Equity and diversity resources

ASTRO 3D has developed policies to help guide our governance, processes and culture.

The EDI Committee compiled a best-practice Guide for Inclusive Meetings. It includes suggestions for organisers of ASTRO 3D (and other) events that will help make the event equitable for gender and other forms of diversity, accessible for those with a disability, and inclusionary for all. It includes suggestions before the event (planning), during the event and after the event.

The EDI Committee compiled a best-practice Guide for hiring staff. It includes suggestions for managers of ASTRO 3D  that are considered best-practice in achieving gender equity and improving diversity of candidates and hires. It includes suggestions before, during and after recruitment.

With our BLM Action plan, we will:
1. Educate our community about racial biases and equip ourselves with the tools necessary to combat
racial inequities in our institutions and nodes.

2. Engage with marginalised communities and voices, especially Indigenous and Black Australians
and people from underprivileged socioeconomic backgrounds.

3. Empower individuals from the abovementioned underprivileged groups to succeed in Astronomy
and related sciences.

So that every person feels that they are valued, that they are heard, and that they belong.

Incorporating Welcoming and Acknowledgement protocols into meetings and events recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians or Owners of land. It promotes an ongoing connection to place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and shows respect for Traditional Custodian or Owners.

When Aboriginal Australians talk about “Country” they mean something beyond the dictionary definition of the word. They might mean homeland, or tribal or clan area. It means more than a place on the map though – it is a word for all the values, places, resources, stories and cultural obligations associated with the area. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are still connected to the Country of their ancestors and consider themselves the custodians or caretakers of their land.

Only the traditional owners can speak for and Welcome visitors to Country or gives others the authority to do so.

When planning a meeting or learning session, it is appropriate to Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians or Owners of the Country which you will be located.

Tips for an appropriate Acknowledgement of Country:

  • Find out whose land you are on – do your research and be specific. This map is a useful tool.
  • Show respect – be earnest and genuine.
  • Adapt to suit your context – try to write or adapt a script in your voice. Reading out a ‘standard’ acknowledgement is a start (see sample below), but try to deliver an Acknowledgment that is tailored to you and the occasion.
  • For instance, what Country have you lived on? How did that impact you as a person or your career? What connections to the land or people have you formed?
  • Research your local area and see if any particular landmarks are important and relevant to your meeting.
  • Research a couple of local Language words or phrases – how do you say “hello” or “goodbye”?
  • Be confident and speak with purpose.
  • Avoid using past tense – custodians are still here.
  • Use the correct terminology – do not use “Aborigines” – it is a derogatory word.

A starting script for ASTRO 3D events might be:

“Before we begin, it’s important for us to acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are Australia’s first astronomers. We acknowledge their long-standing systems of knowledge on which we continue to build and we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the unceded lands on which we are meeting today.  We are on … Country, and we would like to pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all First Peoples joining us here today.”

ASTRO 3D is committed to inclusivity. To address the issue of under-representation, decolonisation, or community support, ASTRO 3D has a comprehensive BLM action plan to educate, engage and empower individuals from underprivileged groups.

To gain a deeper understanding about Welcome/Acknowledgement of Country, watch this Tedx Talk by Kerry Neill, a Gubbi Gubbi man from the Sunshine Coast region in South East Queensland, on Welcome to Country.

Acknowledgement of Country (PDF printable version)

Australia’s Women in STEM Decadal Plan provides a shared vision for the STEM ecosystem to attract, retain and progress girls and women in STEM education and careers. Gender equity in STEM will make significant and measurable improvements in Australia’s:

  • preparedness for the future
  • workforce participation
  • economic performance
  • scientific impacts
  • creativity and entrepreneurial activities

Action is being taken by Women in STEM Decadal Plan Champions—STEM organisations who have agreed to publicly align their gender equity journey with the decadal plan.

ASTRO 3D presented the findings of our Guide for Inclusive Events at the Academy of Science’s Catalysing Gender Equity 2020 Conference, held in Adelaide in February 2020.

These brief guidelines reflect the honest feedback the EDI Committee received from the ASTRO 3D community on how COVID-19 is impacting their lives. We recognise that each institution has different policies and resources, however, we hope that providing guidance on expectations, logistics and community support, we can ensure that we do our collective best to support all of our members during this challenging time.