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Diversity and Multiculturalism Committee

The role of this committee is to identify positive measures for developing and sustaining an inclusive and productive environment for all members of the Physics Department, including undergraduate and graduate students, staff, research associates, instructors, and faculty independent of gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, and physical ability. The committee will then formulate specific proposals to recommend to the Department Head for implementation by this committee or other departmental committees, if appropriate.

Ongoing projects include: developing a mentoring program for students and faculty; creating special seminar series, e.g. highlighting women researchers in physics and professional development for students; helping to establish uniform departmental policies for family leave; encouraging students and faculty to attend departmental academic and social events; improving tracking of graduate student progress before and after graduation; and publicizing University seminars and workshops on diversity-related topics.

In order to carry out these tasks, the D&MC has recruited an Advisory Board from inside and outside the UConn campus with diversity-related expertise and experience.

For more information, please feel free to contact anyone on the committee or advisory board. We welcome and encourage your suggestions and input.

Committee Members

  • George Gibson, Committee Chair, Professor (gibson@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Leland Aldridge, Graduate Student, (aldridge@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Robin Cote, Professor (cote@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Gayanath Fernando, Professor (fernando@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Ron Mallett, Professor (rlmallett@aol.com)
  • Belter Ordaz, Graduate Student, (ordaz@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Heather Osborne, Staff (osborne@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Dave Perry, Staff (perry@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Peter Schweitzer, Assistant Professor (peter.schweitzer@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Diego Valente, Research Staff (valente@phys.uconn.edu)
  • James Wells, Graduate Student, (wellsj@phys.uconn.edu)
  • Susanne Yelin, Associate Professor (susanne.yelin@uconn.edu)

Advisory Board

  • Peggy Beckett-Rinker, UCPEA (peggy.beckett-rinker@uconn.edu)
  • Masha Gordina, Associate Professor, Mathematics, UConn (maria.gordina@uconn.edu)
  • Mallory Guy, Graduate Student, Dartmouth (UConn Physics alumna)
  • Kathleen Holgerson, Women's Center, UConn (Kathleen.holgerson@uconn.edu)
  • Kristine Larsen, Professor, Physics, CCSU (larsen@mail.ccsu.edu)
  • Vicki Magley, Associate Professor, Psychology, UConn (vicki.magley@uconn.edu)
  • Vikki Robinson, Associate Professor, Molecular and Cell Biology, UConn (victoria.robinson@uconn.edu)
  • Hyewon Pechkis, Postdoc, NIST/JQI (UConn Physics alumna) (hyewon.pechkis@nist.gov)