Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Together with the entire University of Arizona, the College of Science acknowledges that racial inequity and racism in general is a deep rooted issue that requires a collective effort to dismantle.

The events of 2020 have clearly exposed the wounds and inequities wrought on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) by years of neglecting the intersecting systems of societal and cultural oppression. We realize that the community of science is no different. Learning, teaching, mentoring, hiring, publishing, funding decisions, tenure and promotion, and academic workplace culture are often built on structures that may benefit one group of people to the detriment of others. The College of Science is determined to deal with the inequities that impact the various sectors of the college by taking specific steps to address these structural issues. We will have goals and metrics in place to measure our success and all input is welcome in the process. We are currently in the midst of developing a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) committee with many updates to come. Addressing the sources of structural inequity with clear solutions requires a united effort. Together we must transform our culture so that anti-racism and social justice are the fuel that allows curiosity and creativity to thrive allowing everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, immigration status, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, dis/ability or any other characteristic to help achieve the scientific discoveries and innovations that will benefit the future of humanity. This is hard work - but it must, can, and will be done.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

The University of Arizona sits on the original homelands of indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land since time immemorial. Aligning with the university’s core value of a diverse and inclusive community, it is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture and history that make up the Wildcat community. At the institutional level, it is important to be proactive in broadening awareness throughout campus to ensure our students feel represented and valued.

2020 members of Diversity & Inclusion Re-Entry Committee:

Jeff Andrews-Hanna
Christopher Castro
Elliott Cheu
Marta Civil
Apai Danial
Margaret Evans
Leah Fabiano-Smith
Rebecca Gomez
Jeremiah Hackett
Marie-Pierre Hasne
Brittany Johnson
Martin Marquez

Dominic McGrath
Peter Reiners
Rebecca Renee Renteria
Ulises Ricoy
John Ruiz
Brad Story
Shufang Su
Frans Tax
Kaustubh Thirumalai
Diane Thompson
Aileen Wong

2020-2021 Members of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee:

Staff Success Subcommittee

Rebecca Renteria (Chair) – Staff Member, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research

Barbara Cone – Faculty Member, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Natasha Cornejo – PhD Candidate, Chemistry and Biochemistry Major

Vincent Drake – Undergraduate Student, Biochemistry Major

Kara Dyson – Staff Member, Molecular and Cellular Biology

Rene Garciaguirre – Staff Member, Computer Science

Rebecca Gomez – Interim Associate Dean and Faculty Member, Psychology

Treyton Moore – Graduate Student, Applied Mathematics Major

Lisa Rezende – Faculty Member, Molecular and Cellular Biology

Tara Torres – Graduate Student, Psychology Major

Faculty Success Subcommittee

Leah Fabiano-Smith (Chair) – Faculty Member, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Saverio Cambioni – PhD Candidate, Planetary Sciences Major

Serena Kim – Faculty Member, Astronomy and Steward Observatory

Katrina Miranda – Faculty Member, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Nikhil Nayee – Undergraduate Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Microbiology Major

Steven Petritis – Graduate Student/PhD Candidate, Chemistry Major

Janita Pickett Gordon – Staff Member, Science Administration

Bassil Ramadan – Undergraduate Student, Biochemistry and Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Major

Hannah Schmidt – PhD Candidate, Chemistry Major

Brad Story – Associate Dean and Faculty Member, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Danielle Tadych – Graduate Student, Hydrology Major

Student Success Subcommittee

Aileen Wong (Chair) – Faculty Member, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Mónica Acevedo-Molina – Graduate Student, Psychology Major

Lillian Delacruz – Undergraduate Student, Molecular and Cellular Biology Major

Brandon Garivaldo – Graduate Student, Speech, Language, and Hearing Science Major

Alfred Goodwin – Staff Member, Astronomy and Steward Observatory

Alexandra Jaeger – Undergraduate Student, Pre-Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Major

Andrea Palacio – Staff, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Armando Ramirez – Undergraduate Student, Spanish; Business Administration; and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Major

Ulises Ricoy – Faculty Member, Neuroscience

Rachel Ridlen – Staff Member, School of Mind Brain and Behavior

Vicente Talanquer – Faculty Member, Chemistry and Biochemistry