Including Disability in the Earth Sciences
Background
Disability is a common feature of life not just for many Americans but also for people throughout the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately one in four Americans reported having a disability in 2022. On the international level, the World Health Organization reports approximately 16% of the global population live with a significant disability. Equally sobering are current trends among those living with disability. Aging populations in many Western nations, an increase in chronic health conditions, and the impacts of ubiquitous issues such as environmental contamination and climate change are acting to increase rates of disability among the world’s population.
Scientists who work as conservationists and researchers are no strangers to the reality of disability. Some individuals perform fieldwork in the world’s most remote places while simultaneously navigating the daily demands of a variety of health issues. Some specialize in developing computer models that require them to be indoors in front of a computer screen much of the time. Still others work as academics and, in working to educate the next generation of scientists, daily encounter the manifold ways that disability impacts the lives of their students. Regardless of what scientists ultimately do in their professional lives they are also human beings. We all need to be mindful of our own needs to thrive in this world. Fulfilling our needs while successfully working in our professions can be quite challenging for those who have disabilities.
The Workshop
This workshop is designed to address the frequently underserved community of disabled individuals working in the sciences. It is specifically designed for conservationists and researchers working in the Earth sciences. The particular objectives of this workshop are the following:
· Share stories and experiences from our professional lives for the purpose of building supportive community.
· Develop strategies for increasing the visibility of disabled individuals in the realms of the Earth sciences and research as well as improving their participation in this sector.
· Discuss potential founding of an advocacy organization to fulfill an existing unmet need as well as a potentially larger in-person event to be offered in 2027.
Workshop Schedule
*Note: ALL event times are Eastern Standard Time (US East Coast). The schedule has been designed to accommodate people living anywhere within the continental USA (all four time zones of continental USA)
Friday, November 13th, 2026
8:00 pm–9:30 pm Introduction/Social time – Free time for participants to learn about one another using icebreaker activities. These icebreaker activities will be facilitated by primary presenter, Bernd Geels.
Saturday, November 14th, 2026
11:00 am-11:30 am Introduction from Bernd Geels – Story and motivation for creating this workshop
11:30 am-1:00 pm Session 1: Sharing (in small groups) our experiences of working as science professionals while living with disability [Purpose: Exchange stories for the purpose of discovering common experiences, building community, finding inspiration. Format to guide this sharing session will be noted in program at beginning of event. Participants are of course also welcome to ask questions about event before registering.]
1:00 pm-1:15 pm Break
1:15 pm-2:30 pm Session 2: Self-directed writing activity. Participants are asked to write in response to the question: What strengthens and inspires me?
2:30 pm-3:30 pm Lunch
3:30 pm-4:45 pm Session 3: “Our Artifact Speaks” Participants are invited to use storytelling skills by sharing a personal story from their careers with the help of an artifact that holds deep personal significance to them. The artifact can be any number of things.
4:45 pm–5:00 pm Break
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Session 4: Looking forward – Strategizing how we can collaborate to design and advocate for a more inclusive future for those who follow us.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15th, 2026
12 Noon – 3 pm Open Forum Sharing – An opportunity for all participants to freely share what this experience was like for them. Suggestions for a focus to sharing include:
Most meaningful experience from the event
Aspirations people are currently focused on
Ideas for meaningful change to bring to their work/local communities
Post event: Participants will receive a listing of resources that can help to maintain the momentum created by participating in this event. This material is under development and will be available at a later time.
Audience
Participants from the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the Washington, DC metro region, as well as the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington, are especially encouraged to attend. More generally, any person training or trained in the Earth sciences who is based inside the USA is eligible to participate. The age range of individuals encouraged to participate spans from those starting out in their careers (graduate students) all the way to those already in retirement.
This workshop will be offered exclusively online. This delivery format has been chosen to maximize accessibility for participants who might otherwise be unable to participate due to mobility and financial challenges. The organizer, Bernd Geels, hopes that the synergy generated by this event will stimulate interest in a larger, in-person event in 2027.
FAQs
Individuals interested in this event are encouraged to contact the presenter directly with questions.
Presenter Biography
Bernd Geels is an experienced professional whose work in the private and public sectors spans four decades. His formal education included training in atmospheric science, indigenous science, philosophy, and international environmental policy. Bernd is a big fan of the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary System. He worked in a number of roles in the fields of marine conservation and coastal management during and after his studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. He currently resides in Delaware. Please contact him via email at berndgeels@gmail.com for registration information and other details about this event. Details on his professional background can be found on his LinkedIn profile.