Perspectives on Purpose from SRAI’s Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee
In the heart of our research administration community, a remarkable force for positive change has been hard at work since its formation in 2020. SRAI’s Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee, born as a task force, has blossomed into a vibrant team that has advanced our understanding of how to build a strong community and armed our membership with awareness and skills to confront exclusion and prejudice.
Committed to upholding diversity, enriching engagement, and nurturing inclusion, this group stands as a beacon of collaboration and shared purpose. Their initiatives, ranging from insightful articles to engaging Coffee Talks and immersive training sessions, weave a tapestry of empowerment that equips our members to navigate the complexities of our world. In support of our mission to continue to drive excellence in research administration, we are delighted to introduce you to the committee members themselves, explore their personal connections to the cause, and understand why they are an integral part of SRAI.
Karen Mitchell, Director of Special Projects, Temple University, SRAI Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee Chair
What does Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion mean to you?
Karen: Promoting Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion (DEI) is an opportunity to expose behaviors that destroy individuals’ faith in themselves and humanity. DEI gives a greater understanding and makes individuals aware of actions and behaviors that keep other people from reaching their fullest potential and realizing their dreams by implanting negative notions of their worth. DEI promotes awareness of and provides a catalyst for good changes.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Karen: Universities are supposed to be leaders in educating, and have more diversity and inclusion, than any other part of our country. By definition, they represent innovation, forward thinking and supposedly what makes this country great. In theory no matter your class, gender, or sexual orientation, Universities are thought to embrace these differences. I have found, having most of my career at several universities, this is only in the classroom. University leaders are representative of the population at-large, and few are underrepresented. I’ve seen this as a challenge that requires perseverance and dedication to those individuals less represented, who need someone they can talk candidly to and express their fears. As a member of the DEI Committee, I want to be of assistance to those that consider this a career and are climbing the success ladder. I strive to lead by example. As someone underrepresented and having experienced the challenges firsthand, I want to be the change. I want to encourage change.
Robert McTear, Director of Research Administration, Radiation Oncology, New York University School of Medicine
What does Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion mean to you?
Robert: Within SRAI, DEI stands for Diversity – Engagement – Inclusion, but to me it means only one thing; a voice. The discussions that surround any conversation involving the acronym DEI give voice to issues that underrepresented populations deal with every day. Issues like discrimination, representation, invisibility, and self-worth just to name a few. Increasing the number of discussions that center around DEI increases the strength of the voice of under-represented communities and that is exactly why I joined the SRAI Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Robert: I wanted to help increase the number of DEI discussions and help strengthen the voice of under-represented people within SRAI. I have found a home within the grant administration community, and my hope is that I can help others who may not initially feel comfortable in such a space, feel more at ease knowing that their voice will be heard. Within this group I feel that I’m able to make a difference. Working with the other amazing people who make up this group gives me an opportunity to have an impact that alone I would never be able to have. We bolster each other, encourage each other, and together we’re able to spread the ideals of diversity, engagement, and inclusion so much further.
Anita Sharma, Manager, Research Services, Thompson Rivers University
What does Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion mean to you?
Anita: DEI means creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and supported and has equal opportunities to succeed regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, region, religion, language, or any other characteristics that marginalize and exclude them. DEI means recognizing and addressing the additional and unique challenges intersectionality brings to the table; for example, a person who is both a person of color and a woman will face a different set of challenges than a person of color or a woman. DEI means being aware of the inherent diversity of individuals, being aware that it is an ongoing process, and thus recognizing the need for ongoing learning, being open to new perspectives, and being willing to confront our own and societal biases.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Anita: DEI is of both professional and personal importance to me. As an immigrant, a visible minority, and a woman of color, I have encountered challenges navigating a new society, faced gender bias, and experienced barriers and prejudice. The Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee is a platform that brings together diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds across national boundaries. As part of the Committee, I feel grateful for contributing to helping identify and address biases, barriers, and challenges that may exist in the research enterprise. And can help to promote and advance a more just, equitable, and welcoming research environment for all individuals regardless of their range of differences as identified above by creating opportunities for open communication, greater engagement, and collaboration among the research community.
Beverly Morehouse, Senior Sponsored Programs Specialist, Stephen F. Austin State University
What does Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion mean to you?
Beverly: I would say that diversity to me is many people from various socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, backgrounds and different religious beliefs and varying opinions working or gathering together to accomplish common goals or objectives.
