DEMOGRAPHY AND THE GEOSCIENCE PROFESSIONS: DIFFUSION IS NOT PROGRESS

An examination of the United States demographic trend from 1980-2016 indicates the diversity gap between minority representation in the general population and within the national geosciences workforce remains large. From 1980 to 2016, individuals identifying as members of categorized minorities increased from 23% to 41% of the general population. In real numbers, as U.S. population grew from 226,545,805 to 323,127,513 persons during the 1980-2016 interval, the minority population of the United States increased from 52,782,855 to 132,159,151 persons.

Data on minority progress in geosciences occupations is available from 1995-2016. Within the geosciences workforce, minority representation increased from 7% in 1995 to 18% in 2016. In 2016, however, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported only 92,880 employees identifying as minorities within the national geosciences workforce. While this number constitutes 18% of the national geosciences workforce, it is far below the 41% minority identity of the general public. A model for minority admission into the geosciences workforce is presented indicating that incremental additions of people from categorized minorities into geosciences occupations is similar to a simple diffusive flux model. Given an increasingly large population identifying as minorities in the general population, one would expect a small proportion to diffuse into geosciences professions. Put another way, the annual incremental addition of minorities in geosciences occupations is unrecognizable from expectations of random diffusion across a concentration gradient. As geosciences continues the decades-long struggle to create a more inclusive discipline and broaden participation of underrepresented minorities in the geosciences professions, we must redouble our effort and recognize that simple diffusion is not progress.