Facilitating Collaborative Change: How Can We End Sexual Harassment in Atmospheric Science? (Invited Presentation)

This project implemented and studied sexual harassment training, awareness, and experiences during four major atmospheric science field campaigns to better understand and mitigate negative gender-based harassment in these settings. Field campaign teams (researchers, technicians, staff) participated in workshops developed largely by ADVANCEGeo to identify and address harassment. Social science surveys were sent to all members before and after the campaign, to document attitudes, beliefs, and experiences with harassment in both field and office settings. We find that over half of women working on several recent atmospheric science field campaigns have experienced sexual harassment, with the majority being categorized as hostile work environment (e.g., sexualized images or jokes), and over 90% going unreported. Both women and men who attended the training were more likely than those who did not attend to report feeling more trusting of coworkers, comfortable with reporting, and more willing to intervene in situations of harassment. We will present findings about attitudes and experiences of harassment in field work, and we will conclude with a discussion around how the atmospheric science community can facilitate collaborative change around sexual harassment within existing networks.