Our goals
We value diversity as a central component of workplace wellness and success. It cuts across our core areas of research, engagement, and teaching and learning. As part of this work, we aim to celebrate diversity and support equity and inclusion. As a starting point, our School identifies diversity across five key pillars:
- Women in science
- Indigenous research, engagement and inclusion
- LGBTQIA+ inclusion
- Supporting staff living with disability or illness
- Cultural diversity.
In SGEAS we aim to be a supportive, inclusive and accessible environment across all five pillars, but we recognise there is work still to be done.
We play important roles as expert advisers on some of Earth’s greatest challenges: climate change and severe weather, disaster risks, Indigenous culture and landscape preservation, energy and resource sustainability, and environmental policy and decision-making. We focus on a range of issues beyond the natural environment as well, including migration and mobility, and the dynamics and cultural politics of urban space. Our focus on diversity is grounded in our endeavour to ensure we are best placed to address these and other multi-disciplinary issues and serve diverse national and global communities.
The SGEAS Equity and Diversity Committee
2026 Committee members
- Agathe Lise-Pronovost (Chair)
- Libby Straughan (Deputy chair)
- Ariane Utomo
- Tiffany Morrison
- Kate Dooley
- Sergio Jarillo de la Torre
- Nida Mollison
- Jessica Lawlor
- Kylle Quinn
- Pardeep Pall
- Himadri Saini
- Saini Samim
- Shiba Desor (PhD rep in Human Geography)
- Elowen Amos (PhD rep in Earth Sciences)
Getting support
To report issues of discrimination, sexual harassment or bullying:
- Students and visitors can access the Safer Community Program.
- Staff should first, if possible, discuss issues with their line manager and/or local HR representative. You can also access the Employee Assistance Program, make an online report to the Inappropriate Workplace Behaviour Line, or call 1800 685 463 during business hours.
- Outside of the University, 24/7 support is provided by LifeLine and Beyond Blue.
Equity and diversity resources
Organisations and networks
- Athena Swan Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE)
- Melbourne Disability Institute
- Murrup Barak Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development
- Women in Science Network
From the Faculty of Science
- Diversity and Inclusion in the Faculty of Science
- Indigenous research, engagement and inclusion in the Faculty of Science
From the University of Melbourne
Wellbeing resources
The University of Melbourne Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides free, confidential, short-term professional counselling to currently enrolled students and staff. For students, CAPS also offers free workshops on a range of personal development, mental health and wellbeing issues each semester. Their student workshop page is updated regularly with additional events.
Melbourne University Sport has a range of resources available to help staff and students stay active during the COVID 19 pandemic.