Search for: All records

Abstract Sexual harassment in field settings brings unique challenges for prevention and response, as field research occurs outside “typical” workplaces, often in remote locations that create additional safety concerns and new team dynamics. We report on a project that has 1) trained field project participants to recognize, report, and confront sexual harassment, and 2) investigated the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of field researchers regarding sexual harassment. Pre-campaign surveys from four major, multi-institutional, domestic and international field projects indicate that the majority of sexual harassment reported prior to the field campaigns was hostile work environment harassment, and women were more likely to be the recipients, on average reporting 2-3 incidents each. The majority of those disclosing harassment indicated that they coped with past experiences by avoiding their harasser or downplaying incidents. Of the incidences reported (47) in post-campaign surveys of the four field teams, all fell under the category of hostile work environment and included incidents of verbal, visual, and physical harassment. Women’s harassment experiences were perpetrated by men 100% of the time, and the majority of the perpetrators were in more senior positions than the victims. Men’s harassment experiences were perpetrated by a mix of women and men, and the majority came from those at the same position of seniority. Post-project surveys indicate that the training programs (taking place before the field projects) helped participants come away with more positive than negative emotions and perceptions of the training, the leadership, and their overall experiences on the field campaign. 

Concentrations and the stable isotopic composition of bulk aerosol nitrate (NO₃⁻) were quantified from two GEOTRACES cruises: (a) Alaska–Tahiti (GP15;n = 22) and (b) Peru–Tahiti (GP16;n = 17) to explore the hypothesis that a marine source influences aerosol NO₃⁻in the equatorial Pacific. The δ¹⁵N‐NO₃⁻ranged from −14.5‰–0.5‰, with lowest values furthest from the coast, primarily reflecting a shift in sources. The δ¹⁸O‐ and Δ¹⁷O‐NO₃⁻were both relatively high (65.2‰–85.4‰ and 21.4‰–30.7‰, respectively) and decreased away from continental regions, reflecting a shift in the oxidants that influence the formation of NO₃⁻. Transport modeling and co‐occurrence of low δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O and Δ¹⁷O provided evidence for an important influence of marine‐derived alkyl nitrates (RONO₂) on aerosol NO₃⁻formation. Based on the Δ¹⁷O, we quantified that the contribution of RONO₂to aerosol NO₃⁻can be as high as 47.5% (range 7.5%–47.5%). We also estimate an average δ¹⁵N‐RONO₂of −27.8‰ ± 23.3‰.

 

Geosciences remain one of the least diverse fields. Efforts to diversify the discipline need to address the role of hostile and exclusionary work and learning environments. A workplace climate survey distributed to five professional organizations illustrates varied experiences of earth and space scientists over a 12‐month period (pre‐COVID). A majority experienced positive interactions in the workplace. However, scientists of color, women and non‐binary individuals, scientists with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, and asexual (LGBQPA+) scientists more frequently experienced negative interactions, including interpersonal mistreatment, discriminatory language, and sexual harassment. Geoscientists of color were more likely to experience devaluation of their work than white scientists. More than half of women and non‐binary respondents, as well as those who identify as LGBQPA+ experienced identity‐based discriminatory remarks. Disabled geoscientists were more likely to hear negative identity‐based language than those who did not disclose a disability. Overall, 14% of all respondents experienced sexual harassment in the previous year. Rates were greatest for historically excluded groups: non‐binary (51%), LGBQPA+ (33%), disabled (26%), women (20%), and geoscientists of color (17%). A majority of geoscientists reported avoiding their colleagues and almost a third considered leaving their institution or a career change. Historically excluded groups were more likely to report opting out of professional activities with potential career consequences. To address continued exclusion and low retention in the earth and space sciences, recruitment is not enough. We need to create environments that ensure opportunities for all to thrive.

 

Snow nitrate is vulnerable to photolytic loss that causes isotopic alteration, and thus its isotopes can potentially track the extent of snow nitrate photolysis and its impacts in environments where loss is significant. Large increases in δ¹⁵N‐NO₃⁻below the snow surface have been attributed to photolysis and this behavior is generally consistent amongst theoretical as well as lab and field studies. Oxygen isotope ratios are thought to be influenced by photolysis as well as secondary condensed‐phase chemistry, but the competing effects have yet to be reconciled. Here we use a model that simulates nitrate burial, photolytic fractionation, and re‐oxidation in snow to quantitatively assess these processes with the aim of developing a consistent framework for interpreting the photolytic effects of the complete nitrate isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, and Δ¹⁷O). This study reveals that isotopic effects of nitrate photolysis and aqueous‐phase re‐oxidation chemistry are important sources of uncertainties in modeling δ¹⁸O‐NO₃⁻.