Lynker Diversity and Inclusion

Fostering Diversity and Inclusion at Lynker

Lynker works across ten time zones – from Gloucester to Guam – and beyond. That stretch of the planet includes a lot of people… a lot of ideas, a lot of cultures, a lot of personal stories, and a lot of perspectives. We like it this way. After all, finding workable solutions to our planet’s most complex problems necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach, challenging assumptions, and creative thinking from the best and brightest minds out there. Lynker strives to foster a workplace culture where the diversity of our employee, customer, and partner experiences and insights are welcomed, respected, and supported.

In pursuit of that vision, Lynker actively supports Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives within our company, across our industry, and in support of our partners.

Supporting the Lynker Workforce

Lynker’s volunteer-led Diversity and Inclusion Employee Committee develops D&I initiatives that support the company. The Committee establishes an Annual Action Plan, identifying priority actions for the committee to pursue. These actions may include working with Lynker’s Headquarters and Human Resources teams to evaluate recruiting, hiring, operations, and compensation practices; identifying standard metrics for tracking and reporting our workforce composition; recruiting speakers to discuss D&I topics to employees; reviewing nominees for Lynker’s annual D&I Award; or supporting outreach to various employee communities within Lynker.

Each year, Lynker employees nominate colleagues for the Lynker D&I Employee Award which recognizes employee efforts to foster these ideals and help our company and customers create and thrive in a more diverse and inclusive environment.

Lynker is dedicated to hiring a diverse workforce. To do that, we have a number of diversity-specific recruiting outlets we use to make sure we’re reaching out to underserved communities. Lynker has an annual review process to ensure success with our diversity and outreach programs.

Lynker awarded sponsorships to two UH Hilo students of Native Hawaiian descent, one undergraduate and one graduate, to attend the 2023 Hawaii Conservation Conference (HCC) in Honolulu. These funds supported airfare, conference registration, and lodging associated with attending HCC 2023. One student said this scholarship validated his goal and kule’ana as a Native Hawaiian to pursue a degree that focuses in Biology/Natural Science and Conservation.

Supporting Lynker’s Next Generation

Lynker was American Meteorological Society’s 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sponsor to support DE&I at the AMS 103 Annual Meeting in Denver. Lynker also sponsored the 2022 AMS Scholarship for Underserved Communities, formerly the Minority Scholarship, an initiative that provides equitable access to atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences and strengthens the diversity of the AMS community.

Lynker produces career seminars and webinars for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges, and other universities, focused on STEM, Environmental, and Climate-based courses of study, helping students understand and prepare for the job market into which they will graduate. The sessions feature Lynker employees, introduce students to opportunities in a variety of Lynker career fields, and include resources and opportunities for mentorship.

Lynker provides scholarships to HBCUs and Tribal Colleges for STEM candidates to conduct summer research in environmental and climate science areas. One example includes the Department of Marine & Environmental Sciences at Savannah State University (HBCU), where Lynker’s intern worked on lab and field-based projects at the Marine Science Research Center, contributing to data collection on phytoplankton, total suspended solids, and benthic foraminifera, and conducting literature searches for future investigations.

Lynker sponsored a scholarship through the Northwest Indian College Foundation. Based in Bellingham, WA, Northwest Indian College is one of 32 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities in the US. It is the only accredited Tribal college serving states of WA, OR and ID – but draws students from a wide range of Tribal communities (130+ Tribes represented). Tribal Colleges are distinguished by being controlled and operated by American Indian tribes; the Northwest Indian College is guided by the Lummi Nation.

Supporting Our Customers and Partners

For NOAA’s Office of Protected Resources, Lynker provides Equity and Environmental Justice cultural liaisons to organize and facilitate in-person engagement events in US Pacific Islands territories, including American Samoa, Guam, and the CNMI. As resident members of the communities with ties throughout island, knowledge of cultural traditions, and fluency in local languages, these cultural liaisons provide meeting facilitation (including culturally appropriate openings and closings), translation of outreach materials, and consecutive interpretation of presentations, discussions, and comments (English to and from Samoan, Chamorro, and Carolinian).

For NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management (OCM), Lynker’s Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) and National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) liaisons ensure the equitable implementation of activities by engaging with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Access (DEIJA) initiatives. OCM serves the needs of coastal communities and diverse populations nationwide that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate and weather hazards, as well as degraded coastal ecosystems. The impacts can be exacerbated in vulnerable, underserved populations, thus warranting focused attention. Our staff participate as part of a DEIJA Workgroup within NOAA and serve as co-chair of the group, which is focused on how to incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and access to NOAA’s strategic planning across a variety of project initiatives.

In 2022, Lynker staff supporting the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary worked closely with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation to secure a $380,000 grant to support in-class education and field trip opportunities for underserved students from low-income communities.

In 2020, Lynker was instrumental in producing and implementing the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Communications Plan to help build a more diverse and inclusive environment for NEFSC partners and Federal employee staff.

Lynker works for and with Pacific Islands communities and organizations on various projects that help understand and manage island resources such as Ala Kahakai Trail Association, Sea Grant Program in American Samoa, coastal use at selected sites on Saipan in the CNMI, and more. Lynker personnel in Hawaii work with Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve and support Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument with Native Hawaiian Programs.

Malama Kai Foundation (MKF) is one of Hawaii’s oldest marine conservation non-profit organizations. One of its award-winning programs, Ocean Warriors, offers a hands-on nature-based experiential science and mentorship program with middle school and high school students in North and South Kohala. The program offers science, outdoor skills, and mentorship experiences through regular watershed-based field trips and camping trips. Lynker has partnered with MKF since 2018. Lynker currently supports MKF by employing an Executive Director, Administrative Coordinator and providing marketing materials.

Fostering Diversity and Inclusion at Lynker

Supporting the Lynker Workforce

Supporting Lynker’s Next Generation

Supporting Our Customers and Partners

Questions about Lynker services?

We are Lynker

Quicklinks

Contact