Principles of Community

EAPS Principles of Community                                

The MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences is dedicated to cutting edge research, teaching, and serving society.  We believe that excellence in all aspects of our work can only be achieved when every member of our community feels safe and supported, and we strive to provide an enviornment that promotes physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being.

Members of the EAPS community welcome talented individuals from all backgrounds.  We treat others equitably and respectfully, and avoid actions or speech that transgress the bounds of courtesy, confidentiality, and respect. We embrace diversity and promote inclusive and collaborative attitudes and actions to enhance knowledge and creativity. We reject acts of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, financial background, country of origin, and political beliefs, and we will confront and respond to such acts appropriately. We are EAPS, and we all share responsibility for our department and culture. Enforcement of policies that derive from these principles is vital to the strength of our community.

Mentoring and advising

EAPS faculty are expected to help enhance the professional lives of students, research and administrative staff, and faculty colleagues, and to help increase the diversity of the community through their involvement in research, teaching, service, admissions, and hiring at all levels. They are expected to mentor, supervise, and teach students from diverse backgrounds whose experiences and outlook may be different than their own. To perform these roles well, faculty must be skilled researchers, mentors, and learners, and possess an appreciation for diversity both within their research groups and in all areas of department life.

EAPS faculty and teaching assistants engaged with field work must carry these ideals with them to the field, recognizing that they may travel and live with students and others from diverse backgrounds. It is their responsibility to demonstrate appropriate, respectful behavior and to embrace and accommodate the identities and cultures represented in the group they lead.