Who we are
We are a group of employees at the Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Our goals are to drive change to create an open, inclusive, and diverse working environment, and to make JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) topics visible in our department and faculty. Most of us are early career professionals, and together we organise meetings and events, spread awareness and gather and disperse JEDI-related information.
JEDI was founded in September 2020, following an online screening and discussion of the documentary Picture a Scientist, hosted by the Prestige Project at UiT. Professor Giuliana Panieri organised an informal lunch chat after the screening to talk about the movie and share ideas on how we feel and what we think in relation to diversity, equality, and inclusivity. After the meeting there was an eagerness to continue the conversation, and Naima El bani Altuna and Sofia Kjellman (PhD students at the time), decided to lead the initiative by starting the JEDI group.
Our aim was to create an arena to discuss JEDI-related topics, learn about them and work to improve our working environment. We started by creating a JEDI Teams Channel, where all employees at the Department of Geosciences were invited. We also established a private channel for early career researchers, which should be a safe space to share thoughts, needs, opinions, and resources that are not necessarily relevant for the more senior staff. From the very beginning, we kept an open dialogue with the department leadership, to explain the purpose of the group, to get acknowledged, and receive support.
In addition to sharing resources and starting conversations on Teams, the JEDI group organises and participates in various activities. One of our core activities is the monthly meetings for early career professionals. We also organise events for people outside of JEDI, mainly employees and students at the Department of Geosciences, but also from other parts of UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
JEDI is under constant development, and we make changes as we go, based on the needs and wishes of the group, as well as our current capacity. Everyone is encouraged to be involved in as much or as little of the activities they want, including helping to organise events and initiatives. Membership is very fluid, as people come and go as their workload, responsibilities, and positions change.
LeadershipFrom 2020 to 2022, Naima El bani Altuna, Sofia Kjellman, and Carly Faber operated as informal leaders, coordinating activities and acting as contact persons for the group. Since October 2022, JEDI has run with a rotating leadership model. Here is an overview of all co-leads:
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Want to know more?
If you’re curious about how the group is run and/or interested in starting your own group, we have compiled some information here. To learn more about JEDI’s activities and initiatives we’ve been involved in, check out this page.