Video highlights of Christina Roman interviewing Valerie Jarrett during our 1st Annual BSD Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Retreat held on April 23, 2021. Please view the complete video of Jarrett's introduction by Dr. Vela and Olopade, her interview with Christina, and the concluding slideshow and remarks by Provost Lee.
PhD student Christina Roman discusses how to inspire scientists to change the culture with keynote speaker Valerie Jarrett: "Do not underestimate the power of some bright, committed students to effect change."
Christina Roman and Valerie Jarrett talk about how a scientist should approach their work for diversity and inclusion: "I want you to take that same rigor and apply it to the exercise we are talking about now, equity and justice."
Christina Roman asks Valerie Jarrett how she puts her feelings aside to find common ground with people with opposing views.
Keynote speaker Valerie Jarrett with PhD student Christina Roman: "Do what you care about. That’s what I mean by finding your voice. Once you find out what the quiet voice is saying to you, then the challenge is, how do you use it to be a force for good."
Christina Roman asked Valerie Jarrett, "How did you learn to be resilient?"
Valerie Jarrett: "You can't lose sight of the people you are there to serve. If you are driven by service, rather than personal gain or personal aggrandizement, it makes it easier, lots easier. Not easy, easier."
Christina Roman, fellow PhD student Santiago Acero Bedoya, and Valerie Jarrett discuss what we can do as individuals and mentors to inspire children in the community:
|
|
|
More than 200 BSD administrative and research staff, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students and faculty in the basic or translational sciences came together to participate in our inaugural DEIJ retreat. As a reflection of the BSD’s long-term commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in STEM, retreat participants reviewed past progress while looking together towards the future. The retreat provided a space in which we deepened our awareness and understanding of DEIJ issues in the basic sciences, while designing collaborative and effective programming and policies that seek to enhance diversity within the BSD and the greater scientific community. Our keynote speaker for 2021 was Valerie Jarrett, former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, who oversaw the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs. Jarrett is a senior advisor to the Obama Foundation and a distinguished senior fellow at the University of Chicago Law School. She is also the daughter of the late Dr. James E. Bowman, Professor of Pathology and Genetics at the University of Chicago, the first tenured African-American professor in the BSD. Concluding remarks were delivered by Dr. Ka Yee Lee, Provost of the University of Chicago and David Lee Shillinglaw Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Chemistry.
The retreat convened the many student, staff and faculty-led BSD groups who are discussing and organizing DEIJ efforts, to showcase ongoing and planned initiatives while we leverage and amplify each other’s activities. We also highlighted continuing work that seeks to build strong connections between the BSD and the South Side communities that host the University of Chicago. Below please find brief summaries of the panel sessions and related links mentioned in discussions.
Panels
Affinity Groups
Civic Engagement
Promising Practices for D&I Committees
Wellness, Mental Health & Disability Initiatives
Resources (also see links on right)
DJ Speed's ongoing list of ChicagoLand Science Communication and Outreach Organizations
South Side
Homewood Science Center: Explore, Create, Connect
Chicago Science Works
Looking for a community connection? Reach out to Shaz Razul at the Office of Civic Engagement
Postdocs looking for opportunities? Reach out to the Postdoc Association (Vipul Sharma or Britney Helling)
For more information on UChicago Comprehensive Cancer Center pathway programs to build diversity, reach out to Megan Mekinda
www.uchicagomedicine.org/EYES
www.uchicagomedicine.org/researcHStart
UChicago Medicine Urban Health Initiative (UHI)
UChicago Broader Impacts Fair
Panelists (In order of appearance)
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Eileen Dolan, PhD, |
Jimmy Elias, MS, Co-Director, Recruitment GRIT | Funmi Olopade, MD, Director of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics and Global Health |
Monica Vela, MD, Director Bowman Society |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Christina Roman, MS, GRIT Co-Founder, HHMI Gilliam Fellow | Valerie Jarrett, JD, Keynote Speaker | Tobias Spears, MA, Asst Dean, Diversity & Inclusion, BSD |
Beatrix McBride, MS, BSD Diversity & Inclusion |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Megan Rowton, PhD, myCHOICE Science & Social Justice Intern | Ruth Anne Eatock, PhD, Dean for Faculty Affairs, BSD | Iris Romero, MD, Dean for Diversity & Inclusion, BSD | Victoria Prince, PhD, Dean of Graduate Affairs, BSD |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Grace Schulz, BA, BS, BDC Diversity Awards Panel | Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, Director UCC Cancer Center | Juan Ibarra, MS, Co-Chair, BDC | Samantha Gartner, BS, Integrative Biology D&I committee |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Jessica Robertson, BS, Committee on Anti-Racism (COAR) | Shannon Elf, PhD, Ben May D&I committee | Susan Kidwell, PhD, Committee on Evolutionary Biology D&I committee | Meike Lobb-Rabe, BS, Cell and Molecular Biology D&I committee |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Sarah Reitzes, MS, GRIT Disability Team | Meeta Kumar, PhD, Director of Student Counseling Service Mental Health & Identity |
Cody Hernandez, BS, GRIT & TAE Co-founder, Gilliam Fellow | Matthew Kaufman, PhD, Disability Advocacy |
 |
 |
|
 |
| Loren Saulsberry, PhD, DiversiTEA | Karen Kim, MD, Vice Provost for Research, Director of the Center for Asian Health Equity | Ross Mansouri-Rad, BS, GRIT BSD Co-director of Recruitment | Elaine Kouame, BS, Black in Immuno |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Peggy Mason, PhD, |
Sarah Paracha, MS, Women in STEM | Carlos Cortez, BS, SACNAS | Bridget Chak, BA, GRIT: International Students |
 |
|
 |
 |
| Kiersten Webster, BS, GRIT: LGBTQIA+ | Adam Hammond, PhD, BDC Co-Chair, @rtifice | Shaz Rasul, MS, Executive Director of Student Civic Engagement Initiatives | DJ Speed, MS, HHMI Gilliam Fellow, Local Student Initiatives and Activism |
 |
|
 |
|
| Paul Sereno, PhD, Chicago Science Works | Tamica Collins, PhD, Postdoctoral Association | Juan Apiz, BS, Southside Initiatives and Covid Education |
Juan Ibarra, MS, Co-Chair, BDC |
 |
 |
||
| Nancy Schwartz, PhD, Dean and Director, Postdoctoral Affairs Co-Director, Grad Affairs, BSD |
Ka Yee Lee, PhD, Provost, University of Chicago |
Retreat Agenda
