Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

All BCBP faculty to complete 1 hour Bias 101 training by the end of the year (required for positive performance review in 2021)

Yes, currently on going

Update as of primary Faculty (Tenure track and Fixed Term Faculty)

Person/Dept Responsible: Steven Torchio (HR)

Include DEI in faculty evaluations (i.e., person is able demonstrate what they have done annually to promote DEI)

Annual Activity Reports

Person/Dept Responsible: (Marsha) Lynn Ray and Dr. Brian Strahl

Develop departmental guidelines by end of 2021 on qualifying DEI activities

Ongoing, a team has been created to define activities that count as DEI

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Jean Cook

Create a BCBP Diversity Committee

Completed, created in November 2020

Person/Dept Responsible: Looking for a new Chair for the Diversity committee

Develop DEI webpage on our BCBP department website

Completed and being updated frequently and systematically.

Ongoing

Person/Dept Responsible: Carolyn Clabo and Dr Silvia Ramos

Encourage labs/PIs to construct a unique statement on DEI and completed trainings that may be easily identified and interpreted by prospective, incoming, or otherwise new students.

Our BCBP website had the idea of adding symbol to show accomplished training close to each Faculty picture. One for Bias training, one for mentor training, safe zone training.

However, these symbols have not been fully endorsed/approved given some limitations they may constrain. We now just list if a faculty has done a mentor or other training on our webpage.

Person/Dept Responsible: Carolyn Clabo and Dr. Brian Strahl and Dr. Silvia Ramos

Work on a joint effort with other basic science departments through IMSD to develop a Summer Undergraduate research experience/programs in which BCBP will participate jointly with other basic science departments

Ongoing.

Need more attention. We plan to pair with Pharmacology and Genetics department on that effort.

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Ashalla Freeman, Dr. Silvia Ramos and Carolyn Clabo

Outline expectations and guidelines for mentor-mentee compacts for establishing mutual expectations and responsibilities. PIs to consider OGE optional training ‘Expectation’s plan’

Ongoing

Expectation plan to be discussed with thesis committee in the first mtg, and as a follow up according to student/mentor’s need.

Plan to further discuss the support from Holly Shephered and Wolfgang Bergmier

Person/Dept Responsible: Each PI with its teammates

Compile resource information available across campus as well as those unique to BCBP members aimed at community building, DEI resources, reporting, counseling, and other forms of support in a way that is easily locatable and useable.

The DEI BCBP website has been recently updated and include many resource links, including the spectacular JEDI toolkit from the department of Allied Health Sciences (lead by Dr Brenda Mitchell).

Person/Dept Responsible: Carolyn Clabo and Dr Silvia Ramos

Make the diversity committee’s progress and efforts more easily accessible to department members via poster sessions, regular townhalls, newsletters, etc.

On going

Person/Dept Responsible: Diversity Committee members

Organize Trainee Seminar Committee in which students will invite speakers from diverse backgrounds and interests for 2 seminars per semester.

Ongoing, contacts were made with our department seminar chair/organizer (Dr. Saskia Neher) and we are currently working on forming the student seminar committee and are set to organizing seminars for ’21-’22.

Person/Dept Responsible: Amelia McCue and Dr. Saskia Neher

Plan an orientation process to facilitate new post-doc integration (on boarding, meet chair, meet students, finding unique community).

We have no updates on that. Needs to be revised.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI committee (at least 3 people will take that lead)

Plan symposium focused on highlighting URM post-docs (potentially in conjunction with genetics, pharmacology).

On going

Person/Dept Responsible: Amelia McCue

Formalize a process for training and selecting students and post docs for becoming hiring committee members in order to facilitate trainee involvement earlier in the hiring process. 

Ongoing.

We have checked guidelines for trainee involvement in department’s hiring committee and are aware of trainings that must be completed by every member (faculty or otherwise).

