Rising TIDES (Toward an Inclusive, Diverse, and Enriched Society)

Rising TIDES (Toward an Inclusive, Diverse, and Enriched Society) 2021 Conference Program

The deadline to submit your application for the Rising TIDES Conference Program has passed. Thank you to all who applied!

CERF is dedicated to broadening participation in coastal and estuarine science and management. Rising TIDES (Toward an Inclusive, Diverse, and Enriched Society) is a comprehensive program for enhancing the diversity and inclusion of our scientific society and CERF conferences. The Rising TIDES Conference Program (RTCP) provides support for students underrepresented in the discipline to participate in the conference and Affiliate Society meetings.

Program Components

Sixteen students will be selected to participate in the 2021 RTCP. Students will be paired with CERF mentors based on disciplinary interests and student career goals (1 mentor:2 students). Selected students are expected to participate in all components of the RTCP:

  • Pre-conference online orientation (in October 2021)
  • Activities during the conference
    • RTCP mentee/mentor workshop
    • Full conference-wide Inclusion luncheon
    • Full conference mentoring-program event
    • RTCP mentee/mentor closeout
  • Post-conference online training and networking event (in Winter 2022)
  • Attendance at a 2022 Affiliate Society meeting

Student Benefits

  • Paid conference registration fee
  • $800 stipend
  • Paid registration fee and reimbursement of travel expenses to attend an Affiliate Society meeting
  • Two-year student membership to CERF for new members, or one-year extension for current members
  • Access to the full suite of conference activities, including scientific sessions, workshops, and student activities

Student Eligibility and Application Requirements

  • The goal of this mentoring program is to broaden participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Indigenous peoples, LGBTQIA+, women, people with disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, people with disabilities) in coastal and estuarine science and in CERF. Applications must be submitted by students and will be evaluated in terms of how participation would help accomplish this goal and benefit the applicant.
  • Applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in an accredited baccalaureate or advanced degree program in a coastal, estuarine, or related science.
  • Applicants do not need to be a member of CERF and/or an Affiliate Society to apply.
  • Every application must have one supporting letter of recommendation submitted by someone (not a relative) who can speak to the applicant’s academic and career potential. The recommendation letter must be sent to Susan Park ([email protected]). Recommendation letters are also due by midnight ET on 13 April 2021
  • Abstract submission is not an eligibility requirement, but preference will be given to students who have/are intending to submit presentation abstracts.
  • Accepted students are expected to participate in all program components (see below).

Applicants must complete and submit a fillable PDF form. The form must be saved as a “flattened” PDF and then uploaded on the CERF website. To flatten your PDF, select Adobe PDF as your printer and print. Please name your application file with your name as LastnameFirstname.pdf.

Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to Susan Park ([email protected]) with the same naming convention. 

The deadline for receiving applications and letters of recommendation was 13 April 2021, at midnight ET. Award offers were  issued via email by 30 June 2021.

About Rising TIDES

CERF is dedicated to broadening participation in coastal and estuarine science and management. Rising TIDES (Toward an Inclusive, Diverse, and Enriched Society) is a comprehensive program for enhancing the diversity and inclusion of our scientific society and CERF conferences. The overall goals of this program are to promote opportunities  for individual from groups underrepresented in CERF disciplines and professions while cultivating a culture that actively engages and leverages diversity throughout our organization. 

As a scientific society, CERF respects and values the many facets of diversity. These include differences among individuals in social identity such as race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability, and socioeconomic background, as well as differences in discipline, career path, and life experience. From these differences arise a wide range of perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. Rising TIDES focuses on increasing the diversity of our society and improving our capacity to harness the power of that diversity in all its forms. Just as a rising tide lifts all boats, as CERF is enriched by diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, the relevance and effectiveness of coastal and estuarine science in tackling complex ecological and societal issues will be enhanced.

Broadening participation in CERF demands full organizational commitment, and diversity and inclusion goals are included explicitly in CERF’s 2017-2022 strategic plan. Rising TIDES initiatives are planned to benefit all career stages, from supporting students from underrepresented groups with cohort-building and focused mentoring activities to training professionals in becoming champions of inclusivity. Discussions on building and embracing diversity permeate CERF conferences through workshops, targeted scientific sessions, the CERF Inclusion Event, and social activities.

The Rising TIDES 2021 Conference Mentoring Program is supported by NSF Award No 2036515 and contributions from CERF, NOAA, Maryland Sea Grant, and Hilary Neckles.

Please contact [email protected] if you have questions.