Sexual Harassment in Atmospheric Science Field Campaigns: Does It Happen Here? How Do We Stop It?

While field work is common in the atmospheric sciences, very little research has focused on the problem of sexual harassment in field settings. Field work in atmospheric science can occur in many different settings, some which are very remote. This may compound safety concerns as teams are far from social and legal support services. Those in trainee positions (e.g., graduate students and postdocs) may be particularly vulnerable to harassment from those in positions of leadership (senior faculty and PIs). The scant data on experiences of sexual harassment in field sites indicates that sexual harassment policies are not communicated or enforced, harassment is common, particularly toward junior women by senior men, and targets of harassment are unaware of reporting mechanisms.

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 this setting. 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. Results of the training suggest that it increases positive attitudes about fieldwork. 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 will conclude with a discussion around creating a practical guide for the atmospheric science community to facilitate collaborative change around sexual harassment within major field campaign networks.