All campus invite to the Postdoc Diversity & Inclusion Forum on April 30
Postdocs at UW–Madison play a vital role in our University’s research enterprise. Yet, the concerns of postdocs are often overlooked. This is particularly true for postdocs belonging to underrepresented groups, including individuals who are BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, and/or individuals with disabilities.
To address this matter, the UW–Madison Postdoctoral Association is holding a Postdoc Diversity & Inclusion Forum on Friday, April 30 from 2:30-4 p.m. This unique virtual event aims to highlight diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) issues and challenges faced by UW–Madison’s postdocs from underrepresented groups. We will bring together university leadership, subject matter experts, postdocs, and other campus members to listen to and engage with the experiences of postdocs.
We invite all campus members to attend the Postdoc D&I Forum. Please register for the Zoom webinar here with your UW email address. There will be limited opportunity for questions from the audience at the end of the event.
The UW–Madison Postdoctoral Association has surveyed postdocs and solicited stories and ideas from postdocs for the Postdoc D&I Forum that intersect with DEIJ issues at UW–Madison and its surrounding community. Submitted narratives highlighted a variety of issues. Drawing on common themes from these narratives, we will discuss issues and solutions from the following categories:
- Mentor-mentee power dynamics
- Benefits for postdocs
- Culture of community at UW-Madison and the city of Madison
- D&I training
The Postdoc D&I Forum will be structured by (1) reading select narratives and proposed solutions and (2) response by panelists, who have been tasked with recognizing the issues brought forth from the postdoc community, providing feedback from the University’s perspective on our proposed solutions, and integrating the issues highlighted into their work. Our panelists are:
- William Barker, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs, CALS
- Cheryl Gittens, Interim Vice Deputy Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement
- James Keck, Associate Dean for Basic Research Training, SMPH
- Gloria Marí-Beffa, Associate Dean for Natural and Physical Sciences, L&S
- Oliver Schmitz, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs, College of Engineering
- Amy Wendt, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the Physical Sciences, OVCRGE
The event will be moderated by Jennifer Sheridan, Interim Associate Dean for Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity in the College of Engineering.
Additional information about the Postdoc D&I Forum and the UW-Madison Postdoctoral Association can be found on our website. A summary of stories, issues, and proposed solutions will be available after the event.
If you have questions or comments, please contact Postdoc D&I Forum Committee co-chair James Romero-Masters, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Oncology (jcromero@wisc.edu).
Sincerely,
UW-Madison Postdoctoral Association Diversity & Inclusion Forum Committee Members
Brian Butterworth, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Anahid Ebrahimi, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mechanical Engineering (co-chair)
Dave Hyman, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, SSEC/CIMSS
Jessica Kelliher, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Charlie Lenell, PhD, Postdoctoral Trainee, Department of Surgery
James Romero-Masters, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Oncology (co-chair)
Committee Advisor
Imogen Hurley, PhD, Director, UW-Madison Office of Postdoctoral Studies