The goals of MCB’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee include advising departmental leadership on ways to promote, support, and increase diversity in MCB. We stand by the MCB mission statement:

“The mission of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology is to provide an educational and research environment that is supportive and welcoming of all individuals across race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and religion. We strongly believe that education is a transformative experience for our students and trainees, and that their advances benefit the communities of our department, UConn, the nation, and world. We endeavor to foster a learning community that is inclusive to all individuals, and to support students in their educational and personal journeys while at UConn and into the future.”

In order to implement these goals, the MCB DEI Committee will meet on a regular basis during the year to discuss ways in which the department can:

• Foster a supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff from underrepresented communities (see recent announcements).
• Increase diversity in the department at all levels (from students to faculty).
• Advise the Department Head and MCB leadership about how to achieve these goals
• Listen to concerns and advocate for solutions about diversity issues from members of the department.
• Gather and make available DEI resources from the department and university.
• Educate the MCB community about DEI issues, including implicit, explicit, and structural biases.