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Diversity and Inclusion

Students on beach

Our department prides itself on building a diverse and vibrant community.

Diversity is dynamic, life-enriching and foundational to excellence. Diversity broadens the educational experience for students, faculty and staff. Diversity is key for promoting personal growth, encouraging critical thinking, fostering mutual respect and teamwork, and improving communication skills. It helps us build a stronger and healthier community at OSU, in Oregon and beyond. In the Department of Chemistry, we strive to create and nurture an environment where a diversity of people, ideas, and perspectives flourishes and inspires creativity and achievement.

Reimagining a culture of inclusion

Mission

To employ evidence-based practices to build a diverse and inclusive culture of excellence that allows us to strengthen our teaching, learning, community engagement and research. The chemistry department is aspiring to be a place “where diverse minds inspire endless innovation.” Through community-centered leadership, we will work on definitive actions to create welcoming spaces, growth mindsets and an inclusive culture where our students, faculty and staff support each other, learn and grow together, and elevate others with softer voices. We will work towards change in ourselves and around us to create cultures of belonging where everyone can thrive, innovate and solve complex global challenges in the environment, energy, health and our society.

To help us align our goals, priorities, and responsibilities, we have established an Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (EJI) committee that will work alongside the College of Science and chemistry department leadership, as well as with existing committees with similar mission, goals and actions.

Who we are:

The EJI committee is comprised of faculty, staff, and student representatives:

  • Marilyn Mackiewicz, Associate Professor of Chemistry
  • Tim Zuehlsdorff, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
  • Louis Wojcinski, instructional faculty
  • Luanne Johnson, staff
  • Alyssa Johnson, graduate student
  • Henry Wise, graduate student
  • Citlali Nieves Lira, undergraduate student

Responsibilities:

  • Support and Advocacy: We will work with existing communities in the department such as the Promotional and Tenure Committee (PTC), Graduate Recruitment Committee (GRC), Graduate Advising Committee (GAC), Awards Committee, General Chemistry Committee, Curriculum Development Committee, Executive Planning Committee, Seminar Committee and Undergraduate Advising Committee to review and create change in policy and practices that lead to more equitable and inclusive outcomes.
  • Climate and Community Responsiveness: We will work on surveying the department and students to help guide our action plans and establish community buy-in.
  • Accountability: We will report on all our activities, assessments, outcomes and findings to the College of Science and the department each year.
  • Education and Engagement: We will contribute relevant resources and materials to help faculty, staff and students to learn about biases, barriers and practices and engage the community in advocacy.
Photo of DEI leadership charges

Connect with Oregon State University resources

DCE and Cultural Centers

Oregon State University cultural centers are part of Diversity and Cultural Engagement at OSU, and provide support services to on-campus and online students, as well as opportunities for all members of the OSU community to learn about different cultures and communities in a safer environment. DCE also supports many diversity and equity events on campus:

College of Science Resources

The College maintains a Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion website with a number of relevant resources. Additionally, you can review the College's Diversity Action Plan, Embedding Equity, Access and Inclusion to learn more about how the College is working to improve in these areas.


Disability Access Services (DAS)

Disability Access Services provides accommodations, education, consultation and advocacy for qualified students with disabilities at Oregon State University. DAS works with students at OSU, OSU-Cascades, across Oregon and around the world through the OSU E-campus program.


College of Science feedback form

The College welcomes all positive and negative feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests related to their experiences as well as to submit suggestions, ideas and concerns and information related to Equity, Access and Inclusion in the College. This kind of input provides the College information that helps us create meaningful change.