The Planetary Workforce Integration, Development, and Empowerment (PWIDE) Community Alliance is the group formerly known as the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) Working Group (WG). That group was designed to develop and disseminate resources, findings and other recommendations associated with EDIA matters for the NASA Assessment/Analysis Groups (AGs) and the planetary science community more widely. We were founded in 2019 at a meeting of the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) because EDIA affects the entire planetary science community. Although the business case makes it plain that planetary science is better when everyone is included, more importantly, planetary science and space exploration is the purview of all people, not just a privileged few, and significant efforts must be made to achieve equanimity among our many diverse and invaluable groups.
The new version of this group is volunteer based and welcomes any member of the planetary science community. Our goals are to make the planetary science community a happy, safe, and supportive environment. The name was changed in early 2025 when our previous website was shut down. We are currently working on new procedures particularly in forming a steering committee.
How to get involved
To join our mailing list and become a member, please email planetaryedi+subscribe@psi.edu.
General Membership meets once every four weeks for one hour. An email invitation to the monthly meeting is sent out to the mailing list.
Recommendations and best practices
- In 2020, we facilitated discussion and development of 27 professional white papers for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023–2032 which were submitted in 2020, amidst an ongoing and extremely taxing global pandemic. These white papers included 242 total co- authors. These white papers ranged widely in topic. For a full list of submitted white papers supported by the Cross-AG EDIA WG, visit White Papers on EDIA Topics.
- The Cross AG EDIA Working Group recommended that every AG adopt their own version of these two policies, originally adopted by VExAG in 2021. The pages have been removed from the VExAG website in 2025, but are now located on the PSI EDIA resource page. PWIDE recommends that other groups follow these best practices
- Selection Best Practices. Any policy adopted should be transparent and follow best practices. An LPSC abstract on the best practices and lessons learned was removed from https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2023/pdf/1284.pdf, now at https://workforce.psi.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2023LPICo2806.1284I.pdf.
- Codes of Conduct: We further recommend that each AG adopts a code of conduct for the AG that goes beyond the LPI meeting code of conduct. VExAG has outlined such a code, which used to be available at: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag/documents/organizational-docs/IDEA/
- Recommendation on avoiding dates of religious holidays and meetings of affinity groups when planning meetings: XAGEDIAWG_meeting_conflict_Final.
The XAG EDIA working group presented updates and made recommendations to the Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC) in June 2021, June 2022, December 2022, and June 2023. Many, but not all of the presentations we’ve made to the PAC are available on their website. Furthermore, our presentations also influenced some of the findings from these meetings.
Resources for learning
We are currently working to include links to these resources.
- A Planetary Scientist’s Guide to the Trans Experience
- Summary and Recommendations from the NASEM study on Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Leadership of Competed Space Missions
- Accessible Field Courses: Incorporating planetary mission science in educational settings for access and inclusion
- Difficult Conversations in EDIA
- Mental Health of Planetary Science: Where We Are and Where We Are Going
- Jack Kiraly – the Director of Govt. Relations for the Planetary Society – gives a synthesis on effective political advocacy for space and planetary science. Note that this presentation emphasizes non-partisan methodologies, which may be less effective for “divisive” issues such as DEI.
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