Equity & Diversity

UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments. We know that diversity underpins excellence, and that we all share responsibility for creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive community. We recognize that many of the identities of members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity intersect and that therefore, equity, diversity and inclusion can be complex. We value the contributions that each person brings, and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all in our community.

Chem EDI mission statement

The Chemistry Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (Chem EDI) committee is a supportive and educational committee in the Department of Chemistry. We champion causes related to EDI in the department for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and researchers in faculty research groups.

Chem EDI process for listening to concerns

We are here to listen to your concerns about EDI issues in the Department of Chemistry. We can provide information about the support services available to you at the University of Victoria and help you engage with these processes.

To get in touch, you can send us an email or contact one of the committee members below. We aim to respond within 3 working days to liaise with you to find a way to listen to your concern and help you access relevant support services. You may also contact the EQHR office directly to raise concerns, both informally and formally. The flow chart below shows further information about these options.

We value confidentiality, fairness, and professionalism in our interactions with you. All matters discussed with Chem EDI members will be kept confidential unless you give us explicit permission to disclose, or unless the matter falls under exceptional circumstances covered by University of Victoria policies. You can find more information about how the Chem EDI committee operates in our Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct. Please contact the Chem EDI Chair for further information.

If you need immediate assistance regarding an EDI concern, please contact:

• Campus Security (emergency, open 24 hours a day): 250-721-7599
• Crisis Phone Support for BC (open 24 hours a day): 1-866-661-3311

Who we are

We are currently searching for new members to join the Chem EDI committee, please contact us for information regarding the application process (very straightforward), your role on the committee (very important) and the time commitment required (not too much!). 

	Cornelia Bohne, faculty member and Chair of Chem EDI. Enhancing diversity, equity and inclusiveness in our learning and work environment will always be ongoing. Cornelia joined Chem EDI to facilitate the creation of a fair and respectful environment that enables everyone to achieve their goals.
	Makhsud Saidaminov, faculty member. Makhsud joined Chem EDI because he believes that barriers should be removed, differences – valued, and all – included.
	Georgia Douglas, graduate student. Georgia (she/they) joined Chem EDI because she is passionate about equity education in the scientific community. She believes that promoting intersectionality and diversity will allow people from all different marginalized identities feel safe and welcomed in the department.
	Peter Williams, postdoctoral-fellow. Peter (he/they) joined the committee because he is passionate about representation, both in ensuring people's voices are heard and that there is a fair representation in the diversity of those voices. He believes that fostering such dialogues improves the well-being and productivity of individuals and the department, leading to a happier and healthier work environment for all.
	Gal Arama, undergraduate student. Gal (she/her) joined the committee to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. She is eager to bring her past experience to create a meaningful impact within our department.
	Hailey Gray, undergraduate student. Hailey (she/her) joined Chem EDI to further grow and learn about the barriers that are faced in an academic environment and how to best support those who face such barriers. She hopes to be a voice of change for fellow students and to promote an environment where everyone feels heard, safe and included while getting their education.
	Luca Swainson, undergraduate student. Luca (he/him) joined Chem EDI because he is passionate about equity and social justice. He hopes to help create an inclusive environment where voices are heard and differences are celebrated.
	Nicholas J. Roberts, (he/him) joined the EDI committee to make an impact on the accessible practices within the department. With prior knowledge and lived experience, he plans on supporting those with both visible and invisible disabilities as best as he can.
	Andrés Arias, graduate student. Andrés (he/him) joined CHEM EDI because of his interest of promoting a respectful environment for all voices in the department, with the aim of creating a thriving community for educational and professional growth. He hopes to be a valuable member of the committee and to offer a fresh perspective in order to make the department as welcoming and productive as possible.

Food for thought

• Lisa Willis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta. Lisa has also designed InclusiveSTEM, which is a literature-based and data-driven series of lectures and workshops about EDI in science. Lisa gave two public lectures at the University of Victoria in February 2021. See above for recordings of her lecture entitled “Top 10 Strategies to Fix the Problem of Bias and Discrimination in STEM” and below for “Writing Effective EDI Statements.”

• Paul Walton is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of York in the UK. He lectures worldwide about gender equality, and gave a public lecture at the University of Victoria on the 4th of October 2019. See below for a recording of his lecture entitled “Gender equality in science: Why is it taking so long?”.

• Seminar given by Professor David Smith from the University of York in the UK at the 2016 LGBT STEMinar titled “No sexuality please… we’re scientists”.
• Is That Legal? What the Law Says about Online Harassment and Abuse. A leaflet produced by the Legal Services Society in collaboration with West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund (West Coast LEAF) about taking and sharing intimate images, cyberstalking and sexual exploitation.
• More information about internet harassment or cyberbullying can be found on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website.

Other UVic resources

Other useful links in addition to those under “UVic community resources” and “Student support services”:

• The Trans Inclusion page on the UVic website.
• Territory Acknowledgement.
• The University of Victoria’s Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Policy (GV0245).
• The University of Victoria’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy (GV0205).
• Campus Security Services.
• Employee Family and Assistance Program (for faculty and staff).
• Health Services (for students).
• Multifaith Services.