Person/Dept Responsible: HR training Dr. Steve Crews

Create a formal mentoring committee for Research faculty (FTF) who plans to seek research independence

No updates on that.

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Brian Strahl

Foster hiring of new URM Faculty to better reflect the diversity of our students

On going.

1. Serious and concrete efforts and actions had been made. We hired one more female faculty for a Biophysics opening as of 2021.
2. We are on the process of recruiting a URM faculty on the Rising Star program. Soon to be updated.
3. We are in the process of hiring a new Chair for the department. URMs are being considered. Soon to be updated

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr. Brian Strahl, Dr. Jean Cook, Dr Silvia Ramos

Better support our students for success by addressing graduate students’ well-being

New, goal added. 

Ongoing.

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr Jill Down is of 2021 our Well-being Liaison

Annual Racial Equity Competency Survey

Completed: We performed a Racial Equity Competency Survey (summary of results presented at Town Hall 1). Low response rate.

Next: Revamp survey to assess racial competency, DEI effort involvement, as well as departmental climate. Discuss results on DEI committee mtg.

Person/Dept Responsible: Non-faculty member either in the department or ideally, from OGE

Address Student Mistreatment

OGE to hire individual(s) to handle mistreatment reports, climate surveys, and DEI trainings.

New link for student’s mistreatment in our web page.Final written document from the OGE was discussed on a DEI committee meeting, presented by Dr Cook on Nov/11th, 2021.

Next: BCBP to designate a liaison to help link trainees to the right mistreatment reporting resources

Person/Dept Responsible: Brandy Curtis (student leader), Holly Shepherd, Dr Silvia Ramos and Dr. Jean CookStudents in the BCBP DEI committee are very engaged on that.

Host Town Hall meetings to improve department climate

Plan regular town halls

Our BCBP first Racial Equity Town Hall mtg was held on Feb 12th

Next: Follow-up meetings biannually. Student-led meetings as needed (minimum one per year).

Recent student Town Hall was hold on Dec/2nd, 2021.

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI committee Director of Graduate Students, Dr Wolfgang Bergemeir

Lab Climate Surveys

Run surveys for individual labs to assess mentoring, intra-lab relations, and diversity and inclusion of lab climate.  To be administered by a 3^rd party (Strategic Evaluations Inc)

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI committee Brandy Curtis (student leader)

Cultural Events

Ongoing.

Host events that celebrate and investigate a variety of cultures, religions, and identities. E.g. Iftar (breaking of fast) during Ramadan. Discussion groups on intersectionality, race, personal narratives

Person/Dept Responsible: BCBP Diversity Committee Reem Hakeem and Gabby Budziszewski

Plan a scholarship fund for URM students to apply for conference travel.

On going

Person/Dept Responsible: DEI committee

Accumulate resources to help faculty find diverse scientists’ contributions to the field.

On going

Person/Dept Responsible: Health Science Library/Davis library

Organize a series of interviews/discussions highlighting diverse examples/models present in our department

On going on our DEI website, under news we have interviewed: currently we are working on a URM grad student (Aaztli Coria) interview, to come on March/2022 and others already on the web

Person/Dept Responsible: Carolyn Clabo, Holly Sheperd, and Dr. Silvia Ramos

Organize Trainee Seminar Committee in which students will invite speakers from diverse backgrounds and interests for 2 seminars per semester.

Ongoing, contacts were made with our department seminar chair/organizer (Dr. Saskia Neher) and we are currently working on forming the student seminar committee and are set to organizing seminars for ’21-’22.

Person/Dept Responsible: Amelia McCue Dr. Saskia Neher

Joint postdoc symposium with genetics and pharmacology

Ongoing. No updates on that

Person/Dept Responsible: Edgar Faison

Outline outreach/community service requirements for trainees (potentially 5 hours over the course of PhD), expectations for service, service site examples, etc.

On going. No updates on that, as far as I know.

Person/Dept Responsible: Dr Silvia Kreda and Holly Shepherd