Student Diversity
True diversity, authentic inclusion & equitable practices are values critical for creative excellence in our pursuit of discovery and Innovation at the University of Utah. These values are woven into the fabric of our Bioscience community and research training programs, beginning with outreach to prospective students from a wide variety of backgrounds, holistic review of all qualified applications, followed by multiple resources and community support for incoming and advanced students.
COMMUNITY
It takes a village to finish a PhD! Our entire community is dedicated to collaborating and building the infrastructure that cultivates, supports, mentors and amplifies a stimulating research community that is welcoming, diverse, Inclusive, respectful and equitable to ALL members of the Bioscience community.
TRAINING THE BROADEST TALENT POOL
We know that the best ideas, pioneering discoveries and the boldest innovation happen when we bring together and mentor the broadest talent pool in an environment that breaks down barriers.
BRING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELVES TO THE RESEARCH ENTERPRISE
We undertake a holistic evaluation process that supports and trains hard-working, passionate rising scientists with great potential. Matriculated graduate students to our Bioscience PhD Programs bring a wide range of diverse experiences, backgrounds and disciplines to the University of Utah. Our recent Bioscience graduate student populations (2017-2020) exhibit gender parity, where 25% are from underrepresented groups in science and 25% from international backgrounds.
WHY DIVERSITY IS WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE
Creative Excellence and new Discoveries are seeded and nurtured where YOU can thrive, collaborate, and lead innovative research. A diverse, inclusive environment catalyzes excellence and understanding leading to impactful insights, new discoveries and innovative cures, empathetic leaders and a broad network, compassion and true equity. Come explore the opportunities to amplify your growth, training and professional trajectory in scientific research through our interdepartmental ‘umbrella’ Bioscience PhD graduate program. Imagine “U”.
CALL TO ACTION
Parallel to training world class scientists, we nurture & mentor the next generation of Scientific Leaders. Our Bioscience community strongly encourages and provides a multiplicity of opportunities through: Professional Development, Outreach. Peer-Peer Mentoring, Representation and Student Leadership of numerous vital committees, national societies and grass roots efforts. Working collectively within diverse groups in the research lab, classes, departments and community make sure diverse perspectives are represented and have a seat at the table. These opportunities give rise to an informed, effective network of self-confident, empathetic rising leaders in our scientific community and beyond. Come be a part of the change you want to see in the world.
COLLABORATION
The Bioscience PhD Programs are dedicated to enriching an already diverse student training environment. We collaborate with university entities to create a campus climate that accommodates and is inclusive to all members of the graduate community.
References
- “How Diversity Empowers Science and Innovation”
- “How Diversity Makes Us Smarter
- “Diversity in STEM: What It Is and Why It Matters”
- UofU Health Article: Drawing Strength From Diversity
- UofU Health Article: SACNAS Supports STEM Aspirations
- UofU Health Article: U of U-Sponsored SACNAS Explores Health Disparities in the Hispanic Community
Utah SACNAS Chapter Mission:
SACNAS is an all-inclusive community dedicated to supporting diversity and fostering success in under-represented STEM fields from students to professionals. Our goal is to help these members attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM. Come be a part of the vibrant SACNAS community at the University of Utah and help us cultivate a safe and secure scientific community filled with the brightest scientists. We aim to provide a holistic approach to STEM training by organizing opportunities for professional development, cultural programming, resilience training, and a pipeline of support and mentoring within a national network. Be the best U with the University of Utah SACNAS chapter.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Actions and Resources
- Participate in discussions, be vocal, safely join in a protest/demonstration
- Inform Yourself and Vote - Especially for candidates of color whose policies you agree with, write your senator/congress member to support legislation for racial equality
- Step out of your Comfort Zone - Involve yourself in activities that place you in an environment where you will be exposed to people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Attend museums, music events, ethnic festivals, restaurants, supermarkets, shops, or any other public place where you will share space with people different from yourself
- Seek out and take Unconscious Bias and Microaggression Training
- The National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) Unconcious Bias Course
*Resources provided by the Bhalla Lab Website at UC Santa Cruz
Strategies to Improve Equity
- Retention of Underrepresented Minority Faculty: Strategic Initiatives for Institutional Value Proposition Based on Perspectives From a Range of Academic Institutions
- Five years post-DORA: Promoting Best Practices for Research Assessment
- Signaling Safety: Characterizing Fieldwork Experiences and Their Implications for Career Trajectories
- “Excellence R Us”: University Research and the Fetishisation of Excellence
