The Diversity Committee

​​​​​​​​​​We believe that engaging diverse perspectives is a prerequisite when striving for the highest level of quality in research, teaching and administration. A culture of diversity and inclusion therefore benefits everyone – it can be achieved, if we ‘lead by example’.

The Diversity Committee

Why a Diversity Committee

In 2020, the IGN administration recognized a need to address concerns regarding gender equity at the department, specifically in terms of new faculty hires and retention of faculty and administrative employees. The administration decided to establish a diversity committee for the study year 2021-2022.

Apart from concerns about gender equity, the Diversity Committee addresses broader issues about inclusion and diversity and how to build equitable organizational structures, and a culture of inclusive excellence for both students and employees.

The committee’s aim is to

  • highlight and initiate a broad conversation around gender and diversity issues at the department
  • conduct smaller surveys about equal opportunities and diversity at the department
  • advise the departmental leadership on how build more equitable organizational infrastructures for the future.

The Diversity Committee will seek to generate attention and spur discussions about equality and equal opportunities; gather ​knowledge about existing structures of inequalities and their underlying causes; empower voices pushing for change; and encourage and develop sustainable goals for equality and diversity for the future.

We will gather fact-based knowledge and share stories about the structural load bearing systems at our department concerning equal opportunities with respect to:

  • ​hiring, retaining, promoting, and valuing scientific and teaching staff
  • equity and fairness in career and development opportunities for everyone working at the department
  • issues of power and climate impacting the work environment
  • building a respectful and sustainable organizational culture

We believe that engaging diverse perspectives is a prerequisite when striving for the highest level of quality in research, teaching and administration. A culture of diversity and inclusion therefore benefits everyone – it can be achieved, if we ‘lead by example’.

The Diversity Comittee: (In the sofa from the left): Natalie Gulsrud, Nina Søager, Henriette Steiner, Lone Søderkvist Kristensen, Mona Chor Bjørn, Anette Bill-Jessen, Richard Hare og Christine Benna Skytt-Larsen. Photo: Live Løvetand.
Pernille Ohrt van Eeckhout is also part of the committee.

​The Diversity Committee at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN) is a working group of nine people who hold different positions in research, teaching, leadership and administration and who represent the department’s five academic sections and the administration.

We work collectively, thus engaging our different perspectives and drawing on our different backgrounds and expertise.

Members of IGN’s Diversity Committee

​Christine Benna Skytt-Larsen (Assistant Professor, Geography)
Anette Bill-Jessen (Communications Officer, IGN Administration)
Mona Chor Bjørn (Assistant Professor, Forest, Nature and Biomass)
Natalie Gulsrud (Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture and Planning)
Richard Hare (Teacher, Landscape Architecture and Planning)
Pernille Ohrt van Eeckhout (Head of Studies, Forest and Landscape College)
Henriette Steiner (Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture and Planning)
Nicole R. Posth (Assistant Professor, Geology) has taken over from Nina Søager (Assistant Professor, Geology)
Lone Søderkvist Kristensen (Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture and Planning)​