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The Need for Diversity... continued from previous page
        When disagreements often get hashed out in the field and away from view, it’s hard to know what’s happening. That’s why it can be helpful
        to have education surrounding diversity and inclusion.

        “It’s important to educate people that there are certain things that it’s not helpful to say. And I think a lot of it is when you bring people with
        different backgrounds, sometimes individuals don’t know what to say or how to say it. They say the wrong things and they hurt others
        feelings, or they make them feel less because they’re different. But that individual may not know what they’re saying is hurtful,” Anna said.

        When dialogue is kept open between employees, it can help keep a safe and inclusive company culture alive.

        “If you’re looking at a top-down approach, I do believe that the leaders of a company need to actively concentrate on inclusivity at each
        step, like for making space for women,” Hasmitha said.

        This starts at the hiring process, and continues through to the experience that women and minorities have once they are officially hired.

        “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of different people from all over the world throughout my career. And you have to take into
        account that what you know and what they know are two different things,” Roxanne said.

        It all boils down to the importance of communication, and working in harmony with coworkers up and down the chain of command.

        There have to be communication lines open in both directions: from the top-down, and also from the bottom up.
                                                    The importance of outreach

        If we’re going to achieve the goal of a more diverse and inclusive profession going forward, then we need to wrap that goal into our
        outreach efforts.
        Anna is currently busy organizing the Woman’s Surveyor Summit, while David is the NSPS diversity committee chair.

        There is lots of positive movement and energy already happening within the surveying world. The challenge now is to keep that
        momentum moving forward.

        David believes that the key lies in enhanced outreach to kids and teens.

        “I’ve done a lot of outreach over the last two years from middle schools, high schools, colleges STEM nights, things of that nature. It’s just a
        matter of getting out there and promoting surveying,” he said. “It’s a little intimidating sometimes to get started. But we just have to do it.”

        He described a recent middle school STEM event that he attended, where he noticed one of the parents eyeing his display table full of
        drones.
        “He came over to talk to me, and it turns out he was wanting to get into surveying. He was already working for a surveying outfit, but he
        was wanting to pursue it more. So I was able to have a talk with him and get him to go sign up for some classes. So you never know who
        you’re going to inspire,” David said.

        Even if you’re talking to a roomful of girls and women, the outreach is worth it. Is it any different than talking to a roomful of boy scouts? In
        both cases, it’s likely that zero children in the room know what a surveyor is and what you do, until you tell them.

        Hasmitha added that it would be helpful to reach out to university student groups that are already busy focusing on diversity. She currently
        is part of an organization called Graduate Women in Science and Engineering, which works to organize networking and outreach events on
        campus for undergrads and grad students.
        “We invite professionals from the field to come and talk to us and help us learn. And I feel that if companies and women in leadership
        positions also actively reach out to us through maybe local universities or on LinkedIn, we could make this a two-way approach and
        increase diversity in STEM,” she said.

        She also joked that if you want to gather a crowd, just organize an event that advertises free food.
        All jokes aside, what’s clear is that it’s difficult for a profession to resonate with you when you feel like you’re the only diverse person in the
        room.

        Actively seeking out diversity, fostering inclusive workplaces, and conducting strategic outreach events should be on every surveying
        professional’s radar.










        16 The Nevada Traverse Vol.49, No.3, 2022
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