Mission Statement
The Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity Awareness (IDEA) Committee was formed in January 2019. The primary objectives of IDEA are to:
-
Recognize diversity as an enabling factor behind innovation and scientific discovery
-
Promote a culture of respect and inclusiveness by treating all members of our community as equally human
-
Open two-way, responsive communication pathways between all community members
-
Inform on types of biases, manifestations of harassment, sources of other unfair practices, and proactive means to avert such malpractices
-
Highlight available resources within the local community, and identify working solutions for potential issues that arise within our department
-
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)