OBFS Advancing Equity Award
June 20
The OBFS Advancing Equity Award (formerly known as the Human Diversity Award) provides recognition for unique activities, programs, or approaches (funded or unfunded) that increases the involvement, engagement, and sustainability of underrepresented groups in field science. Broadly speaking, underrepresented groups in field science may include, but are not limited to, ethnic minorities (African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and others), women, first-generation college students, inner-city youth, disadvantaged rural communities, K-12 groups, tribal colleges, community colleges, undergraduate institutions with small programs, and citizen science programs.
Advancing Equity may be accomplished by disseminating materials and using, rearranging, or creating infrastructure to facilitate and stimulate both applied and individualized approaches to experiential scientific learning. We will also recognize stations that demonstrate how retention and application of new scientific concepts are promoted to facilitate further discovery and increase scientific dialogue among diverse user groups. This may include a pedagogy for the basic knowledge needed by underrepresented groups to address the current challenges in environmental and natural resources management and research at all educational levels (K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education).
In addition to the honor and recognition of peers, the OBFS Advancing Equity Award includes a permanent plaque for the winning station; an official award letter; a second traveling OBFS plaque that lists previous winners and is housed at the most recent recipient’s facility; and recognition on the OBFS website. The award may include a travel reimbursement of up to $1000 for the awardee to attend the annual OBFS meeting if travel funds are limited for the winning institution. The winning institution will be recognized at the 2025 OBFS conference. Lastly, we ak awardee(s) to serve on the IDEA+ committee the following year and help review the following year’s applicants.
Timing of Submission, Review and Award
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Mid-April |
A request for nominations for the award will be announced on the OBFS website and through the OBFS list server. Nomination of institutions by others as well as institutional self-nominations will be accepted. |
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June 20 |
Supporting material due here: https://forms.gle/xigXsrRYHeGM7LcR6 |
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Early August |
OBFS IDEA+ Committee announces recipients as determined by members of the OBFS Advancing Equity Award Committee who are not from organizations with current applications and approved by the OBFS Board. |
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September 15-19 |
Award will be presented at the OBFS Annual Meeting. The OBFS Historian will photograph the representative(s) from the field station receiving the award at the 2025 Annual Meeting. |
Upload nominations and support material to – Advancing Equity Form
Reach out to Jessica Malisch (jmalisch@ucmerced.edu) with any questions.