Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
EDI
EDI

In line with The University of British Columbia’s policy, The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is dedicated to promoting ongoing efforts of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) by:

 

  • Creating a welcoming, respectful, and supportive environment in all areas of our academic mission of research and teaching by promoting a campus life where respect, civility, culture, diversity and inclusion are valued.
  • Giving equal opportunity and voice to all members of our community no matter their race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, class, status or religion. 
  • Including diversity and inclusiveness in our recruiting process to support a diverse leadership, teaching, learning, and research community.
  • Welcoming diverse perspectives and acknowledging that diversity is essential to drive our research and learning.
  • Supporting UBC’s values towards excellence, mutual respect, and social sustainability - which allows equity, inclusion and diversity to be deeply vested in the institution and in each of the divisions across the University to make lasting change.

 

Located on the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver Campus on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) People, we believe it is the responsibility of all community members to maintain a safe space and welcoming community that supports successful research, leadership, and connection.

 

We respect the land we are on and want to focus on what we can learn from our history to ensure our present reflects our values. We think hard about who we want to be as a department, and the legacy we want to leave behind. Part of this process is transforming the department's academic experience such that power relations are equalized for everyone, something that we are working towards across multiple efforts.

 

How we will practice EDI

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology has an EDI committee that works with all groups and committees in the department to ensure EDI is considered in all our practices. To promote EDI in the Department we will:

 

  • Recognize that UBC and the Department are located on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Musqueam Territory, we will include land acknowledgements in seminars, symposia, classes and other events we host.
  • Encourage and in some cases require faculty, staff and trainees to complete EDI and implicit bias training.
  • Consider EDI in all departmental committees, policies, hiring and operations.
  • Value diverse representation and strive to host speakers that represent the diversity of trainees and their career goals. To this end, we prioritize representation of diverse voices and life experiences in departmental events including our seminar series, as well as “Ask me anything café”, career panels and workshops.
  • Recognize the socioeconomic barriers that exist for trainees to pursue graduate and postdoctoral studies. We are committed to providing competitive stipends for graduate students and living-wage stipends for postdoctoral fellows.
  • Provide equal opportunity to access mentorship, scholarships, speaking opportunities, and other career-elevating opportunities to ensure all trainees reach their full potential. 
  • Promote student, staff, postdoc, and faculty physical and mental health and wellness through access to counseling and mental health resources, departmental-hosted events and wellness seminars. 
  • Will work with the Centre for Accessibility and other campus resources to accommodate and remove barriers for members of the department with disabilities and ongoing medical conditions.
  • Support for religious holidays and the use of UBC-provided prayer spaces
  • Encourage faculty and staff to undergo positive space training to ensure the department provides a safe and supportive environment for our 2SLGBTQIA+ members. 
  • Ensure the majority of departmental meetings and events are within school hours, and those outside of school hours are family friendly. Family/lactation room space is available for parents with infants.

 

EDI Committee

  • Faculty:
    • Karen Smith (she/her/hers), Chair
    • Maria Tokuyama (she/her/hers), Chair
    • Ninan Abraham (he/him/his)
    • Andrew Santos (he/him/his)
    • Carolina Tropini (she/her/hers)
  • Graduate Students:
    • Stephanie Besoiu (she/her/hers)
    • Kabir Bhalla (he/him/his)
    • Austin Guild (he/him/his)
    • Valentina Santamaría Amorocho (she/her/hers)
  • Undergraduate Students:
    • Mya Bal (she/her/hers)
    • Carolyne You (she/her/hers)
  • Postdoctoral Fellow:
    • Henok Sahile (he/him/his)