Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
I have a strong passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. This page contains a summary of the projects and committees I have partaken in to advance these efforts.
The Working Group on Ethics, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in the Mathematical Sciences (EEIJMS) began in Spring 2020, originally created for faculty and graduate students to meet and discuss readings pertaining to DEI Issues in mathematics.
DEI Committee
In Fall 2021, I was honored to be appointed as the graduate student representative to the Mathematics Department's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Chaired by Dr. Chloe Urbanski Wawrzyniak, the DEI Committee consists of four faculty and one graduate student, appointed annually. During the 2021-2022 school year, the DEI Committee established a DEI award for the mathematics graduate students and surveyed advanced undergraduate students about their sense of belonging in the mathematics department. The committee's website can be found here.
As a member of the DEI Committee, I formed the department's DEI library, described below.
DEI Library
Made possible by funding from the Mathematics Department, the DEI library provides educational resources on topics such as gender, race, and class, both in and out of the classroom. The library is housed in the department's central conference room and books can be checked out using a sign-out sheet by anyone interested. The books pictured are those purchased for the library's establishment, though the hope is that the list of references and resources will continue to grow.
Spectra at the University of Kentucky
Spectra is a nationwide organization with local chapters at various graduate institutions. It was formally established in 2015 as an association for LGBT+ mathematicians, arising from a need to recognize and support sexual and gender minorities. As a founding member of the Spectra chapter at the University of Kentucky, our mission is to provide LGBT+ individuals and allies with information and community through invited lectures, workshops, and social activities.
During Summer 2022, I was part of a team of UKy Spectra members who wrote and submitted a NSF grant to host a weekend-long conference at the University of Kentucky in May 2023.
Diversity Statement Workshop
As a member of EEIJMS, I was part of a small group who planned and put on a workshop about diversity statements. Open to anyone in the College of Arts & Sciences, this workshop was intended to educate participants about the value of diversity statements and give suggestions about what should (and should not) be included. It was attended by approximately 50 participants, ranging from graduate students applying to academic jobs to faculty needing to include diversity statements in their tenure dossiers.
Appalachia Initiative in Mathematics (AIM) Graduate School Panelist
The Appalachian Initiative in Mathematics (AIM) was started by University of Kentucky graduate student Julie Vega. Intending to increase interest in mathematics graduate school amongst undergraduates in Appalachia, the University of Kentucky sent a pair of graduate students to surrounding colleges and universities to meet with undergraduate students. In Fall 2019, I visited Berea College, one of the nation's top colleges to provide no-tuition education to every admitted student.