Engagement is one’s ability to treat the aforementioned groups with fairness and impartiality regardless of their nationality, gender or sexuality, relative to pay, job functionality and duties.
Inclusion is a combination of the D and E coming together to form a cohesive mesh working for the betterment of the world.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Beverly: I joined the DEI Committee to be a voice for an issue that has for so long been silenced by the masses. Also, I want to be a voice to the voiceless, the marginalized and underrepresented population. I believe my professional and life experiences have given me the wisdom and the strength to be an encouragement to and for others.
Marchon Jackson, Associate Vice President of Research, Howard University
What does Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion mean to you?
Marchon: DEI is a way for organizations to reach higher levels of excellence through diversity, engagement, and inclusion. These factors allow individuals and organizations to achieve better outcomes through increased participation, effectiveness, and productivity. It also addresses many exclusionary practices in place at organizations that have marginalized groups of people and unknowingly lowered the output of many organizations.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Marchon: I joined the DEI Committee because I saw this as the key to growing our field of research administration into a more inclusive, educated, and respected career path. My goal was to help SRAI create space for these topics to be discussed, widen the understanding of what skill sets are needed to run a successful research administration office, and train our members in these much-needed soft skills are DEI issues. I want our members to return to their institutions with this new awareness and create a space for people to feel comfortable discussing these topics.
Lyset Castillo, CRA, Post-Award Fund Manager, University of California, Los Angeles
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Lyset: Diversity, engagement, and inclusion means embracing everyone, showing acceptance without barriers, and listening intently to me. It means a melting-pot of experiences, culture, upbringing, ideas, and opportunity. However, it doesn’t quite look like that every day, and we can see many examples by simply tuning into the news or reading articles in a newspaper. Diversity is what allows us to experience the world differently and gather insight and perspectives we wouldn’t think of by ourselves. To me engagement is the equal opportunity of an individual to simply co-exist and experience moments similarly; lastly, I see inclusion as an active effort to accept, include, and embrace everyone with respect but to step up when we see the opposite.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Lyset: I am a first-generation Southern California Latina native in Research Administration born to immigrant parents from El Salvador. Working at a top university, UCLA, and being a research administrator wasn’t necessarily in the cards for me. It has taken a lot of work to navigate this journey. It’s slightly difficult to see myself represented often in the faces I see in our medical buildings, higher learning institutions, and professional events. While attending my first Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, I attended the DEI Committee’s presentation and it made quite an impression on me – a positive one of course. The panel sought to explore one’s feelings when our voice isn’t heard while also sharing tools to engage minority team members, so we are heard. These are topics which I felt were important and relevant to who I am as a usually underrepresented professional. I believe change is proactive so I reached out to the task force members to see how I could participate and to learn more about their mission both within SRAI and the community at large. In joining the DEI Committee, I hope to bring personal experiences, awareness, learning opportunities and sure – some positive change on diversity, engagement, and inclusion across SRAI and research administration.
Rashonda Harris, MBA, CRA, Assistant Vice President for Research, Post-Award & Contractual Compliance, Pennsylvania State University
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Rashonda: As a Black woman in leadership, I have seen the importance of diversity firsthand. I have seen how a lack of diversity can lead to a lack of innovation, a lack of creativity, and a lack of understanding. I have also seen how diversity can lead to a more inclusive and welcoming space where everyone feels like they belong. Diversity is essential for any organization that wants to succeed in today's global economy. I am committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace. I believe everyone has something to offer, and I want to create an environment where everyone feels they can be their authentic selves.
Why did you join the Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee?
Rashonda: I joined the committee because I wanted to make a difference. I want to help research administration become a more diverse and inclusive workspace where everyone feels they belong. I have dedicated my education and experience to being an expert on DEI. I deeply understand the challenges and opportunities of DEI, and I am passionate about making a difference. I believe that the task force is a valuable resource. I am excited to be a part of the task force and to work with others to make a difference. I believe that together, we can create a more diverse and inclusive space for research administrators where everyone feels like they belong.
Conclusion
The Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and shared purpose within SRAI and our research administration community. Each member, with their unique perspectives and unwavering dedication, contributes to the collective goal of fostering a more inclusive and engaged environment. Their efforts remind us that positive change is not only possible but achievable through collective responsibility. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to each committee member for their invaluable contributions and look forward to the continued progress and impact they will undoubtedly bring to our community.
Authored by SRAI’s Diversity, Engagement, and Inclusion Committee