Inaugural DEI awards recognize student commitment to improving equity

The CSE division is proud to have launched a new initiative under which students are recognized for their significant contributions toward increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the division. As part of the initiative, annual Service Awards for Excellence in Climate, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be presented each fall to students highly involved in these efforts. This year saw a focus on graduate student contributions.

The recipients of the DEI awards were announced by Prof. Westley Weimer, chair of the CSE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, at the 17th annual Graduate Honors Competition.

“These awards recognize commitment and action in working to improve the climate of the CSE division in the 2019-2020 academic year,” noted Weimer.

This year the recipients were PhD students Fahad Kamran, Kevin Loughlin, Allison McDonald, and Megan Shearer. The citation referenced their distinguished service, including critical roles in CSE Town Halls, the Climate Activities Survey, and student-staff-faculty Working Groups. These efforts were part of the ongoing campaign within CSE to provide better support to the graduate student community in a time of great challenge. Each award has an associated monetary honorarium.

Selections for the awards were made by Weimer and Prof. Emily Mower Provost, chair of the CSE Graduate Program Committee.

“Excellence in research and service towards climate and DEI are both aspects of our department that we celebrate,” says Mower Provost.