- Building and Sustaining Diverse Functioning Networks Using Social Media and Digital Platforms to Improve Diversity and Inclusivity
- Gender Equity: Addressing Recruitment at the Departmental Level
- Institutional Interventions That Remove Barriers to Recruit and Retain Diverse Biomedical PhD Students
- Strategies to Improve Equity in Faculty Hiring
- A Beginner’s Guide to Minority Professor Hires
- Number #1 Overall Draft Picks and Minority Hires
- 10 Small Steps for Department Chairs to Foster Inclusion
Resources for Culturally Competent Mentoring
- Mentoring Across Differences
- From Deficits to Possibilities: Mentoring Lessons from Plants on Cultivating Individual Growth through Environmental Assessment and Optimization
- The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM
- Collectors, Nightlights, and Allies, Oh My
Bias/Disparities in Training
- Science Faculty's Subtle Gender Biases Favor Male Students
- Survey of Academic Field Experiences (SAFE): Trainees Report Harassment and Assault
- Biomedical Science Ph.D. Career Interest Patterns by Race/Ethnicity and Gender
- Elite Male Faculty in the Life Sciences Employ Fewer Women
- Expectations of brilliance underlie gender distributions across academic disciplines
- Career Development Among American Biomedical Postdocs
- Systematic Inequality and Hierarchy in Faculty Hiring Networks
- How Pay and Representation Differentially Shape Bias on the Pathway Into Organizations
- Double jeopardy in astronomy and planetary science: Women of color face greater risks of gendered and racial harassment
- Questioning Assumptions
- Gender Disparities Among Independent Fellows in Biomedical Research
- Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
- Post-Doc Interviews in the Life Sciences: An Often-Overlooked Process that Is Susceptible to Bias
- How Gender and Race Stereotypes Impact the Advancement of Scholars in STEM: Professors’ Biased Evaluations of Physics and Biology Post-Doctoral Candidates
- The Diversity-Innovation Paradox in Science
Bias/Disparities in Publication and Peer Review
- Double-blind review favours increased representation of female authors
- The Role of Gender in Scholarly Authorship
- Is Science Built on the Shoulders of Women? A Study of Gender Differences in Contributorship
- Time-to-Credit Gender Inequities of First-Year PhD Students in the Biological Sciences
- Publications as predictors of racial and ethnic differences in NIH research awards
- Author-Reviewer Homophily in Peer Review
- Gender inequalities among authors who contributed equally
- Unprofessional peer reviews disproportionately harm underrepresented groups in STEM
- Is there a gender gap in chemical sciences scholarly communication?
Bias/Disparities in Grant Peer Review and Funding
- Nepotism and sexism in peer-review
- The Gender Gap in NIH Grant Applications
- Race, Ethnicity, and NIH Research Awards
- Are Race, Ethnicity, and Medical School Affiliation Associated With NIH R01 Type 1 Award Probability for Physician Investigators?
- Women in Biomedical Research: NIH’s Analysis of women’s success in research and NIH extramural programs
- Sex Differences in Institutional Support for Junior Biomedical Researchers
- Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and National Institutes of Health R01 Research Awards: Is There Evidence of a Double Bind for Women of Color?
- Analysis of National Institutes of Health R01 Application Critiques, Impact, and Criteria Scores: Does the Sex of the Principal Investigator Make a Difference?
- Examining the distribution of K99/R00 awards by race
- The gender gap in early career transitions in the life sciences
- Assessment of potential bias in research grant peer review in Canada
- Topic choice contributes to the lower rate of NIH awards to African-American/black scientists
- Are gender gaps due to evaluations of the applicant or the science? A natural experiment at a national funding agency
- NIH peer review: Criterion scores completely account for racial disparities in overall impact scores
Bias/Disparities in Teaching Evaluations
- Evidence of Bias in Standard Evaluations of Teaching
- Exploring the Personal and Professional Factors Associated With Student Evaluations of Tenure-Track Faculty
Bias/Disparities in Service
- Faculty Service Loads and Gender: Are Women Taking Care of the Academic Family?
- Underrepresented Faculty Play a Disproportionate Role in Advancing Diversity and Inclusion
* Resources provided by the University of Neighborhood Partners
Understanding structural racism & anti-racism
- Structural racism: Racial Equity Tools
- Non-Black Latinx Resources on anti-blackness
- National Museum of African American History and Culture: Being Anti-racist
Talking about racism with children and students
- Sesame Street Town Hall on Racism
- PBS Kids Conversation about Talking to Children about Race and Racism
- Anti-Racist Books for Children of all Ages
- Say Their Names: A Toolkit to Help Foster Productive Conversations about Race and Civil Disobedience
- Latinx Parenting
- How White Parents Can Talk About Race
Learn about local anti-racist work and discussions
Race and mental/emotional health
- U of U Medicine Rural and Underserved Outreach Programs
- SLC Community Organizations
- Utah Dept of Health, Office of Health Disparities Projects
- Programs for Inclusive Excellence Across the U of U
- Project Youth
- Over 1,000, 5th and 6th graders from Title 1 elementary schools in Salt Lake Valley come to the U of U to experience what it’s like to be a college student.
- Refuges After School and Bridge Programs
- Offers educational activities, social service, and access to higher education to address the under-representation of women, minorities, refugees, non-native English speakers and economically disadvantaged students in STEM disciplines.
