, symposia, and continuing education trainings (see below)
- Participates in Respectful Meetings Working Group focused on hosting respectful meetings that acknowledge and give back (through service learning projects) to the land and peoples in the location hosting the annual meeting, as well as increasing Indigenous participation in and incorporating Indigenous knowledges into AFS
- Identifies and addresses inclusion and accessibility issues at meetings including:
- Registration waivers and cost of attendance support
- Nursing room
- Quiet room
- Dietary restrictions and allergies
- Dependent Care grants
- Closed-captioning of presentations (virtual presentations)
- Participate in the annual Western Division Meeting
- 2024 Symposium “Inclusive outreach and education for inspiring the next generation”, organized by Emily Chen and Rachel Carlson
- 2021 Implicit Bias Training as Continuing Education, organized by Laurie Earley
- 2021 Symposium “Diversity, inclusion, and equity: informing and adapting our approach to conducting and communicating fisheries science”, organized by Natasha Wingerter
- 2020 Virtual Spring Meeting plenary talk, “The Science Selfie: How to reframe your elevator speech to address social stereotypes”, Natasha Wingerter
- 2020 Symposium “Diversity and inclusion: crossing boundaries and navigating intersections of fisheries research and practice”, organized by Anna Lavoie (meeting was canceled)
- 2019 Poster presentation “A Rising Tide: Engaging the AFS Community on Diversity and Inclusion”, Bekki Waskovich, Emily Klein, Larissa Lee, Cheyenne Owens, and Anna Lavoie
- 2018 Symposium “Turning the Tide: Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in the Fisheries Profession”, organized by Cheyenne Owens and Larissa Lee
- 2018 Oral presentation “Introducing the Western Division Diversity and Inclusion Committee”, Cheyenne Owens and Larissa Lee
- Assess Western Division AFS membership and their experiences over time
- Performed voluntary survey of membership demographics and experiences during the 2018 WD Annual Meeting and reported findings during the 2019 WD Annual Meeting.
- New survey coming 2026
Opportunities to Get Involved
- Join our Committee! (see below)
- Support efforts at your Chapter
- Support efforts of the Society
Contact
If you would like to become involved or contact us, please contact Committee Co-chairs Emily Chen and Eric Fetherman at recruitmentandretention@wdafs.org.
