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Commitment to Diversity

Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion​

  • STEM fields, materials scence and engineering especially, are increasingly interdisciplinary and require collaboration diverse cultures and disciplines
  • Diversity remains an issue in both industry and academia [1]
  • I aim to provide a welcoming environment thorugh my teaching and service to help students of all backgrounds succeed.

Pew DEI Stats on Industry in STEM

My Experience with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion​

  • Underrepresented students experience higher attrition rates in chemistry related fields such as materials science if they struggle in their introductory chemistry courses [2]. In response, I coordinated remedial tutoring sessions with the professor leading the largest introductory chemistry course at MIT of over 500 students.
  • I initiated a semester-long support program within the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department with workshops and check-ins to enhance instructional support and sense of community and belonging in ECE by training teaching assistants (TAs) in inclusive learning practices. See results from program below.
  • I volunteer with minority serving K-12 institutions and outreach events through UT MRSEC, conducting science demonstrations and visitng STEM clubs

Pew DEI Stats on Industry in STEM

My Plans for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion​

As a junior faculty member, the most direct means of advancing DEI is through my interactions with students – namely my group and my teaching. As mentioned in my teaching statement, my interest to serve undergraduate students is primarily in introductory classes. Pairing that with my experience in providing resources and removing barriers for minority students provides me with the position to put effort in DEI at critical points in students’ careers.

Diversify the pipeline of future engineers​

  • I seek to improve the retention of minority students through following the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in introductory classes I teach. See my teaching philosophy for more details.

  • I plan to conduct outreach through existing K-12 outreach programs such as an NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering center or seeking funding through the university outreach center to initiate and support workshops and presentations for science teachers and educators.

UT STEM Day

Build a culture of inclusion within my department​

  • As a faculty member, I will have the opportunity to welcome students into an inclusive environment as they take the introductory courses I teach, and putting effort into ensuring they feel support after leaving my classroom. This means sharing my resources I use for inclusive teaching to others in the department encouraging them to follow similar practices and making myself available to students as a resource for advice beyond my classroom.

  • I will support the efforts of students who seek to advance DEI in initiating and organizing DEI focused student groups and events. I will meet with these students regularly to have conversations around DEI and draw on faculty resources to help them achieve their goals.

References:

[1] Rick Fry, Brian Kennedy, and Cary Funk STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity Pew Research Center. April 1, 2021

[2] R. B. Harris, M. R. Mack, J. Bryant, E. J. Theobald, and S. Freeman, “Reducing achievement gaps in undergraduate general chemistry could lift underrepresented students into a ‘hyperpersistent zone,’” Science Advances, vol. 6, no. 24, p. eaaz5687, Jun. 2020