Diversity

Spring 2023 Diversity Updates

► Our team has compiled a list of Post-Labor Organizing Resources for awareness, action and wellness. Feel free to take a look and share widely with anyone who may be of interest.

► We are excited to announce a third series of GRAD 219: Research on Racism in Science Mini-Courses for UCSF PhD students offered by the Graduate Division Dean’s Office and taught by UCSF Social and Population Sciences PhD students. Open to first year students, these mini-courses build on the lessons of GRAD 202: Racism in Science by providing opportunities for reading and discussion around a more specific topic. This year's courses include "Exposure, Anti-Blackness, Environment, and the Body" (April 3 - April 21) taught by Sheyda Aboii, MD/PhD Candidate in Medical Anthropology and "Health, Decolonization, and Disability in the Global South" (May 16 - June 2) taught by Kara Zamora, MA, PhD Candidate in Medical Anthropology.

► We are delighted to share that our project, Creating Community: Building and Sustaining Wellness Among Graduate Students and Postdocs, was selected as a grantee for the 2023 Community Wellbeing Grant. Join us for an afternoon dedicated to building and celebrating a community of care to promote mental health and wellness among graduate students and postdocs. There will be a keynote by Dr. Adisa Anderson open to all members of the UCSF community, followed by interactive sessions for graduate students and postdocs. Don't miss out on the chance to bring home your own plant and win a copy of Tricia Hersey's Rest is Resistance - register by April 7!

► Steps Towards Dismantling Systemic Racism and Anti-Blackness in UCSF Basic Science PhD Programs Task Force Recommendations Report is now available. Chaired by Dr. D'Anne Duncan, the work of this task force was responsible for (1) describing the recommendations for action in two critical areas: graduate program policy and education and training; (2) detailing progress to date in the Graduate Division, and (3) describing additional infrastructure needs that are essential to the growth and sustainability of JEDI efforts for graduate learners.

Last updated on March 27, 2023.

► The Graduate Division Dean’s Office received two JEDI-related petitions from UCSF graduate students in 2020. See a timeline linking points in each petition to outcomes and initiatives. Further responses and milestones will be added over time as events and plans come to fruition.

► See anti-racism resources for awareness and action, and wellness resources for historically marginalized students.

► Check out The Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Team Monthly Picks, an invitation for you to read (or watch, or listen) along and enter into dialogue with our team members.

The Graduate Division is committed to cultivating an environment of justice, equity, equity, and inclusion (JEDI) for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at UCSF. The following events and programs are aimed at administering JEDI efforts in four key areas: community building, mentorship and advising, career and professional development, and campus climate. Please note that programming and events may be modified this year due to COVID-19.

Scroll down or click on your area of interest in the grid to see more about...

Programs

NIGMS/IMSD Fellows and Affiliates Program
The National Institute for General Medical Sciences Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (NIGMS/IMSD) Fellows and Affiliates Program at UCSF is designed to support historically underrepresented and marginalized PhD students in basic science graduates programs in their first two years of their studies. In addition to financial support for 18-21 students per year, IMSD fellows are offered a variety of professional development and social a group of five young people smiling for a photo activities throughout the year. Funded by NIGMS and the Graduate Division.

Summer Research Training Program
UCSF’s major outreach program to recruit historically marginalized students to basic science PhD programs. Undergraduate students selected for the Summer Research Training Program (SRTP) spend up to 10 weeks working with UCSF faculty members on research projects. Participants in the program take part in seminars, lectures, and social events, creating a cohesive and supportive community. At the end of the program, students give presentations of their research and get valuable feedback from students, postdocs, and faculty at UCSF. The 2023 program will be held in person from Sunday, May 28 to Friday, August 4, 2023.

Annual Events

Annual Retreat in Community Building

Starting in the fall of 2020, all incoming first year PhD students will participate in mandatory sexual violence and harrassment and bullying training. Students will also engage in small-group sessions centered around restorative justice practices to establish the importance of creating a community of care during their program’s orientation. Restorative justice practices are philosophical and humanizing approaches that focuses on repairing harm, making things right, and restoring the community. Incorporating restorative justice practices into our work helps UCSF create safer spaces for people to be brave and vulnerable in an open dialogue that facilitates healing in the community. UCSF’s PRIDE (Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Excellence) values are aligned within restorative justice practice.

At the end of these small-group discussions, students will:

Understand how personal values are related to their professional identity as scientists.

Understand the role of personal values in decision making.
Explore how values impact behavior (in communication, interactions, words and action) in a group.
Develop a written set of community expectations for the cohort.
Learn how to create space for active listening with empathy.
Develop awareness of ourselves and the way we interact with others.

These sessions will be led by staff facilitators with training in restorative justice practices.

PhD Students Third-Year Reorientation

As a third-year student, you are moving into a new phase of PhD work, increasingly focused on independent research, career exploration, and changing dynamics in your working relationships. At the re-orientation, third-year students hear from senior students, become reacquainted with UCSF resources, and speak with students from across programs over breakfast. Conversations about equity, inclusion, and identity will also be highlighted.

