Congratulations to the inaugural awardees of the COS Excellence in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice Faculty Award: Dr. Jennifer Bowen, Associate Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences; Dr. Wendy Smith, Professor, Biology; and Dr. Xuwen Zhu, Assistant Professor, Math. These faculty have shown their deep commitment to fostering equity and inclusion in the College of Science and beyond.
Highlights of their efforts include the development of a multi-day, all-inclusive training program for individuals from marginalized groups who are interested in pursuing graduate school in marine-, environmental-, and geo-science by Dr. Bowen; Dr. Smith’s leadership in the Biology REU program and the HHMI NU-SCI grant and associated Inclusive Teaching Circles; and initiatives by Dr. Zhu to develop undergraduate and graduate mentoring programs for students in mathematics. Their awards are accompanied by $2500 in funding to support their continued, outcome-driven plans to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice in the coming year.
Dr. Bowen is recognized for developing an innovative and impactful bridge workshop for students from marginalized groups who are interested in pursuing graduate school in marine-, environmental-, and geo-sciences. Dr. Bowen has also been a leader in wide-ranging training and programming to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in her field and the MES department.
Dr. Smith is recognized for her long-standing dedication to inclusive undergraduate education in the classroom and the lab, both through direct mentorship of students and training for faculty in effective teaching strategies. In addition, Dr. Smith’s leadership in the Biology Research Experience for Undergraduates program and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Northeastern University Skills and Capacity for Inclusion (NU-SCI) program has advanced diversity, equity, and inclusion in the College of Science by increasing representation and fostering a sense of belonging for students and faculty.
Dr. Zhu is recognized for her deep commitment to advancing mentoring for undergraduate and graduate students through her development of and leadership in multiple programs, including MathEMA, a departmental graduate student mentoring program, and the Northeastern chapter of the Association for Women in Mathematics. In addition to leading mentoring programs in the Math department, Zhu has advised undergraduate students. Further, she has worked to advance equity in the field more broadly through her role as a diversity representative in an upcoming program at the Math Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley.
“I’m so pleased to have this opportunity to recognize the important achievements of Profs. Bowen, Smith, and Zhu to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice in the College of Science and beyond,” says Associate Dean for Equity Randall Hughes. “Their efforts are crucial to fostering a culture of respect and belonging in our community. I look forward to continuing to work with and learn from them.”
