DEI

Below is a statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that I include in the syllabi for all of my courses.

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Mathematics as a discipline is fraught with issues involving diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Many persons have been shut out from participating in this field of study, while others who have managed to get past barriers find themselves facing hostile work/school environments. It is important to note that these “hostilities” can be subtle and even imperceptible to those who are not directly impacted by them. Only recently has the importance of confronting these issues started to gain traction.  We are a long way from solving this problem.  It is important to acknowledge these serious shortcomings as we need to name the problem if we hope to someday overcome it.  

I am committed to making progress on this front.  Some of my most recent efforts have included: attending trainings, reading literature, seeking out sessions/workshops at professional conferences, joining and participating in professional organizations, and incorporating evidence-based practices for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion into my pedagogy. I acknowledge that my personal education in this area is ongoing, and I am committed to continuing to improve both personally and professionally.

What can you do to be an asset in this effort? To begin, always follow this “Be Respectful” guideline:

Respect yourself, your classmates, your professor, and our classroom. Be mindful that we each arrive in this classroom with different backgrounds, identities, personal attributes, and experiences.  Everyone is welcome in this space and we are all partially responsible for promoting and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive classroom climate. Respect for diversity of persons and ideas should extend outside of our classroom to encompass our entire course experience, including respectful correspondences, project work, and assignment collaboration.

Respect for diversity of persons and ideas is an essential component for making this an inclusive space.  However, it is only the beginning, as we all need to educate ourselves so that we may better identify and respond to instances of implicit bias, stereotype threat, micro-aggression, etc.  I encourage students to take advantage of the resources offered through the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion , to engage in thoughtful conversation in the community, and to practice self-reflection.

Finally, I leave you with a sample of organizations focused on supporting underrepresented groups in the mathematical sciences that are excellent resources, listed in alphabetical order: