Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

Following the murder of George Floyd in June 2020, I like many others, felt an extreme urgency to get more involved in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) in all aspects of life. I marched for BLM in Boston. I began educating myself on how to be actively anti-racist. I learned more about institutional racism and realized how under-utilized my power and privilege were in disassembling it. I have always supported, cultivated, and appreciated the immense value of a diverse lab environment, not just because it is the righteous thing to do but because it brings new perspectives, a wider range of ideas, and begets a more interesting and welcoming work environment and yes, better science. Like many others, the “EIJ” of DEIJ has been a knowledge gap for me as I continue to learn how to provide an environment that is not just more diverse, but also more Equitable, Inclusive, and Just. There is a useful analogy from one of the DEIJ workshops I recently attended: “’Diversity’ is being invited to the party, ‘Inclusion’ is being asked to dance at the party and choose the music; ‘Equity’ is getting equal time and space in the DJ booth or on the dance floor”. I think about this analogy frequently as I strive to make an inclusive work environment. We need to be vigilant and INTENTIONAL (not passive) in fostering equity and inclusion. I place an extremely high value on JUSTICE part of DEIJ and is a major motivator for me in my efforts. I want trainees at all levels and in every program to know that I am an active, approachable, and dedicated ally who will take them seriously and who will act when necessary and do all I can to see that barriers are removed for creating a safer, positive, and thriving environment. Doing the right thing at the right time in the face of risk (retribution, retaliation) is incredibly difficult but is absolutely necessary to produce measurable, persistent change from top-down. There must be consequences for those in power whose actions and environment they cultivate work against a more DEIJ environment. I have the utmost respect for faculty and administrators who dedicate their invisible, unmeasured time to DEIJ efforts, many of whom are people of color and from underrepresented backgrounds. I also have the utmost respect for the brave trainees who risk their careers to call out bad behaviors, e.g., racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, psychological abuse, microaggressions, and sexual misconduct. I will continue to listen to their voices and I will continue to act on their concerns with swiftness and intention.

I joined Graduate Program for Neuroscience (GPN) DEIJ committee in June 2020 and remain an active faculty member. We have accomplished several goals over the past two years, including a seminar series “Stress, Resilience, and Society”, where we hosted neuroscientist speakers whose talks addressed behavioral and neurological correlates of stress and its transmission across generations. A GPN student would host each speaker and helped lead post-seminar discussions between the speakers and the PhD students on research in the context of DEIJ and society. During the second year, we organized a symposium on Neuroscience and Society and had a panel of speakers who covered topics such as empathy and sex differences in neuroscience research and an engaging panel discussion. We also applied for the opportunity to offer a merit-based endowed scholarship for an Emerging Scholars award for GPN (we are resubmitting this year). The goal of the scholarship is to recruit exceptional students coming from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background and who might not otherwise enroll in GPN (moving to Boston is very expensive) by providing financial support to offset prohibitive moving and living expenses, facilitate professional development, and ease funding barriers for lab entry. Student members successfully installed a local chapter for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans (SACNAS). GPN DEIJ members like myself serve on the Admissions Committee and have created a general trajectory of increasing diversity with each new cohort of trainees.

Promoting DEIJ must begin early within the educational system. As a faculty member at a major R1 research university, I participate in training at multiple levels of education, including high school summer trainees, undergraduate researchers, graduate students (masters and PhD), and medical students. I prioritize supporting work-study undergraduates as they are frequently from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds and receive monetary compensation for their work. I also mentor students from a variety of programs that support diversity, including BU Research In Science and Engineering (RISE) program for high school students, BU Summer Training As Research Scholars (STARS) program (NIH/NHLBI), and BU Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) program (NIH/NIGMS). I meet formally with trainees, discuss journal articles, review/advise on presentations, and review PhD application materials. I invite trainees to attend scientific meetings where I introduce them to my colleagues and encourage them to network and participate in career development workshops. I strive to provide as many opportunities as possible and to advocate for trainees at local, national, and international scientific meetings. I also participate in the national NIH/NIDA Summer Scholars program for undergraduate researchers from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, most of whom have earned authorship on published scientific papers.

I am a member of the Admissions Committee for the PhD program in Biomolecular Pharmacology and the Graduate Program for Neuroscience at Boston University. I also serve on the Selection Committee for the T32 Biomolecular Pharmacology PhD program where we prioritize diversity and look for students who are actively involved in outreach, DEIJ activities, and show genuine interest in helping their colleagues succeed. I attended a workshop on developing a rubric for assessment of applications, with the goal of minimizing selection bias that works against DEIJ efforts. In addition to considering defined rubrics and procedures, we pay special attention to students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. We read personal statements carefully and do not go by rigid, arbitrary cut-offs such as GPA in making invitation decisions. We identify applicants who have overcome adversity and struggles in challenging situations and environments outside of their academic experience that has impeded their ability to otherwise flourish. We look for signs of improvement over time. We look closely at letters of recommendation that often add a different perspective and enrich our understanding of the applicant’s circumstances. This more careful, tedious approach has led us to consistently recruit a diverse lot of highly successful students.

Institutional racism directly impedes DEIJ and combating it from top-down can lead to substantial improvements in the work environment; however, there must be increased effort from the bottom-up early on to provide advantages and opportunities to level the playing field. I will continue to promote diversity in student and faculty recruitment in the committees on which I serve. I will continue to promote equity and inclusion and advocate for my trainees in my laboratory environment, at scientific conferences, meetings, and local events. I will continue to be actively involved in outreach, including visiting and speaking with students at HBUs and participating in career development workshops at NIH and scientific meetings. I chair multiple thesis committees for PhD students from underrepresented backgrounds and tend to their individual circumstances to make sure they succeed at the highest level. Actively promoting a DEIJ environment requires a constant self-awareness and re-evaluation, vigilance across all academic settings, and continual self-education and training. I will continue to educate myself and provide a DEIJ environment that is safe and welcoming. I will support and advocate for my students and others whom I serve so they can thrive at their full potential in their PhD programs and will arm trainees with the skills and opportunities needed to realize their most aspirational career goals.