Diversity and Equity

A goal for IAS students is to develop their ability to live and work within and across diverse communities composed of multiple intersecting identities. Learning from the lived experiences, creative expressions and intellectual perspectives of historically-marginalized groups, students recognize and name historical and cultural relationships between power, knowledge, and difference. They develop the confidence and skills needed to transform unequal relations of power ethically and self-reflexively in order to foster greater equity.

The first assignment is a presentation of my first field research project where as a group in my Environmental Monitoring Practicum course we tested nitrate and Ph levels down in the northern part of the campus wetland. We decided on testing this because of the change in the roosting area of the crows and we wanted to see how the change would affect the wetland. We worked together down in the wetlands and up in the lab to collect the data needed for the project. We all at one point or another collected samples in the wetland and tested samples in the lab. We all came from different backgrounds, had different interest, and were in different majors but we were able to see our similarities in order to effectively work together. Since this was all of our first field research testing things did not go as perfectly as we wanted but we were all able to work together and learn from our mistakes. This project showcases my ability to collaborate equally in a diverse group. We were able to effectively work together in deciding new sample sites in the wetland and in helping each other use water quality instruments and procedures. I was also able to collaborate and effectively communicate in a diverse group of people for this project by playing many different roles, and reflecting on the outcomes of our work.

The second assignment is a presentation I did on dam removal in my BIS 243 course. We were tasked with making a presentation on an environmental issue. I chose dam removal as I believed that it was a big issue especially here in the state of Washington that I wanted to know more about. This presentation required lots of critical thinking as I developed my skills further in analysis, interpretation, and reflection. I pursued my question of “should dams be removed?” through multiple sources taking multiple diverse perspectives on the situation. One of the big things I learned from this assignments was the ability to take on the perspective of many different diverse stakeholders. Having different beliefs and values mean different outcomes have many different meanings for people. In the case of dam removal, I had to take on the perspective of people wanting the dam for energy use as well as tribal members who wanted to dam removed to restore the river for the salmon.