 Building Resilient Alliances for Inclusion and Diversity
Transforming geosciences through diversity and inclusion
About BRAID
BRAID is an innovative initiative focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in geoscience education. By fostering an evolving ecosystem of partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Primarily White Institutions (PWIs), and equity researchers, BRAID aims to address the historic under representation of marginalized groups in the field. Through cross-cultural collaboration, leadership development, and strategic disruption of traditional organizational structures, BRAID strives to create lasting change that supports the success of underrepresented students and faculty. This scalable model seeks to transform institutions into drivers of equity in geoscience, ensuring a more inclusive future for the discipline.
Inspired by PEP
The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP) is a social intervention designed to address a specific societal issue: the underrepresentation of Blacks, Hispanics, Native (Indigenous) Americans, and Asian Americans in the marine and ocean sciences. PEP is a project of the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative (DI), a multi-institutional effort to promote diversity in the Woods Hole and the greater geoscience communities. PEP’s intentionality and success are the foundation upon which the BRAID Alliance is built.
Founded on Trust, Equity, and Collaboration
BRAID is an innovative initiative focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in geoscience education. By fostering an evolving ecosystem of partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Primarily White Institutions (PWIs), and equity researchers, BRAID aims to address the historic under representation of marginalized groups in the field. Through cross-cultural collaboration, leadership development, and strategic disruption of traditional organizational structures, BRAID strives to create lasting change that supports the success of underrepresented students and faculty. This scalable model seeks to transform institutions into drivers of equity in geoscience, ensuring a more inclusive future for the discipline.
For Students, Faculty, and Staff
BRAID offers mentoring and professional development to students, faculty and staff of member organizations to help them gain skills and confidence.
Theory of Change
BRAID’s Theory of Change operates on three levels: individuals, institutions, and the national system of organizations involved in geoscience education and research. For the individual students, faculty and staff, we provide mentoring and professional development to gain skills and confidence. For the organizations, we engage in dialogue with their leadership to catalyze support for change in practices and policies. For the broader ecosystem, we generate sustained collaboration that changes the culture of member organizations including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), the Woods Hole research institutions, and other organizations with shared values and vision.
