Introducing the Jackson School’s First Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

October 21, 2021

Dear Jackson School community,

I am pleased to announce the selection of the Jackson School of Geosciences’ new Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Julia A. Clarke. Dr. Clarke has been a member of the Jackson School since 2009 and is the John A. Wilson Centennial Professor in Vertebrate Paleontology. She is well known to many on campus for her research, inclusive science pedagogy and for helping to make the academic workplace more equitable and inclusive. For these efforts, she has been recognized by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Professor Program as one of about 50 faculty leaders across the U.S. who is dedicated to innovation in undergraduate education. As part of this program, Dr. Clarke is PI on a five-year grant focused on disciplinarily diversity and inclusive course-based research experiences. She also supports the integration of JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) themes into our curriculum and research proposals. She has served many years on the university’s gender equity committee as well as on provost taskforces on scaling experiential learning and mentorship. She is faculty advisor to GLOW and leads the Geoscience Ambassadors.

The role of the AD-DEI is new and Dr. Clarke will work with me and many others to refine how this position can have greatest impact at the Jackson School. As part of the DEI reorganization that I made last summer, the AD-DEI is envisioned to provide vision and leadership to advance the school’s commitment to an organizational and educational climate that is welcoming and respectful of all people. Together with the Jackson School’s diversity team, student and faculty groups, the AD-DEI will promote equity, increasing diversity, and creating a culture of inclusion among the Jackson School’s faculty, researchers, staff, students, alumni and friends. By moving leadership of DEI to a faculty member, we are declaring that DEI is our personal responsibility, and that we are committed to working together to assure that DEI is baked in to our classroom practices, pedagogy, academic processes (such as graduate admissions, faculty and staff hiring and evaluation) and in our culture and inclusive workplace policies.

Please welcome Dr. Clarke to this exciting new position and be sure to offer her your support for DEI at the Jackson School!

Sincerely,

Claudia Mora, Dean