E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Diversity at CHESS:Diversity at CHESS:Users and WorkplaceUsers and Workplace

Ernie FontesStaff Scientist and

Assistant Director, CHESS

CHESS defines diversity, adopts goals and

measures performance towards those goals consistent with our NSF cooperative agreement as part of the Cornell research and campus communities.

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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CHESS is embedded in theCHESS is embedded in theCornell “Culture of Inclusiveness”Cornell “Culture of Inclusiveness”Cornell's commitment has continued over time, as reflected in its

many "firsts", which include:

• In 1872, Cornell was one of the first co-educational institutions in the East;

• In 1906, Cornell was the founding institution for Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the first undergraduate African American fraternity;

• In 1916, Rho Psi, the first Asian fraternity in the Ivy League, was established at Cornell;

• In 1929, Cornell was the first university to have an interfaith department for religious affairs;

• In 1936, Cornell was the first university to award a Ph.D. to an African American woman (Flemmie Kittrell)

The University shows continued commitment:

• Cornell’s governing board (64 members) has 28% women (as of 2005)

• Cornell’s senior leadership (41 members) consists of 39% women and 7.5% minorities (as of 2005)

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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CHESS-specificCHESS-specificDiversity Policy in forceDiversity Policy in force

CHESS’ “Diversity and Inclusion Plan” defines specific actions aimed to:

• Encourage and invite diversity among Cornell’s faculty members and research groups

• Build diversity among the staff through best practices in recruitment, hiring, and retention

• Expand diversity through visiting scientists, collaborators, and training students

• Expand the pipeline of people interested in science through outreach to communities near and far

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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How do enumerateHow do enumerate“User Community”?“User Community”?

Dilemma: Definition of “User Community” seems open to interpretation. For example:

• “User” is a person who signs out a radiation badge, etc., at the facility.

• How do we count remote data collection?

• How do we count collaborations and researchers who depend upon data collected by other persons?

• How do we count faculty who only send students to collect data?

A “User” depends upon the existence of the facility for their scientific enterprise (data collection, analysis, training students, publications, etc.).

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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User Statistics: User Statistics: Look for PipelinesLook for Pipelines

2003 2004 2005 2006

Total Users 443 545 505 506

All Users 2003 2004 2005 2006

Female 87 138 127 100

Male 356 407 378 406

Graduate Student 2003 2004 2005 2006

Female 38 60 46 34

Male 77 97 91 106

Post-doctoral 2003 2004 2005 2006

Female 16 29 22 19

Male 101 121 80 66

Principal Investigators 2003 2004 2005 2006

Female 12 14 11 16

Male 79 91 94 10114%

24%

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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User Statistics: User Statistics: UMG Pipeline?UMG Pipeline?

Total Researchers 2003 2004 2005 2006

443 545 505 506

With Disability 2003 2004 2005 2006

1 1 0 1

Minority Researchers 2003 2004 2005 2006

American Indian or Alaska Native

1 2 1 1

Asian 106 131 115 101

Black or African American 1 5 5 2

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

2 3 1 1

Hispanic or Latino 7 6 5 5

Note: self-identified users only. We miss many.

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Diversity inDiversity inscientific/technical workplacescientific/technical workplace• Scientific Staff / Ph. D.

• Technical Staff / Non-Ph. D.

(Cornell UMG=Black, Hispanic, Nat. Am.)** Cornell has agriculture school and bio programs with high percentage women.

CHESS Cornell(Res. Assoc.)

AvailablePool

Women 1/14 (7%) 28%** N/A

UMG 0 8% N/A

CHESS Cornell(Res. Div.)

AvailablePool

Women 3/28 (11%) 37%** 56%

UMG 0 5% 18%

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Build a diverse and welcoming Build a diverse and welcoming culture at CHESSculture at CHESS

• Value HR training of management, supervisors, and staff

• Learn and deploy Cornell policy

• Rewrite accurate position descriptions (imperative for recruitment, interview process and unbiased performance reviews)

• Advertise positions widely, find new channels

• Strategize on recruitment, retention, and internal mobility

• Train for and conduct a fair interview process

• Document search strategies and successes

Successes: two women technicians (3 yrs and 4.5 yrs), one now on her second maternity leave. Both are critical to lab operations. Family leave time now commonplace and accommodations are routine.

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Building a diverse scientific Building a diverse scientific community:community:

Education & OutreachEducation & Outreach

• RET: staff mentor 2 teachers each year from Detroit

• REU: typically a dozen students visit each summer

• NY State Programs for H.S. teachers

• Develop Chemistry XRF program for local H.S.

• Develop Art History Program for graduates

• Organizing NYS APS/AAPT workshop 2008

• Many other outreach/education examples…

What are unique opportunities for CHESS?

• Proposed: Hispanic graduate student sponsorship

• Proposed: Native American undergraduate internships

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Pipeline for Pipeline for Hispanic studentsHispanic students

Pipeline for Hispanics in science:• Hispanic G-line graduate students: 2/24

• Blasini credited with developing fuel-cell chemistry program at CHESS

• Blasini received the 2007 CHESS Thesis Prize

• Blasini takes job in industry(!) But…

Build pipeline for Hispanic students:• Héctor Abruña (CU Chemist) recruits Hispanic students

from Puerto Rico

• CHESS support for one (or more?) Hispanic graduate student requested

• Seek to fill Post-Doc position with UMG

• Work to retain talent…

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Pipeline for Pipeline for Native American studentsNative American students

Pipeline for Native Americans in science:• Cornell has 140 Native Am. students but almost none

majoring in physical sciences. Must improve this!

• Work to create an XRF program to study artifacts from archaeological digs – can trace early history of Nat. Am. Settlers

Build pipeline for Native American students:• Kurt Jordan (CU Anthr. & Nat. Am. Studies) recruits students

from Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY SUNY site with a Center for Educational Access and Achievement (CEAAS)

• CHESS support for one or two Nat. Am. undergraduate student requested (summer interns, term-time employ.)

• Work to retain talent…

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Recruitment, Dissemination & Recruitment, Dissemination & Community BuildingCommunity Building

• “Students need to see students” - Website revamped to show diverse community participation

• Achievements of diverse groups must be publicized and highlighted

• Opportunities must be publicized and highlighted to new channels

• Facility publications must display commitment to diversity and participation of entire community

• “Pipelines” must be fostered (i.e. student symposia, poster prizes and thesis prizes at annual meetings, etc.)

• Publicize internships/opportunities at HBCU, Latin, women institutions

E. Fontes/CHESSNSF DMR Directors Meeting – Sept 2007

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Building a diverse, inclusive Building a diverse, inclusive science lab is REAL WORK!science lab is REAL WORK!

Working against progress:• Small pool of scientists and prospective employees

• Staff are already overworked

• New skills and training needed

Working FOR progress:• Many outstanding examples of success

• CHESS staff enjoy educating and educators

• NSF programs provide a variety of research opportunities (and technical help!)