Equity and Inclusion

Statement

As a white male in a space historically and currently dominated by the same, I have an obligation to be both informed and an activisit for change. I’m dedicated to creating a space in physics and astronomy for marginalized identities. Working towards equity is a non-linear process, and change is a fundamental aspect of this work. Feel free to reach out with comments, concerns, or suggestions.

Equity work can take many forms. Below I’ve divided resources (artificially) into three categories: ways to educate yourself, ways to give, and ways to act.

Learn

While learning about equity does not in and of itself create change, the first step towards making a difference is education. To that end, what follows are resources that I’ve found useful as I begin my journey in equity and inclusion.

Credit to Rachel McClure for the consolidation of the majority of these articles.

• Land acknowledgments meant to honor Indigenous people too often do the opposite
• Anti-Black racism in academia and what you can do about it
• Identifying and Disrupting Deficit Thinking
• Diversity is a Dangerous Set-up
• A Native Hawaiian-led summary of the current impact of constructing the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea
• ‘Underrepresented Minority’ Considered Harmful, Racist Language
• Demographics of physics education research
• Astronomers May Not Like It but Astronomy and Colonialism Have a Shared History
• How well-intentioned white male physicists maintain ignorance of inequity and justify inaction.

A couple of my favorite podcasts towards this end also include the following:

• Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw and members of the African American Policy Forum
• abolition is for everybody hosted by Initiate Justice

Give

There are multiple ways to give. One of the most common is to give the money you are able to to funds that align with your goals. I donate to the following funds regulary:

• The Sentencing Project is dedicated to prison reform and abolition.

• The Midwest Immigration Bond Fund provides bond for people detained in ICE custody in the Midwest.

• Fair Wisconsin is a political action committee that fights for queer rights in courts in the state of Wisconsin.

• Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin provides access to abortion and other healthcare thoughout Wisconsin.

Act

One of the most effective and direct ways to create change is to engage politically. The first step in this process is registering to vote. The second is to write to your elected officials. This website will help you find who those officials are, and this page from YWCA Madison gives tips for how to effectively write to those people in several ways.

If you’re interested, political canvassing is also a great way to immerse yourself in your community and talk to your neighbors about the issues you care about. Find out more about campaigning for the Wisconsin Democrats at WisDems.

Current Work (at UW-Madison)

I am currently the chair of the UW-Madison Astronomy Department Climate Committee as one of its graduate student representatives. This committee is informed of department equity needs via comprehensive surveys, and devises and enacts plans to responds to these needs.

I participated in an effort led by Melissa Morris and Miriam Marino to create a gender-neutral bathroom in the astronomy building at UW-Madison. This was ultimately successful!

Previous Work (at Pitt)

Equity and Inclusion Committee: I served as the undergraduate representative on the Pitt physics department’s E&I committee and help to analyze departmental conditions and assist in faculty hiring.

Ultra-ViOLETS: I was an active member of Ultra-ViOLETS (Ultra VIsibile Out LGBTQ+ Experimentalists, Theorists, and Staff), Pitt’s physics LGBTQ+ club.

Society of Physics Students: As a member of Pitt’s SPS chapter, I helped to mentor underclass undergraduates and provide materials necessary to succeed in physics and astronomy. In 2020, this took the form of creating a “Physics Survival Guide” that included email templates to help new students inquire about research and introductory Python and Jupyter materials.

Women and Minorities in Physics: WMP is a dedicated safe space for those who identify as as marginalized to discuss and propose changes within the department. As business manager of this club, I helped to supervise finances and communicate with governing bodies. I’m also an architect of their website.