9 April 2024
AGU press contact:
Hope Sreeram, [email protected] (UTC-4 hours)
Ashanti Edwards, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, AGU.
WASHINGTON — AGU, the world’s largest Earth and space sciences association, has named Ashanti Edwards as its new Director of Diversity and Inclusion.
In this pivotal role, Edwards will drive AGU’s strategic initiatives to foster a culture of diversity and inclusivity within the scientific community. She will support programs such as AGU LANDInG, which provides extensive diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leadership training and education; serve as an ambassador for grant proposals; and oversee content development for the AGU Ethics and Equity Center.
“AGU has a proud history of leadership in shaping a more diverse and inclusive scientific community,” said Janice R. Lachance, JD, FASAE, Interim Executive Director and CEO of AGU. “At this critical juncture, we’re thrilled to welcome Ashanti Edwards and eager to see her build and expand on our mission and accomplishments.”
Edwards most recently served as the Director of Professional Development at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), an inclusive, international community for cellular biologists. In this role, she successfully led program operations, secured substantial grants, and authored curriculum for STEM faculty development.
She currently serves as an executive board member at the Institute for Creative Community Initiatives (ICCI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth, adults and families in vulnerable communities.
Prior to ASCB, Edwards held roles at the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences at the National Institutes of Health and the Institute for NanoBioTechnology at Johns Hopkins University. She has served as co-investigator and principal investigator on grants from organizations including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
Edwards will be based at AGU’s global headquarters in Washington, D.C., and report to Billy Williams, AGU’s Executive Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
AGU’s commitment to DEI is deeply rooted in its mission to support an inclusive community of Earth and space scientists and partners dedicated to discovery and solutions to societal challenges. For more information about AGU’s commitment to DEI visit www.agu.org/learn-about-agu/about-agu/diversity-and-inclusion.
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AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.