Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

    Fostering a culture and commitment to strengthen our
    excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion

    A group of people poses on the steps near Old Capitol

Our strength and success has always depended upon our people, who come from around the world and from a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. Together, we are stronger.

IIHR fosters an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment that supports a thriving, diverse, and supportive community.

The information below is an excerpt from IIHR’s Strategic Plan.

A group of students collaborate on a challenge course

Critical Tasks

  • Ensure that faculty and staff are effective at promoting, modeling, and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion core values
  • Embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in all talent acquisition practices
  • Evaluate and enhance existing resources and support systems to increase the number of underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in our programs
  • Recognize and value diversity, equity, and inclusion-related research and scholarship through formal and informal processes
  • Promote a better understanding of issues related to mental health and well-being
Two faculty members and a group of students in India hold a Hawkeye flag

Indicators of Success

  • Faculty, staff, and students participate in competency-based diversity, equity, and inclusion skill-building workshops
  • Expansion of the reach of recruitment efforts
  • Examination of existing graduate student recruitment and retention programs, policies, and practices
  • Pipeline efforts designed for URM and first-generation undergraduates interested in graduate school
  • Use of data gathered by the university and the college from qualitative and quantitative formative, process, and outcome evaluations to facilitate continuous improvement
  • Support of college-wide symposia in diversity, equity, and inclusion-related areas of strength that bring national leaders together with faculty, staff, and students. Use these opportunities to advance scholarship, awareness, and recruitment of faculty, staff, and students
  • Invitations to a diverse group of seminar speakers for departmental seminars
  • Increased faculty and staff awareness of issues related to mental health and well-being
A group of staff and students outside the main entrance to IIHR

Goals

  • Three workshops per faculty/staff member by 2025 on diversity, equity, and inclusion (e.g., UI BUILD series)
  • Attendance at professional society meetings and participation in recruitment mixers at other scientific meetings to enhance IIHR’s ability to actively recruit underrepresented talent
  • Evaluation of existing graduate student recruitment and retention programs, policies, and practices
  • Identification of personal/professional contacts we have at institutions where we hope to establish a pipeline, and promotion of faculty visits to these institutions
  • Implementation of effective mentoring programs and practices to support URM graduate and professional students
  • Continued support for college-wide symposia in diversity, equity, and inclusion-related areas
  • Promotion and dissemination of inclusive health and well-being resources and communication materials (e.g., Kognito)
IIHR Strategic Plan

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee Members

Sandra Gerard, PHR (she/her/hers)

Program Coordinator, IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering
 sandra-gerard@uiowa.edu
(319) 335-5217

Danielle Land

Graduate Research Assistant
danielle-land@uiowa.edu

Priscilla Williams

Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
priscilla-williams@uiowa.edu