Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The Physics department at Brandeis University is committed to fostering and increasing diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) within our community. Our goals are to create a supportive environment where everyone can learn, discover, and grow as a scientist – regardless of the paths that bring them to the Department. We also strive to help everyone develop the wisdom, skills, and training needed to thrive during and after their time at Brandeis. Reaching these goals requires that we understand and confront conscious, unconscious, and systemic biases that create barriers to recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students, postdocs, staff, and faculty.
Research and education are collective social enterprises. Students, postdocs, faculty, and staff all play indispensable roles. As educators, we believe that ethics, service to society, and effective teaching demands inclusivity in teaching, mentoring, and hiring at all levels. As scientists, we recognize that the formulation and investigation of pressing questions in research require diverse and original perspectives. The core vision of our Department is that research and education (including outreach both within and outside of the Brandeis community) are inextricable and, at their best, bring together a community of diverse individuals to work on challenging and important problems in physics.
We have developed a plan to implement DEI initiatives and are also seeking input and new initiative ideas from the physics community.
Below are resources available for all members of the Physics community.
Women in Physics
Physics Club Physics UDRs Biophysics UDRS Graduate Departmental RepresentativesWe also list below some resources that are available for all members of the Brandeis community
Confidential Resources
Brandeis Counseling Center
The Brandeis Counseling Center (BCC) provides counseling for students in times of stress and encourages them to ask for help with their most immediate concerns. Counseling is available to all students regardless of whether they have Brandeis health insurance or outside insurance.
PARC (Prevention, Advocacy and Resource Center)
The PARC provides education, empowerment, and support related to sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating/domestic violence, and stalking. The Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center (PARC) is a confidential, student-centered resource serving all members of the Brandeis community who have been impacted by violence. They offer a variety of ways to engage with us focused on both prevention of and response to violence.
Ombuds Office
The Ombuds staff remains available virtually as a confidential, independent, impartial, and informal resource for all members of the Brandeis community including undergraduates and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni. In our role as ombuds, we support the dignity, well-being, and safety of each person who visits us by providing a safe space to talk confidentially and off the record about difficult situations and offer conflict resolution support.
Chaplains
Brandeis chaplains offer counseling, support, and community to students of all faiths. The chaplains oversee on-campus worship and student religious life while also offering community support in times of joy and crisis.
Reporting Resources (Non-Confidential)
The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO)
This office is responsible for addressing all issues of discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence within the Brandeis community. If you have experienced an incident related to these issues, you can report this through their report page on their website either anonymously or by giving your contact information.
Report It Webpage
If you have concerns about the well-being of a student or other concerns, you can use Brandeis’s Report It page, where there are a number of different reports available depending on the nature of the concern (e.g., sexual misconduct, mental health, harassment, etc.).
Additional resources to support community members can be found on the Brandeis DEI Website.
A note about talking to faculty or staff in the physics department
Any staff or faculty member outside of the confidential resources listed above are considered responsible (mandated) reporters at Brandeis. Responsible reporters must share any information that has been disclosed to them regarding discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct with the Office of Equal Opportunity and initiate a formal reporting process.