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Representation and discrimination of those with mobility and sensory impairments is a serious problem in academia, especially in the Earth sciences. Non-disabled academics must fight prejudice and increase the support to, and visibility of, physically impaired colleagues, states Paul Upchurch.
Chronic illnesses, mental health issues, and other hidden disabilities can be debilitating, especially in combination with stigmatization and lack of proper accommodations. Breaking barriers in academic systems for those with hidden disabilities demands that personal, institutional and organizational ableist biases are overcome, writes Isabel Carrera Zamanillo.
It is time to move from quiet tolerance to active advocacy for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary scientists, because lives are on the line, says Laura Fattaruso.
Collaborative permafrost projects have great potential to overcome political and administrative barriers in the Arctic, bridging the gap between Russian and Western scientists, says Oleg Anisimov.
