Overview
Mission of the ChE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee was initiated to foster an environment in the department that is respectful, encouraging, and open-minded. Our goal is to encourage diversity within our department as well as be a voice for each and every individual that seeks equity and inclusion. We also promote awareness of DEI and bias, with the aim to enhance participation of underrepresented communities in our STEM programs.
The committee is devoted to sharing resources, facilitating events, and dedicating time towards strengthening an inclusive learning and working environment. We look forward to working alongside students, faculty, and staff—empowering all towards the continued success of the department, in keeping with the University of Rochester’s visions and values.
Our Specific Goals
Diversify our department—We will continue our efforts to recruit faculty and staff to better represent the diversity of our students. We are proud that our department’s most recent two hires were women of color. Further, we have invited speakers from diverse groups to our seminar series.
Grow a pipeline to help diversify our student population at the undergraduate and graduate levels—Our vision is to provide underrepresented groups with more opportunities to highlight their talents at our department. We strive to impart transparency with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We recognize that nonbinary identities exist and support them. Diversity statistics that follow federal guidelines of categorizing identities show that our department is largely on par with the national average regarding undergraduate populations. Following our current trajectory in diversifying our department, we aim to attract gifted individuals for our programs, predicated on diversity.
Diversify our advisory board—As the committee helps advance a more diverse and inclusive environment within the department, strong efforts are being made to include more members from traditionally underrepresented and minority groups into the advisory board.
DEI Committee Members
Astrid M. Müller, Assistant Professor, chair of the DEI Committee. "Diversity, equity and inclusion are empowering for all, essential for social justice, and key to innovation. I particularly care about increasing access and retention of underrepresented communities in STEM fields. We are all human beings, and we can make the world a better place by treating each other with respect."
Yasemin Basdogan, Assistant Professor, faculty member of the DEI Committee. "My diversity, equity and inclusion philosophy starts with understanding that each person is different and unique. Every individual stands at an intersection of different identities; thus, no two people are the same. I strongly believe that people with diverse personal, ethnic, cultural, religious, and academic backgrounds can make STEM stronger. However, the current composition of STEM falls short of achieving the representation needed to maximize the potential of our scientific community. As a faculty member, I strive to close this gap by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and by being a visible role model and supportive mentor for women and underrepresented minorities."
Gang Fan, Assistant Professor, faculty member of the DEI Committee. "As a first generation, low income (FLI) student myself, I understand the importance of mentoring and support to encourage FLI students to continue research and pursue STEM careers. From my previous experiences, I have also learned that it is not enough to foster an inclusive environment; we need FLI students to feel a sense of belonging within the engineering community. My goals for diversity are therefore centered on moving beyond simply providing a seat at the table for those previously excluded from STEM to ensuring that their voices are heard and supported by those already at the table."
Melodie I. Lawton, Assistant Professor–Instructional, faculty member of the DEI Committee. "We cannot truly be excellent engineers if we do not use all our problem-solving tools. This means making diversity an integral part of our innovation process to provide us with a variety of perspectives, whether ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, experiences, etc. I am committed to helping others overcome unfair barriers and to establishing a culture of open communication."
Jennifer Condit, Undergraduate Coordinator, staff member of the DEI Committee. "My goal is to have every undergraduate student feel welcome and comfortable within the chemical engineering department. Effective communication in a diverse setting requires transparency and willingness to help all people despite race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. I’m looking forward to deeper connections with undergrads, hearing their opinions and concerns, and striving to make each and every student have a rewarding, inclusive experience at the U of R."
Yusuf Adegbesan, graduate student, student member of the DEI Committee. "I am committed to fostering an all-embracing and diversified atmosphere. I believe that an engaged and diverse environment is necessary for empowered learning. DEI enhances our professional and academic lives, offering us the opportunity that encourages creativity and innovation by merging different approaches, unique backgrounds, and cultures. My academic journey has been enriched by diverse perspectives, and I believe that embracing differences—whether in background, thought, or experience—is essential to innovation and growth. My goal is to contribute to a welcoming atmosphere for everybody to feel very much appreciated and empowered to live up to their full potential."
Courtney Palmeri, junior, student member of the DEI Committee. "At the center of engineering lies creating innovative solutions to existing challenges. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are all key elements to creating a comfortable environment for people to openly communicate and create inventions of the future. Ensuring every discussion is an open atmosphere with people from a variety of experiences helps nurture more inventive ideas and helps ensure everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas to unlock the technologies of tomorrow."
Message from the Department Chair
Welcome to the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Rochester. Our core mission is to cultivate an environment where excellence in research and education thrives. We believe that this excellence is deeply connected to the diversity of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds within our community.
We are committed to empowering all our students by ensuring that every individual has access to the resources and opportunities needed to succeed. Our department is proud to be a place where diverse voices contribute to innovation and where the collective strength of our community drives us forward.
Our approach to fostering a climate of respect, inclusion, and professional growth is centered on the idea that true empowerment comes from providing an environment where every student can excel. We have taken significant steps to support this vision by actively removing barriers to success and ensuring fair access to opportunities.
We recognize that the challenges faced by underrepresented communities in STEM are ongoing, and we are committed to continuously improving our efforts to address them. We welcome and encourage ideas, feedback, and open dialogue on how we can continue to build a department that not only values but thrives on the diverse contributions of its members.
Message from the Dean
I applaud the efforts being undertaken by the Department of Chemical Engineering’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to foster a respectful, encouraging, and open-minded environment.
Engineering is all about solving problems. And the challenges confronting us are daunting indeed. Climate change, aging infrastructure, rampant pollution, insidious threats to cyber security, global hunger, deadly pandemics—to name just a few. Many threaten our very existence.
We cannot hope to adequately address these problems when we exclude the unique talents, differing perspectives, and creative solutions that could be offered by the women and persons of color who remain so under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and math in our nation. Hence, diversifying our disciplines is an imperative.
As dean of the Hajim School, I am committed to:
- increasing the diversity of our students, staff, and faculty;
- creating policies, programs, and opportunities to ensure that women and those traditionally underrepresented in engineering are treated equitably;
- and, above all, supporting everyone with a spirit of genuine inclusivity.
I am deeply gratified by the outstanding example the Department of Chemical Engineering is setting for all of us in the Hajim School, as we work together to achieve these all-important goals.