The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Multicultural Program (ASLOMP) began in 1990 as an effort to diversify participation in the aquatic sciences, with particular emphasis on increasing the number of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) in the field (Cuker, 2001, 2005, 2007). It was evident to anyone attending an ASLO meeting, or that of any other aquatic scientific society in the 1980s that...

In his inaugural “The Oceanography Classroom” column for Oceanography in 2000, Dean McManus noted: “A particular challenge for higher education is to include more members of underrepresented groups in the study of the ocean. Fifteen years from now, 40% of the traditional undergraduate-​​age population will consist of these underrepresented groups, but today the ocean sciences have the lowest participation by underrepresented g...

Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) is an essential tool in some marine science fields. However, financial costs and racial disparities in swimming participation can be a barrier to entry for many aspiring marine scientists of color. Scientific diving programs could improve access to scientific diving training by offering training as part of their standard undergraduate curriculum and by maintaining a stock o...