Diversity and Inclusion

Inclusion Matters 2023 Highlights

Black History Month

Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum: James Howard shared the importance of the Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum and showcased some of its inventors.

Book Club Discussion: A Black Woman’s Journey from Cotton Picking to College Professor: Lessons about Race, Class and Gender in America by Dr. Pratt-Clarke: The Women’s Initiative and African American/Black Association LRGs held an intersectional book club for members to discuss the book in advance of the author’s virtual talk.

 A Discussion with Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke: Dr. Pratt-Clarke spoke virtually with the Fermilab community on her book, her experiences, and her work in equity in academia.

National Engineers Week: A presentation by Kimberly Moore: In celebration of National Engineers Week, Dr. Kimberly Moore shared her education and entrepreneurship journey, challenges she faced along the way and the impact her mentors had in fueling her desire to build her own engineering firm.

Celebrating Fermilab Interns

National Intern Day: Fermilab celebrated the largest cohort of summer interns to date during Intern Week at Fermilab. More than 300 interns, spanning across backgrounds and educational disciplines, participated in site tours, won giveaways, and got to know fellow interns and colleagues during an ice cream social.

Accessibility and Psychological Safety

Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace: This virtual session addressed how leaders can foster a psychologically safe environment and explored why people may feel psychologically unsafe without their leaders even realizing it.

Mental Health Awareness: The virtual session addressed signs and symptoms of distress and effective ways of providing support for co-workers and included exercises for developing these skills.

How World Events Can Impact Veterans’ Mental Health: This virtual training helped veterans process events around the world that may impact their mental health and also trained relatives and friends of military veterans on ways to be supportive.

Building Disability Culture: Solidarity Not Charity Workshop: This two-hour virtual workshop introduced disability culture and how to understand disability as a social justice issue. Skills gained include learning how to notice ableism and intervene, understanding and assessing one’s own organizational culture, and building accessible organizations.

Americans with Disabilities (ADA): Requesting Reasonable Accommodations and What You Need to Know: Human Resources and the Fermi Accessibility Communities or FACts co-sponsored a hybrid presentation focused on the process for requesting accommodations at Fermilab followed by Q&A session.

 

New and returning programming also included:

• LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Training, a workshop developed by the Spectrum Community LRG on creating a welcoming and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ members of the Fermilab community.
• Courageous Conversations, a series that aims to increase awareness and engagement at Fermilab of our military-affiliated persons from the United States and Foreign Nations.
• How to be an Effective Mentor for Underrepresented STEM Trainees: Dr. Antentor O. Hinton, Jr., and Dr. Haysetta D. Shuler presented virtually on what good mentoring looks like, including learning how to motivate and support individuals.
• Symmetry style guide: Writing about people with dignity: Symmetry Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Jepsen presented the Symmetry style guide, based on more than 50 references from organizations such as the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Transgender Journalists Association, to answer people-focused questions such as “How do you quote a source who communicates using sign language?” and “When is it appropriate to mention a source’s race?”
• Progress Flag Recognition: Fermilab permanently raised the Progress Flag with a short ceremony commemorating Pride Month 2023.
• NSBE: Engineering the Future: Fermilab hosted founders of the National Society of Black Engineers, a 15,000 member organization founded 48 years ago, for a panel and discussion exploring how having diverse perspectives in engineering provides the opportunity to leave a legacy that enriches the future.

Inclusion Matters 2022 Highlights

Inclusion Matters 2022: “Embracing the Authenticity of Each Other” combined first-time celebrations and recurring learning opportunities for a comprehensive calendar of events. Events were held virtually, in person, and in hybrid format, and all were invited to these open events to build a more inclusive community.

The Misreadings of “The Paper Menagerie”: The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Asian Pacific Association LRG welcomed author Ken Liu in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Liu presented a lecture on his short story “The Paper Menagerie.” It tells a heart-touching story of a biracial child with an American dad and Chinese mom, illustrating the hardship of identity and self-acceptance. The discussion focused on the inspirations behind the story, its reception, and why the label “Asian-American literature” often generates flawed interpretive frameworks for American literature by writers of Asian descent.

Juneteenth: As part of Fermilab’s first Juneteenth celebration, the African American/Black Association and Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion co-sponsored two events: the DuSable Museum Panel Discussion on how we engage with freedom, and a keynote address by Michael Childress, President, DuPage County NAACP, on the historical context of the holiday and its significance and importance today.

Bison & Bikes: Fermilab Young Professionals hosted an bike tour across Fermilab’s tallgrass prairie, savannah, shrubland and more to visit and learn about new and historic buildings and experiments.

New and returning programming also included:

• The Spectrum Community LRG marched for the first time in the local Chicago and Aurora Pride Parades.
• Book Club sponsored by the Women’s Initiative and partnering LRGs to discuss fiction and nonfiction stories about the intersectional experiences of marginalized communities.
• LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Training, a workshop developed by the Spectrum Community LRG on creating a welcoming and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ members of the Fermilab community.
• A showcase of the Latinas in STEM Foundation and presentation on “How we can work together to build a more inclusive STEM future.”

