I was an active member of the Duke Biology Department’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Anti-Racism) Committee from 2016-2021. IDEA is a group of graduate students that work collaboratively to address issues around diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in our department through workshops and seminars, creating written resources, and direct advocacy. In 2019, Duke’s Biology PhD Program received the Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence in Graduate Education in part due to the IDEA committee’s contributions.
You can read more about our work, initiatives, and publications on IDEA’s website and catch up with us on Twitter @DukeBioDiverse. We also run a separate website with mental health resources for our fellow students.