What is an URGE Pod?
The URGE pod is a monthly journal club which focuses on learning about race and racism in geosciences by reading mostly academic literature and listening to experts and personal experiences. The pod met online for nine months to discuss a range of topics beginning with understanding the many facets of racism and how it manifests in academia, to learning about schemes that were successful in improving the representation of historically underrepresented groups within the geosciences.
Challenger URGE Pod
The pod met online for nine months to discuss a range of topics beginning with understanding the many facets of racism and how it manifests in academia, to learning about schemes that were successful in improving the representation of historically underrepresented groups within the geosciences. Each month the pod worked towards an implementable policy deliverable (often in collaboration with the Challenger EDIA group) that should lead to actionable progress in improving the representation, experience and retention of underrepresented ethnic groups within marine science in the UK. We produced deliverables relevant to UK marine science which included a code of conduct for Challenger conferences, including an anonymous reporting form, a fieldwork inclusivity strategy, and several sets of compiled and synthesised resources and recommendations focused on topics such as hiring practices.
Deliverables
Session 1: Group Norms and Pod Guidelines
Session 2: Code of Conduct for Meetings and Reporting Form
Session 3: Demographic data for the Challenger Society (long-term goal as part of the Challenger strategy)
Session 4 and 6: Fieldwork inclusivity plan and guidance with a section focused on working with communities of colour (ongoing)
Session 5: Recommendations for hiring and recruitment practices in UK marine science (ongoing)
Session 7: UK focused resource map (ongoing)
Session 8: Dissemination plan (complete)
Latest News
Workshop on the contribution of UK Arctic Ocean science to the International Polar Year 32/33
12:00 11th June – 16:00 12th June 2025: NOC Southampton (In-person with online option): Registration deadline 16th May
REGISTER HERE
Pre-meeting questionnaire (open to all)
The purpose of this workshop is for the UK Ocean Science community to discuss and then draft a prospectus document outlining the priority Arctic research questions the community would like to address during the run up to, throughout and beyond the International Polar Year 32/33. Additionally, to identify what unique strengths and technologies the UK has to help fill these knowledge gaps.
The second day of the workshop will be dedicated to writing groups, one for each of the priority research questions identified - from both the pre-meeting questionnaire (HERE) and day one discussion. By the end of the meeting, each group will have produced draft text and sourced supporting figures for the prospectus.
Post meeting, the draft will be opened for comments and suggestions from everyone, regardless of whether they were able to attend the workshop or not. It will then be shared with UK funders (UKRI, FCDO, DSIT, ARIA) and potential international programmes with whom we would like to collaborate (e.g. Arctic 2050, Norway). It will form a basis from which wider integration with terrestrial, atmospheric and cryosphere communities can be built, e.g. at the UK Arctic Science Meeting in September in Northumbria.
To ensure balanced community and ECR representation, and to ensure that the size of the writing groups is efficient and effective, if the number of registrations from individual institutes becomes overwhelming, we may contact individuals or teams and ask that each institute selects a smaller number of individuals to attend in-person. Please wait for confirmation of in-person attendance before finalising travel arrangements.
The workshop will be open to hybrid attendance and contributions on both days.
Challenger Society Council Position Vacancy
The Challenger Society for Marine Science (CSMS) are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to support the next generation of ocean scientists and innovators. CSMS are looking for a new Council member to fill the Student Travel Awards and Stepping Stones Portfolio. The successful applicant will administer the travel and research grants available for Early Career Researchers.
The role involves:
- Receiving applications for the two schemes and responding to applicant inquiries
- Soliciting and compiling input from the rest of the Council for assessing the applications
- Communicating with successful and unsuccessful applicants for the two schemes
- Working with the Honorary Treasurer on allocating funds to successful applicants
- Following up with award winners on their reporting requirements
- Attending Council meetings four times a year (in person or online) and contributing to discussions and decision making for CSMS
The usual term for Council members is three years.
For more information about the CSMS Council, please follow this link: https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/The_Council
For more information about our Early Career Researcher grants and awards, please follow this link:
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Stepping_Stones
and
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Travel_awards
If you are interested in applying or have any questions regarding the role, please contact kathen@bas.ac.uk
NOC Association (NOCA) AGM 2025
The 14th AGM of the NOC Association will be held on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May 2025. This free, on-line event will take place on Zoom, across two consecutive mornings, each starting at 10:00 and ending at 12:30. The agenda will focus on national capability (NC) science, ships, and autonomous vehicles, and how the community can engage. There will be an update on AtlantiS and on the new marine science scoping group. All are warmly welcome to join.
To participate, please complete your registration here.
For enquiries: Jackie Pearson, Secretary to NOCA: jfpea@noc.ac.uk