59-1 Disability Inclusion and Geoscience: The Law and Policy Governing Fair Treatment of People with Disabilities and the Importance of Disability Justice and Equity in Scientific Fields

Session: Expanding Neurotypical Borders: Building a Future of Inclusion with Disabled and Neurodivergent Perspectives in Geoscience

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On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush spoke of a “shameful wall of exclusion” that would “finally come tumbling down,” referencing the segregation of and discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of public life. He had signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), one of the two most important civil rights laws for people with disabilities. Scientists with disabilities offer unique perspectives due to their cognitive, physical, and cultural differences, creating a more equitable and creative research and learning environment. Nonetheless, thirty-five years after equal treatment became law, scientists with disabilities face uphill battles to acquire reasonable accommodations, access facilities and tools, and secure grant funding. Geoscience is one of the least diverse and accessible scientific fields, although significant progress has been made due to the advocacy of disabled geoscientists. During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work and hybrid conferences expanded the participation of geoscientists with disabilities. However, more work is needed to dispel myths and break down barriers about disability in geoscience. In our talk, we will discuss how to increase equity and diversity in geoscience by fully implementing the ADA and another key civil rights law, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Our talk will describe legal requirements, highlight key areas where STEMM fields have failed to properly implement the law, and explain how geoscience can rectify some of the most pressing concerns of scientists with disabilities. We emphasize Universal Design for Learning principles for accommodations in academic contexts, as well as defaulting to disabled geoscientists’ preferred accommodations and methods of communication. We use a social and Disability Justice model of disability that is inclusive of multiply marginalized disabled voices. It is our hope that geoscientists can acquire principles from our talk which they can propose to decision-makers in their workplaces and classrooms, expanding the kinds of scientists who can explore the vibrant geological world and therefore participate in geoscience more fully.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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