In June 2020, the Feschotte lab released a statement outlining actions to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the lab and STEM community.  This is an update on the actions we have made since 2020.
For information regarding Cornell’s Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, please visit their DEI page.
  • April 20, 2022: Checked in on our diversity statement from almost two years ago, make plans for the future
  • February 23, 2022: Neurodiversity discussion, featuring guest Florencia Ardon with the Learning Strategies Center
  • January 19, 2022 – We reviewed a presentation by Project Biodiversify on how to teach inclusively about gender, specifically tailored to the biology classroom
  • December 8, 2021 – Criminal genetics and scientific (il)-literacy, led by Helen, with reading on neuroscience and behavioral genetics
  • October 6, 2021: Finished watching Race and Genetics in America, featuring Sohini Ramchandran, Brandon Ogobunu, and Lorin Crawford
  •  September 1, 2021: Part 1 of Race and Genetics in America, featuring Sohini Ramchandran, Brandon Ogobunu, and Lorin Crawford
  • July 14, 2021: Class dynamics in science, reading “Is science only for the rich,” “Socioeconomic roots of academic faculty,” “Science and inequality,” and “Inequities in NSF graduate research fellowships”
  • June 16, 2021: Discussed and drafted a survey for prospective undergraduate researchers to initiate contact with the lab, lead by Jon Wells
  • May 12, 2021: Sexism, sexual harassment, and female underrepresentation in science. We independently watched  “Picture a Scientist,” then shared clips at our meeting
  • April 24, 2021: Career advice panel and Q&A for our undergraduate researchers about graduate school, academia, and industry
  • April 16, 2021: MBG DEI Town Hall, co-hosted by the MBG Diversity Council and the GGD Climate Committee, discussing the following:

  • February 17, 2021: Black History Month discussion – each lab member selected a Black scientist to highlight, and described their contributions to the field
  • Jan 27, 2021: Diversity in publishing and access to science, inspired by a Biomedical & Biological Sciences Signature Seminar Series event from last November where Akiko Iwasaki (Yale) shared her path to science and outlook on the field
  • November 18, 2020: Discussed the history of eugenics and its centrality to our field and institution, using a blog post from Rori Rohlfs, and the archives of the Cornell Daily Sun
  • September 16, 2020: Continued discussion of “Ten rules for an anti-racist lab”
  • August 26, 2020: Discussed “Ten rules for an anti-racist lab”
  • July 15, 2020: first inclusivity catch-up meeting, edited and discussed antiracism statement
  • June 24, 2020: Watched keynote on Anti-Blackness, racial equity, and higher education, with Cornell’s Presidential Advisors on Diversity and Equity
  • June 17, 2020: drafted antiracism statement including the lab’s commitment to increasing diversity and inclusion, led by Tommy and Clement
  • June 10, 2020: #shutdownSTEM day, with resources from Cornell

  • Improving graduate student recruitment

  • Proposing new graduate field policies

  • Implementing faculty/graduate student expectations agreement

  • DIversifying undergraduate researchers/employees in labs

  • Building community in MBG

Ways to get involved at Cornell

Black Lives Matter

06/29/2020

The Feschotte Lab condemns anti-Black racism in all its facets, including the continued harassment, intimidation, and murder of Black people. We are determined to fight against the pervasive racism in the United States, including in academia. We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and rekindle our commitment to fight against racism.
Cornell’s leadership has also denounced this slew of racism and violence. It is time to act, and the most effective responses will come not just from our leadership, but from each and every one of us  – faculty, staff, researchers, and students.
Therefore, in the Feschotte lab we have taken the following steps:
  •     Hold a monthly meeting dedicated to discuss and reflect on social, historical and political events that threaten justice, inclusion and equality. Our first meetings will be focused on understanding the roots of racism in society and science, including our home field of genetics, and developing remedial actions we can take as a lab to help eradicate these issues.
  •     Require all mentors to become educated on workplace practices that promote an equitable environment and create a place where all students and trainees feel valued, supported, and welcome. We are currently exploring online and Cornell-centric educational sources.
  •     Pool and disseminate anti-racist and egalitarian resources within and outside the lab via multimedia interfaces
  •     Compile and advertise funding opportunities for potential high-school, undergrad, grad, and post-grad scientists with an emphasis on programs focusing on underrepresented minorities. We are also exploring the creation of our own fellowship system using discretionary funds available to the Feschotte lab, to increase access for independent undergraduate research.
  •     Increase lab outreach into the community, through GRASSHOPR, REU, and other local networks.
  •     Advocate for the enrichment of departmental diversity through recruiting and retaining minority grad students, such as creating an MBG diversity preview event (as done in EEB/IPS) and the hiring of Black and other underrepresented researchers and faculty
Higher education, STEM, MBG, and our own lab suffer from a lack of diversity. Our response is woefully past due, but we are committed to improving ourselves, our lab, and our institution, so that STEM may benefit from the wealth of experience that humanity has to offer.
Sincerely,
Cédric Feschotte and current members of the laboratory