- SEARCH (Summer Experience Advancing Research in Chemical Biology) with West High
- A summer research internship program targeting underrepresented high school students - led by Raphael Franzini and co-sponsored by PITCH
- PITCH Disability Outreach Program to Spectrum Academy
- A K-12 school for students on the autism spectrum - school visits for presentations about careers in science + pilot research internship program (led by Debra Eckert).
- Shop at Businesses that are Owned by UR Communities/People of Color
- Leave a Positive Yelp Review
- 8(a) List of federally-Certified Minority and Woman-Owned Businesses
- Nudge for Change
- Racial Equity Tools
- Bennion Center at the U
- Multiple programs that focus on inspiring and mobilizing people to strengthen communities through learning, scholarship, and advocacy.
- University Neighborhood Partners
- Brings together University and west side people and resources for reciprocal learning, action and benefit.
- Science competition for students grades 5-12 involving students from many local school districts.
- Held annually in March
- Participate as a judge or a volunteer
- Email Brenda Mann, Fair Director
- 15,000 4th-8th graders are given hands-on experiences with science and technology
- Held annually in September
- Volunteer, sponsor a booth: Email
- Serves K-12 students and educators throughout the state of Utah
- Volunteer planning STEM-related events, teach hands-on lessons in the classroom and at events, work to increase student STEM engagement
- Email David Wicai
- Once a year event that invites middle and high school students to compete in a variety of STEM disciplines.
- Contact Amy Arkwright
- High school students from around the intermountain west spend the day doing science-related workshops
- Contact Lisa Batchelder
INSPIRE (Initiative to bring Science Programs to the Incarcerated in Utah)
- Science lectures, workshops and conservation projects at correctional facilities in Utah
- Contact Nalini Nadkarni
- Offers science communication training to researchers who are interested in public engagement
- Contact Paulmichael Maxfield
- Presentations by U of U researchers on their current scientific research
- Contact Paulmichael Maxfield
- Local volunteer scientists give engaging presentation about their work at a local bar
- Volunteer to give a talk
Graduate Student Mentorship Initiative (GSMI)
- Helps underrepresented graduate school applicants by pairing them with STEM professionals in their respective STEM disciplines.
- Contact them here
Student Resource Centers
Statements
Non-Discrimination and Disability Accommodation Statement
"The University of Utah does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, status as a disabled individual, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information or protected veteran's status, in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities. Inquiries concerning perceived discrimination or requests for disability accommodations may be referred to the University's Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 201 South Presidents Circle, Rm.135, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, 801-581-8365 (voice/tdd), 801-585-5747 (fax).
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement
The University of Utah has both historical and contemporary relationships with Indigenous peoples. Given that the Salt Lake Valley has always been a gathering place for Indigenous peoples, we acknowledge that this land, which is named for the Ute Tribe, is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, and Ute Tribes and is a crossroad for Indigenous peoples. The University of Utah recognizes the enduring relationships between many Indigenous peoples and their traditional homelands. We are grateful for the territory upon which we gather today; we respect Utah’s Indigenous peoples, the original stewards of this land; and we value the sovereign relationships that exist between tribal governments, state governments, and the federal government. Today, approximately 60,000 American Indian and Alaska Native peoples live in Utah. As a state institution, the University of Utah is committed to serving Native communities throughout Utah in partnership with Native Nations and our Urban Indian communities through research, education, and community outreach activities.
More information can be found here
Statement of Support for Racial Equity form the MB, BC, NP, AND MD/PhD Programs
Dear MB, BC, NP, and MD/PhD Communities,
As Program Directors, we are writing to express our horror at George Floyd’s murder and the countless other acts of violence and discrimination against communities of color. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where all students can realize their full potential no matter their race or background. Our Programs are dedicated to recruiting students that reflect our country’s diversity, but realize that there is still much work to do within and outside of the University. We strongly support the struggle for equality and the sentiments expressed by the U., our SACNAS chapter, and ASBMB (see links below). We encourage you to support these efforts with your time and resources (e.g., following our lead by donating to SACNAS or one of the many other organizations engaged in this struggle - see below). We are also always eager for your ideas on how we can do better.
Be well and stay safe,
Janis (MB), Michael (BC & MD/PhD), and David (NP)
Monday, June 8, 2020
2023 SACNAS National Meeting:
*Photo/Layout Credit to SACNAS
The largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity event in the country, the SACNAS conference is a three-day gathering which serves to equip, empower, and energize participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM.
2024 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS):
*Photo/Layout Credit to ABRCMS
The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), recipient of the 2019 AIMBE Excellence in STEM Education Award, is one of the largest communities of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students attend this conference to present their research, enhance professional development skills, explore graduate schools, and network. Research faculty and program directors play an essential role in mentoring students and learning strategies for facilitating student success.
Jeanette Ducut-Sigala, PhD