Inclusion Matters 2021 Highlights

EDI Contribution Recognition: Quarterly highlights on the contributions by members of the Fermilab community in promoting diversity and inclusion. Employees were nominated by their colleagues, and they were showcased in Fermilab today and the monthly Particles newsletter as an expression of gratitude.

Inclusive Communication with Gratitude: Led by DEI trainer Anna Burroughs, this event featured strategies and techniques for integrating elements of appreciation for cultural differences and contributions of Fermilab staff. Attendees examined their own cultural identities while learning how to effectively communicate with people of different backgrounds and identities.

Presentation on Microaggressions: Dr. Adia Gooden provided practical strategies in understanding microaggressions and identifying their impact in the workplace. 

Imposter Syndrome: Pearl Sandick of the University of Utah presented on the causes of impostor syndrome in young scientists and possible solutions as young members take more steps in their career. The presentation included tips for Fermilab mentors on understanding and combating imposter syndrome. 

Additional and returning programming included:

• People First Language in the Workplace, a workshop on acknowledging people are not defined by their disabilities or any single characteristic. Instead we work to promote a gratitude-based culture by developing language that promotes Fermilab community members.
• LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Training, a workshop developed by the Spectrum Community LRG on creating a welcoming and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ members of the Fermilab community.
• Panels and symposiums for the Laboratory Resource Groups where members and leaders can talk about their missions, current initiatives, and ways to get involved.
• Virtual film screening of the 2020 documentary “Picture a Scientist.” The movie describes the issues female scientists face when entering academia.

Inclusion Matters 2020 Highlights

With a theme of “Building a Sense of Community,” the 2020 program built on the awareness that the 2019 series raised of the impact of social stereotypes, or biases, on workforce diversity and workplace inclusion. We should all be aware of the role each of us plays in contributing to a positive workplace culture.

Cultural Empowerment Series: Chicago Sinfonietta hosted programs in honor of Black History Month and Women’s History Month using classical and contemporary music to celebrate the accomplishments of diverse artists while highlighting how we all benefit from diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through these specially designed programs, the Chicago Sinfonietta elevates cultural understanding in an intimate, interactive setting while inspiring and educating participants.

Allyship + Bystander Intervention Workshop: Defining the meaning of allyship from a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) perspective in order to act as an effective ally; while understand the complex dynamics and “what can be done” in terms of bystander intervention. Roundtable scenarios allowed participants to work on situations that may require allyship or bystander intervention.

Safety Leadership: Building Commitment by Caring: An interaction session reviewing safety leadership principles, fundamentals of a just culture, understanding human error and influences on risk-taking, and a proven approach for effective safety conversation.

Multi-Generational programming: “A Chat with Millennials” Q&A with the Fermi Young Professionals LRG and “Managing the Multi-Generational Workforce” with Dr. Rob DelCampo on improving workforce interaction and preparing the laboratory for the future of the multi-generational workforce.

Additional and returning programming included:

• People First Language in the Workplace, a workshop on acknowledging people are not defined by their disabilities or any single characteristic. Instead we work to promote a gratitude-based culture by developing language that promotes Fermilab community members.
• LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Training, a workshop developed by the Spectrum Community LRG on creating a welcoming and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ members of the Fermilab community.
• EEOC Training Institute: Respect in the Workplace, a workshop held multiple times throughout the year to focus on respect, acceptable workplace conduct, and the types of behaviors that contribute to a respectful and inclusive, and therefore ultimately more productive workplace. Course objectives include a section for reviewing Fermilab’s own harassment prevention policies and procedures.

Inclusion Matters 2019 Highlights

Biases, conscious or unconscious, are learned social stereotypes that have real effects in the workplace. This series explores individual, organizational and societal factors that influence the intersection of diversity, equity and inclusion. Participants were challenged to examine their assumptions, increase their awareness, and consider the impact of their actions and inactions. Attending any of the Inclusion Matters Series in 2019 satisfied an individual training needs assessment required of all Fermilab employees.

Gender Equity, Power Structures & Implicit Bias in STEM: Dr. Elizabeth H. Simmons, a highly-distinguished physicist and advocate for diversity in science, discussed gender equity in physics and how to minimize the impact of implicit bias in STEM.

Leading from Every Seat – Chicago Sinfonietta: This interactive experience demonstrated the value proposition of inclusive leadership, cross-cultural intelligence, and the creative power of diverse work teams. The Chicago Sinfonietta shares its innovative model for embracing diversity and promoting inclusion to encourage critical conversations about equity.

Pop Culture & Perceptions: Unpacking the Social Construction of Asian Americans: Using a critical race-theory lens and a historical framework, Dr. Mark R. Martell’s talk unpacked themes underlying the presentation of Asian Americans in pop culture and mainstream popular media.

Conscious & Non-Conscious Biases: Evidence-Based Strategies for Change: Dr. Ashburn-Nardo delivered an academic presentation on research where participants learned individual and organizational strategies for reducing conscious and non-conscious biases in the workplace.

Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say: 10 Skills to Increase Your Diversity Competence: Dr. Maura Cullen offered practical ways to quickly transform the quality and effectiveness of our interactions.

Additional programming included:

• LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Training, a workshop developed by the Spectrum Community LRG on creating a welcoming and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ members of the Fermilab community.