Reunite: Diversity Soiree

Creating Community: Building Resilience among Graduate Students and Postdocs

Adisa Anderson, PhD was the keynote speaker at the 2020 event.

The goal of this event is to build and celebrate a community of care to promote mental health and wellness among UCSF’s graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Self-care and seeking help for mental wellness are at a heightened state for members of the community, and especially among individuals from historically marginalized and underserved populations in health science. This event is an opportunity for members of the UCSF campus community to build allyship and foster a stronger sense of belonging. Co-sponsored by the Graduate Division Dean's Office, Student Health and Counseling Services, the Multicultural Resource Center, Office of Career and Professional Development, Associated Students of the Graduate Division, and the Office for Postdoctoral Scholars.

Listen to a recording of the 2020 keynote address (must log in via MyAccess)

Series and Recurring Community Building Events

International Pronouns Day
International pronouns day seeks to make asking, sharing, and respecting personal pronouns commonplace. Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Co-sponsored by the UCSF LGBT Resource Center, the Graduate Division, and other campus partners.

LGBT Community Social at SPARK
Community building social event for LGBT graduate students and postdocs, and allies at SPARK Social SF at Mission Bay.

First Generation to College: Are you the first person in your family to graduate from college? The events below help build community and offer support and visibility for first generation (First Gen) to college students. All events are co-sponsored by the Graduate Division Dean's Office and UCSF First Generation Support Services.

First Gen Story Circle at Mission Bay
a dandelion gone to seed What was your transition to graduate school and UCSF like? The First Gen Story Circle is an informal discussion group for UCSF first generation to college students. Make connections, share your experiences and learn to survive and thrive.

First Gen Paint night
Join other first generation to college graduate students for a night of community, wellness and art.

First Gen Welcome Dinner
Community building evening, featuring a keynote address by a first generation to college graduate student, faculty, staff or alumni, for graduate students who are first generation to college.

Training, Education, and Professional Development

Racism in Science (GRAD 202)

Fall 2022 | Faculty Instructors: D'Anne Duncan, PhD and Aimee Medeiros, PhD, MA, MPH | Graduate Student Instructors: Trase Aguigam, Tetrad PhD Student, Shinyi Hsieh, History of Health Science PhD Candidate, and Geremy Lowe, History of Health Science PhD Student
This introductory course provides the historical background of systemic racism in scientific research. It explores the relationship between notions of race and science and how scientific research has been informed by and perpetuates anti-Black racism. This course also examines the impact of bias and a lack of diversity in science and ways in which to address these deficiencies. Students will learn the principles of social justice-oriented scientific research and its potential.

Course Objectives:

Execute the principles of social justice-oriented scientific research.
Decipher how scientific research can endorse racial inequalities.
Identify specific historical examples of anti-Black racism in scientific research.
Distinguish how the historical relationship between the white supremacy campaign in the United States and scientific medicine influences contemporary scientific research.
Analyze how implicit bias and lack of diversity undermine science.

Visit the course page to learn more.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Academic Leadership (GRAD 210)

Winter 2023 | Faculty Instructor: D'Anne Duncan, PhD

The goal of this course is to bring together training in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) and leadership to prepare UCSF graduate students to incorporate JEDI values in scientific leadership roles. JEDI training is typically offered ad-hoc, as separate from scientific and professional training, making it difficult to integrate JEDI values into current and future leadership roles, such as leaders of research teams and labs. This course will offer an opportunity for graduate students to gain competence in JEDI concepts and values and, importantly, to practice applying these concepts.

The 2023 application cycle is now open! Visit the course page to learn more.

Research on Racism in Science Mini-Courses (GRAD 219)

Responsible Conduct of Research (GRAD 214)

Summer 2021 | Faculty Instructor: Elizabeth Silva, PhD

Issues of diversity, equity, and anti-Black racism are discussed in one lecture of this 8-session course. First-year graduate students are introduced to anti-Black racism, diversity, and equity, and its social impacts on scientific research, both within the lab environment and the larger scientific community. First-year graduate students will explore and reflect on how anti-Black racism is seen in their scientific and personal communities. In 2020, this session was co-developed by D'Anne Duncan, PhD, and Elizabeth Watkins, PhD.

Trans Day of Visibility

In honor of International Transgender Day of Visibility, the Graduate Queer Alliance, in collaboration with the Gladstone Institutes and the UCSF LGBT Resource Center, hosts a panel event wherein accomplished scientists discuss their research and how it relates to better understanding the biology of gender and health disparities in the transgender community. Panelists talk about their experiences navigating a career in science, challenges faced by transgender people in science and academia, and how to support the trans community in your daily life.

Out in the Workplace

Out in Science

Being a member of the queer community can shape your path in any profession. Every person’s experience is based on the combination of their uniquely different backgrounds (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status), and the sum of these identities presents its own set of challenges and opportunities. This event offers stories from LGBTQIA+ panelists and aims to inspire us to make the sciences a more inclusive environment for everyone.

