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.

Articles

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

Books

Podcasts

Give

There are multiple ways to give. Two of the most common include donating your money and your time.

Donate Money

I will match donations to the charities below up to $100 per month. Fill out this Google form telling me which charity you’ve donated to and how much, and I’ll follow up letting you know if your donation has been matched. If you don’t hear from me, that means I’ve reached my maximum donation for the month–not a bad thing! Thank you for giving. NB: I’ve sorted the charities into their primary aspiration, but have selected intersectional organizations when possible. The division is primarily so that, in a given month, if you’ve committed to giving to a certain cause, you’re able to do that. Additionally, when possible, these organizations are local to Madison, WI.

Anti-Racism Funds

Anti-Gender Discrimination Funds

Anti-Queer Discrimination Funds

Prison Abolition Funds

Indigenous Rights Funds

Donate Time

I have found the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin to be a fantastic volunteer experience. If you’re free on Saturday mornings, come say hi!

Act

One of the most effective 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.

Current Work (at UW-Madison)

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.