Diversity and Inclusion

As a department we seek an inclusive environment that recognizes individuals for their ideas, respects people for their differences, and actively encourages participation by students of diverse learning approaches and backgrounds. Toward this goal, mechanical engineering faculty and staff have developed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan that will engage students to accomplish the following in the 2020-2021 academic year:

• Create diversity education opportunites
• Create space for historically excluded people
• Hire a diversity coordinator to support the ME department
• Explore alternative evaluation methods
• Discuss and disseminate best practices for team formation
• Re-examine social context of curricular content
• Promote DEI in graduate recruitment
• Attend to systematic bias
• Encourage culture of invited constructive criticism and the chance to apologize
• Revise and enhance this diversity plan

Progress - Spring 2021

We have made progress in implementing this plan. With the hire of diversity program administrator Edward Alexander, the Mechanical Engineering department now has a dedicated point person to help implement and iterate upon the diversity plan. Edward has been engaged in conducting student interviews to get a better understanding of the current campus climate. Student, faculty, and staff can book an appointment with Edward through this scheduling link. For matters where you would like to remain anonymous, you can utilize this confidential link where you can pass on any information regarding to diversity, equity, and social justice at Tufts. This survey is housed under the Center for STEM Diversity and protected in a Tufts secure database. The department is in the process of examining how traditional engineering education reinforces implicit biases. Associate Professor and Stacey and Robert Morse Fellow Kristen Wendell is studying alternate modes of assessment that can better evaluate student performance such as developing student portfolios. Diversity educations are also in development that aim to equip members of the department with the strategies and historical context to better to commit to anti-racism.

Join our Slack channel

Join our TLDR channel where the Center for STEM Diversity reviews a weekly article and summarizes the key points for quick comprehension. The reading reports will begin June 5th. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this survey so that you can be added to the channel.

Questions? Contact Edward Alexander Jr., Diversity Program Administrator, at ed.alexander@tufts.edu or 617-627-2225.