Fostering Inclusion in USU’s College of Science
JEDI-STEM Collaboratory
In 2021, the College of Science initiated the JEDI-STEM Collaboratory (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics collaborative laboratory), a thematic mentoring and collaborative network to encourage a culture and atmosphere of inclusion.
The collaboratory commenced with a cluster hire of five faculty members, selected from a diverse applicant pool, committed to work together to advocate for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion across disciplines. While members of the collaboratory, the faculty members occupy faculty positions within their respective academic departments, with tailored research, teaching and service roles.
National Collaborations
The College of Science actively supports university DEI efforts, providing financial and volunteer support to student, faculty and staff groups coordinating inclusive activities, events and initiatives. The college led the effort to establish USU’s institutional membership with the National Center for Development and Diversity, which provides Utah State’s faculty members, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students with individual access to a national mentoring network and a range of educational and leadership development resources.
The College of Science has been actively involved with and supportive of Utah State’s membership in the Aspire Alliance (Aspire: The National Alliance for Inclusive and Diverse STEM Faculty), led by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) and funded by the National Science Foundation Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) program.