Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

As an interdisciplinary field with a wide range of specialties, we know our best work comes from collaboration among people with diverse expertise, experiences and perspectives. At the Molecular Engineering Ph.D. Program, we strive to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment in which students of all backgrounds can learn and thrive. Moreover, we seek to nurture well-rounded and socially responsible engineers dedicated to making the world a better place and applying their talents and knowledge to create technologies for the benefit of all people.

The goals of the MolE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee include:

  • Increase program accessibility to students of all backgrounds, especially those from historically excluded groups.
  • Provide inclusive mentorship opportunities to diverse audiences on and off campus.
  • Educate members of our community on issues of inequity in STEM and empower them to be engaged global citizens and agents of societal change.

HIGHLIGHTS

STEM Grad School 101

At this virtual event, prospective students learned how to apply to graduate school and what to expect as a STEM graduate student. View the recording here.

Undergraduate Mentorship Program

UW undergraduates are invited to participate in molecular engineering research on the UW campus. Check out these resources for undergrad mentees and grad student mentors. Contact the MolE program coordinator to learn more.

Graduate Mentorship Program

MolE students are paired with a faculty member who can provide additional support for the student's professional and personal development. An example mentorship agreement can be found here. Contact the MolE program coordinator to learn more.

Special Seminar: Confronting AAPI Racism during COVID-19

Drs. Jane Lee and David Takeuchi from UW's School of Social Work discussed the rise in anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) sentiments in the US and how to combat them. View the seminar here.

MolE Book Club

Open to all MolES students, staff, and affiliated faculty interested in understanding the historical context for inequities and injustices in STEM. The group previously read “Medical Apartheid” by Harriet Washington and is currently reading “How to survive a plague” by David France. Contact the Committee chair to join.

Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Molecular Engineering

Students, faculty and staff came together to explain how molecular engineering can address global grand challenges. Read more.

RESOURCES

Comprehensive collections of resources have been compiled by others across the UW:

College of Engineering DEI resources
Department of Chemistry DEI resources
Department of Bioengineering JEDI resources

STUDENT GROUPS

Graduate Student Equity & Excellence (GSEE)
GSEE provides leadership and advocacy to achieve equitable representation, access and success for graduate students of color at the University of Washington.

Inclusion in Chemical Sciences at UW (InCS-UW)
The mission of InCS-UW is to educate and empower underrepresented groups in science.

UW oSTEM
oSTEM empowers LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy.

UW Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)
The WiSE program recruits and supports women of all ethnic backgrounds in science and engineering (S&E) and fosters a healthy academic and social environment for men and women in engineering at all levels of study.

Women in Chemical Engineering (WChE)
WChE educates, empowers and advocates for women in chemical engineering, and their supporters, by providing a safe and open space for dialogue, mentorship, collaboration, camaraderie, and skill building through professional development, community networking, and outreach to primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions.

Society for Women Engineers (SWE)
SWE UW empowers the next generation of women and nonbinary engineers to find success in their careers.

MolES Staff:

Doug Ballard, Graduate Program Advisor
Rebekka Coakley, Communications Manager
Cole DeForest, MolES Director of Education
Amanda McCracken-Roberts, MolES Administrator
Suzie Pun, MolES Director
Corin Shelley-Reuss, Events Specialist
Rachel Talney, Operations Manager

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

All MolE students are invited to participate as members of the committee or in committee events. The committee meets regularly to discuss upcoming plans and events, including outreach activities, educational opportunities, and MolES organizational goals. For more information, reach out to the MolE program coordinator or the Graduate Student Association President.