Enriched by Diverse Perspectives
The people of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (NOAA Research), and the intellectual capability they provide, are its greatest asset. As complexity grows and the pace of change and advancement in environmental science increases, the diversity and inclusion of our world-class workforce will continue to be important to the management of weather, water, and climate issues.
NOAA Research has developed five strategies in response to NOAA’s changing operating landscape and the specific factors influencing the environmental science community. The 2020-2026 NOAA Research Strategy supports the delivery of NOAA Research’s goals and objectives, as well as the advancement of NOAA’s six science and technology focus areas.
One of the principles that help guide how I approach my role as OAR Assistant Administrator is applying the ideals of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in two distinct realms. First, how diverse and inclusive are we as an organization? Second, how effective are we in serving the diverse population of the United States with our science? Are we addressing the needs equitably across our country and engaging communities that have been traditionally underserved? Acting upon these questions is one of my top priorities at OAR.
Steven Thur, Ph.D.,
NOAA Research Assistant Administrator
NOAA Research will grow the leaders of tomorrow. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, NOAA Research will broaden its talent pool to reflect multidisciplinary skill sets. NOAA Research will develop leadership and management skill sets across the workforce to prepare for succession planning and the demands of the future.
We strive to bring awareness to employees, applicants for employment and management about Equal Employment Opportunity/Diversity through the following:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) are important concepts to the NOAA Research Leadership. DEIA are not only best practices; ensuring that all of our employees are included is the right thing to do. Diversifying our workforce is a top priority. We participate in various conferences and career fairs. Some of the conferences include: Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE), and Black Engineer of the Year Award Conference (BEYA) to name a few.
In addition to participating in the various conferences, we also understand that STEM education is important and must be introduced to students early in their educational journey. To that end, we provide tools and resources for teachers in grades K-12 that includes lesson plans, activities, videos, and classroom-friendly data.
Nicole Mason is the EEO Director/Diversity Program Manager for NOAA Research.
Moreover, employees are encouraged to seek advancement opportunities through the Agency’s leadership program. The Leadership Competencies Development Program (LCDP) is an 18-month program that provides a series of training and learning experiences that will broaden participants understanding of NOAA’s strategic vision, mission, and goals, as well as NOAA’s business processes.
I invite you to consider NOAA Research as a viable option for your next employment opportunity. We are always looking for people like you to help us in our pursuit of DEI and to add your skills to the amazing work that we are engaging in every day.
Building from the NOAA plan, NOAA Research created its own Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility Strategic Plan. The plan states eight guiding principles for having an inclusive work environment.
If you’d like to learn more about NOAA and NOAA Research’s efforts to increase and improve knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, check out the resources below.
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