Marshall Shepard, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor and director of the University of Georgia's Atmospheric Sciences Program, wrote this article on the experience of sharing a Ferst Center for the Arts stage February 8 with Vice President Kamala Harris and oceanographer Isaiah Bolden, assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. The topic was climate change from an economic and racial justice viewpoint, but Shepard writes about the impact of the event happening during Black History Month. While Shepard writes that more work is needed diversifying the atmospheric and ocean sciences, "this moment in Black History cannot be overlooked. In February 2023 two black scholars and a black woman, who just happens to be the Vice President of the United States, sat on a stage discussing climate, environmental policy, and why it matters to all communities, but particularly those with people that look like them." (The climate conversation at Georgia Tech was also covered by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fox5 Atlanta, Georgia Public Broadcasting, E&E News, and the Technique. A White House transcript of the event is found here.)
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A U.S. Vice President, Atmospheric Scientist, And Oceanographer - That’s Black History