Meet the Taskforce

I joined DEI to become better equipped with the tools to push for more equality and diversity in STEM. Outside of the physics department I enjoy dancing, knitting, and scuba diving.

I want to use my work to create space for all students to thrive, regardless of gender, race, and background. I hope to be a force for change at RPI and strive to make our department an environment where everyone is conscious of the impact their behavior will have on others. In addition to my passion for promoting equity in STEM, I love physics, cats, dancing, and traveling.

As an educator, I feel it is my responsibility to create a safe and inclusive environment for student learning. By participating in the DEI committee, I can expand my impact beyond my classes to our department. Outside the school I enjoy doing puzzles and playing with my cats.

Peter Persans has been a member of the Physics Faculty at Rensselaer since 1986. He founded the Physics part of the I-PERSIST Mentoring program in 2015 and currently focuses his efforts on undergraduate education, advising, professional development, and mentoring.

I am involved in DEI as I feel strongly about minority groups being treated fairly in our society. In my free time, I am involved in various sporting activities.

My passion for DEI work extends throughout my life, I strive to help create diversity in Physics but also in other organizations I am in. Outside of RPI, I was on the Steering Committee of the APS-IDEA DEI initiative, and am excited to bring my knowledge from that program to the RPI DEI taskforce. Outside of Physics, I like to play D&D, cook, and take care of my cat.

I am involved in DEI because I am committed to building a more open and supportive environment for people of all cultures and identities in STEM. Out of the physics department I enjoy painting and hiking.

I joined DEI because I wanted to contribute towards building and maintaining an inclusive and equitable community. Outside of the physics department I enjoy ice hockey, painting, and hiking.

I am passionate about women, LGBTQ+, and other minorities having their space and being supported in physics, STEM, and other stereotypical white-male-centric communities. Beyond academics, I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, nature, reading, and music.

My name is Paul Lea, and I am a senior physics major. I'm planning on doing my masters in physics with a focus on terahertz molecular spectroscopy, and when I am not working I enjoy the outdoors, cars, DJing, cooking and electronics design and repair.

I entered RPI as a transfer student in Fall 2025, and I joined the DEI committee because I wanted to both learn more about the community at large and to find ways to help while finding my footing and further path in the field. I’m a coffee connoisseur, and in my free time, I like to read and write.