
Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity is Our Strength
Meinig School Community Values
At the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, we believe that including diverse identities, backgrounds and perspectives in our school enables the best solutions to challenges for human health. Biomedical engineering education and research are most innovative when all our community members, including those who are marginalized in our society, can thrive as their authentic selves. We acknowledge that we exist in a world that struggles with inequality, and, in the spirit of Cornell’s ideal of “any person, any study,” we commit to championing diversity, equity and inclusion to improve the health of all.
We welcome your suggestions and feedback on DEI in our community. Please submit through the feedback to the director form on our contact page.
As part of our commitment, the Meinig School's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is coordinating the following events and initiatives in the coming weeks:
Upcoming Events
Spring 2023 Diversity Dinner with Dr. Shivaun Archer
The Cornell BME DEI Committee hosts Dr. Shivaun Archer as our next speaker in the diversity dinner series! Dr. Archer will discuss her journey in academia, with a specific focus on efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion. T
When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 6:00PM in Weill 125.
Open to: BME students, postdocs, faculty, and staff. Dinner will be served.
Dinner will be provided to all attendees. Attendance is limited, so please RSVP here for the event.
Dr. Shivaun Archer, the John and Janet Swanson Senior Lecturer in the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering She received her BS and M.Eng. from Cambridge University, England and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Archer designs and teaches lab courses covering nanobiotechnology, cellular, molecular, and tissue engineering, as well as physiology. The labs are designed to illustrate the course material and bring research to undergraduate education whilst exposing students to cutting edge technology and research methodology.
Dr. Archer is also a Faculty Teaching Fellow in the James McCormick Family Teaching Excellence Institute (MTEI). As part of the MTEI Teaching Fellow duties, Dr. Archer provides educational support for faculty members in the College of Engineering with the aim to enhance students' learning and performance, particularly in lab instruction and group work. In recognition of her efforts in undergraduate education, Dr. Archer has received two prestigious College of Engineering Teaching awards. She has also been a recipient of the Zellman Warhaft Commitment to Diversity Award as well the Academic Achievement Award from the Cornell Engineering Alumni Association. Dr Archer was inducted as a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) for her contributions to instructional labs.
Before coming to Cornell, she worked at a small research company specializing in biotechnology, biomaterials, chemical and biological sensors, medical biotechnology, and environmental remediation. Her research interests include nanobiotechnology and tissue engineering.
Initiatives
Improving accessibility of research for undergraduates
Increasing accessibility of research for undergraduates is vital to creating a diverse and inclusive department, and, by extension, field of research. We understand that increasing accessibility is a process of both eliminating barriers and helping undergraduates over the barriers that we cannot yet remove. As such we are seeking a three-pronged approach to increase diversity and inclusion of undergraduate research in the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering:
- help undergraduates develop the skills to get into labs
- help research staff (including graduate students) to develop mutually beneficial relationships with undergraduates
- help professors understand how to fund undergraduate researchers and foster healthy mentoring relationships
We are starting by surveying each group on their role in this endeavor. From there we will host a series of workshops to address the barriers identified from this information, and continue this process to improve people's experiences at the Meinig School. Links to surveys below:
For any/all feedback on this initiative, please email map476@cornell.edu or tjm339@cornell.edu.
DEI Resources
Inclusive Excellence Podcast (Cornell-based): A monthly podcast series where they unpack various topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at work