Working Groups
Academic Recruitment
Academic Recruitment Group is responsible for enhancing the recruitment of under-represented groups to our Academic Programs (JP, postdocs, undergrad programs). This group works with APO, PEP, and MIT to establish institutional relationships and pathways for access. Current initiatives focus on middle and high school outreach education, student recruitment strategies, and publishing the Through the Porthole newsletter which offers resources for undergraduate students considering applying to graduate school.
Contact: Kama Thieler and Tom Bell
Messaging
The Messaging Group is responsible for composing, designing, and communicating our message within and beyond the WHOI community. They collaborated with local community media center, FCTV, to publish a series of short interviews called “Conversation Starters”. This series highlights members of the WHO community working on DEI related initiatives (linked here). This group is also responsible for designing and launching the #humansofwhoi campaign in collaboration with the Communications Department, as well as working with the CDEIO on expanding inclusive artwork on the WHOI campus.
Contact: Elise Hugus and Veronique LaCapra
Events
Events Group is responsible for organizing the Committee's participation in events we initiate, such as Celebrating Humans of WHOI, as well as those we co-sponsor with other groups and the CDEIO, such as the Room Naming Celebration, events at the Science Stroll, and others. We also developed and maintain the WHOI Inclusive Event Guidelines.
Contact: Laura Motta and Loay Jabre
Disability Education and Advocacy
The WHOI Disability Education and Advocacy Working Group was formed in fall 2024 to increase awareness and promote equity, inclusion, and access for people with disabilities at WHOI and for the broader communities that we serve. We aim to expand the WHOI community’s understanding of unintentional biases and barriers excluding disabled people and ways to overcome those challenges. We strive to develop ourselves as a resource and a collective voice for people with disabilities to advocate for structural and cultural changes. Ultimately, our goal is to develop WHOI as a supportive and effective working and learning environment for all by advocating for the removal of existing barriers to inclusion and the implementation of equitable policies and procedures.
Contact: Amy Bower and Grace Simpkins
Retired Working Groups
The CDEI recongizes that at any point in time, new working groups are needed to tackle issues and these usually grow out of community interest and engagement from both within and outside of the CDEI. In the past, we have had working groups that focused on Community Building, the URGE program, Incubator for new ideas, and Room Naming. If you have ideas for future working groups, email the co-chairs: Julie Huber & Ben Weiss.
Updates
The WHOI Workplace Climate Committee, GLOW and Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be co-sponsoring a WHOI-wide CommuniTea on Friday, July 16th at 11 am. This is a follow up to the July 4th GLOW/CDEI Panel Discussion on Allyship. We are looking to hold either a Virtual or Hybrid event. Please use the following…
Wandering the halls of WHOI, you may have noticed small rainbow stickers sprinkled throughout the buildings. The stickers depict a ship’s silhouette, set against the colors of the new pride flag, designed by Daniel Quasar. These small stickers help Queer folks identify spaces where they can expect to feel comfortable and in the company of…
More information here.
June 4th GLOW & CDEI co-hosted an Allyship Panel in honor of Pride Month and the upcoming Juneteenth. We had over 130 participants and a fantastic discussion with our panelists and audience. We began with this video on What is Allyship and Why is it Important? In just under three minutes, it frames what it…
Students at Falmouth and Mashpee high schools have created a series of short videos interviewing African-American STEM professionals from the area in a variety of careers including epidemiology, primatology, biology, landscape architecture, engineering, fisheries management, science education, and more. Come to the premiere to hear their inspiring stories. Time & Day: Thursday, June 17 from…
Written by Ben Weiss, edited by Sheri White & Jen Karolewski. This June, we are excited to celebrate Pride Month and WHOI’s long awaited re-opening. Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose global challenges, local vaccination efforts and increased understanding of the virus have dramatically driven down case counts in the area. The LGBTQIA+ community…
May is Asian/Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month and CDEI is taking this occasion to highlight those who identify as Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander that have contributed to the rich history and ongoing accomplishments of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Though WHOI’s relationship began with the exploitation of the indigenous peoples of Bikini Atoll,…
In honor of Pride Month and Juneteenth, GLOW and the WHOI CDEI (Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) will be co-sponsoring a virtual panel discussion on Allyship on Friday, June 4th at noon. The CDEIO has an Allyship Toolkit on their Resources webpage. Here is a TED talk on “3 ways to be a better ally in the…
We’ve added some new articles to our reference collection, search the list for “mentor” to learn more about inclusive mentoring and helpful information to consider when mentoring members of minoritized groups.
This month in Through the Porthole, we explore different paths toward a graduate degree in oceanography! Lei Ma and Lydia Babcock-Adams share their experiences coming from a pure science undergraduate and from a marine science Master’s program. Lei speaks to her journey toward graduate school through her time as a microbiology undergrad at Brown University, and how…