Mission

Mission Statement

The Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity Awareness (IDEA) Committee was formed in January 2019.  The primary objectives of IDEA are to:
  1. Recognize diversity as an enabling factor behind innovation and scientific discovery
  2. Promote a culture of respect and inclusiveness by treating all members of our community as equally human
  3. Open two-way, responsive communication pathways between all community members
  4. Inform on types of biases, manifestations of harassment, sources of other unfair practices, and proactive means to avert such malpractices
  5. Highlight available resources within the local community, and identify working solutions for potential issues that arise within our department
  6. Engage scientists from underrepresented backgrounds, and encourage diversification of the department through education, advocacy, and outreach
In summer 2020, IDEA was reformulated as a set of subcommittees:
  • Climate: with representatives from undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, staff and faculty, to build a more inclusive departmental culture  (liaison)
  • Outreach: coordinate and promote participation and engagement across career levels and underserved groups (liaison)
  • Education: identify, discuss and learn about prospects and challenges of diversification and social justice (liaison)
  • Communication: inclusive social media, alumni relations, mentoring activities (liaison)