Shame Resilience for Graduate Students and Postdocs

Being a scientist requires a tremendous amount of resilience. Experiments fail, papers get rejected. We struggle to communicate effectively with our supervisors and peers, and establishing healthy work-life boundaries can be a challenge. This workshop addresses the underlying impact that shame, embarrassment, and guilt have on PhD students and postdocs during their training and helps attendees learn skills to combat these challenges.

On-Campus Recruitment

Diversity and Allyship Breakfasts plate of pancakes
The Graduate Division Dean's Office and the UCSF SACNAS Chapter co-host these yearly breakfasts during PhD recruitment weekends. Graduate students and the diversity dean serve as panelists to discuss the climate at UCSF, and campus DEI resources, such as the IMSD program, are highlighted. Over the past few years, these breakfasts have been re-imagined by Tetrad alum Joselyn Del Cid, Biomedical Sciences alum Raul Torres, Biomedical Sciences alum Melissa Spear, Biomedical Sciences PhD Candidate Ramiro Patiño, Tetrad PhD Candidate Robert Efraín Díaz, and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Learner Success, Dr. D'Anne Duncan.

Diversity Network Initiative
Launched in 2018, the Diversity Network Initiative aims to connect current and prospective PhD students from similar backgrounds to build a professional network and community, share experiences, and provide insight into diversity and inclusion at UCSF. Currently, seven basic science graduate programs participate in the Diversity Network Initiative, including: Tetrad, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, the Medical Scientist Training Program, Neuroscience, Biomedical Informatics, Biophysics, and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics. Contact Dr. D'Anne Duncan if you'd like your graduate program to participate. This program was developed by Tetrad PhD Candidate, Roberto Efraín Díaz, and Dr. D'Anne Duncan.

Learn about additional outreach activities in the Graduate Division.

Research

The Graduate Division is committed to providing programming and support for historically underrepresented and historically marginalized students in science. Research indicates numerous reasons why underrepresented and historically marginalized students continue to be excluded from scientific careers (Gibbs and Marsteller, 2017). Education research, funded by the NIGMS Initiative for Maximizing Student Development grant, is being conducted by the Graduate Division to better understand factors of identity and belonging in order to improve the campus environment for historically marginalized students. This research will directly inform how different interventions are developed to improve the PhD experience for historically marginalized students, and this work may extend to postdoctoral researchers.

(Re)Defining Success: UCSF Graduate Student Experiences, Identity, and Community Survey (Launched June 2021)

The team and history

The (Re)Defining Success: UCSF Graduate Student Experiences, Identity, and Community survey began in 2018 when D’Anne Duncan, Arianne Teherani, and Elizabeth Watkins applied for a grant to support an expanded effort of the NIGMS funded IMSD Fellows and Affiliates program. They proposed the development of an evaluation plan that a) determines how URM and not-URM students’ educational experiences and scientific and organizational identity formation contribute positively to their achievement, commitment, and career choice and b) provides guidance for institutions in designing and implementing graduate education and support programs. Jhia Jackson, a sociology candidate with a history of advocacy within the graduate division and an interest in diversity work, was recruited in the summer of 2020 to support the development of the instrument and analysis of the pilot project. Other members of the Graduate Division are now involved for the recruitment, analysis, and evaluation stages of the pilot.

Why should I participate?

Although the primary focus is on URM students, it is crucial that the data collection and analysis include both URM and not-URM students in order to understand the experiences that contribute to the success of all students. After conducting cognitive interviews with diverse students of different race/ethnicities, genders, disability status, years, and programs, it became clear to the research team that the URM classifications may not always reflect the lived experiences of UCSF students. Your participation helps us better understand the unique experiences of UCSF graduate students during their complex journey of (re)defining success through ongoing development of personal and professional identities in a variety of UCSF experiences.

Ok, I’m in! So what’s the plan?

In June 2021, three cohorts of basic science doctoral students will receive an individual survey link: a) those who have just completed their first year, b) those who have advanced to candidacy between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, and c) those who have submitted for graduation between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Data collection and analysis of this pilot data will be complete and reported out in Fall 2021.

References

Committees

Faculty-Student Diversity Committee
This group of graduate students and faculty work together to address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, focusing on recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations in science. The Faculty-Student Diversity Committee meets once per quarter.

► View the task force report: Steps Towards Dismantling Systemic Racism and Anti-Blackness in UCSF Basic Science PhD Programs

Faculty-Dean's Office Task Force
This group of faculty and Graduate Division Dean's Office staff will specifically focus on understanding DEI goals and strategies and identifying gaps at the institutional levels in the Graduate Division. View the meeting notes of the faculty-dean's office task force. *Note: As of October 21, 2020, this Task Force has been dissolved. Recommendations were identified and they will be included in the work being completed by the Student-Faculty Task Force.

Student-Faculty Task Force
This group of graduate students and faculty will work across programs to examine DEI strategies to be adopted in common by all programs. View the meeting notes of the student-faculty task force.