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About Us
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
The EECE Department is committed to increasing awareness of the importance of diversity, the need for equity and the benefits of inclusivity.
Our goal is to empower all members of the EECE community, remove barriers and create solutions for our department and campus. We believe a diverse and inclusive community brings value to all and will engage with our community to promote equality and compassion.
We seek to achieve this by:
Experiencing growth through the department’s diversity mission in all areas of education, work, and personal lives.
Empowering individuals from underrepresented groups by eliminating biases and providing access to resources.
Caring for and listening to those affected by inequity to foster unity and support.
Engaging in open communication with all members of the EECE community to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.
EECE EDI Initiatives and Outreach
The EECE department is currently undertaking initiatives in the following areas:
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Offering departmental training in various EDI topics
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EDI teaching resources for EECE instructors
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Undergraduate student, graduate student, and postdoc community and engagement
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Engagement with St. Louis community
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EECE EDI Committee hosted a bus tour of St. Louis focusing on racial inequities.
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The Environmental Engineering Student Association (EnvESA), led by Matt Ferby from Dr. Zhen (Jason) He's lab, taught fifth graders from the University City School District about water filtration.
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Professor Foston and his group have had an amazing time over the past few years conducting “Researcher for a Day” events. The current program offers an opportunity to inform, inspire, and motivate local underrepresented minority middle school students through a campus visit and lab demonstrations.
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Tatenda Shopera, MSChE ’16, PhD ’18, spoke about his about his journey from Zimbabwean education to his participation in the COVID-19 vaccine development at Pfizer.
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Elijah Thimsen and educators from area school districts work together to make chemistry concepts more accessible to high school students.
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The department’s DEI committee goal is to empower all members of the EECE community, remove barriers and create solutions. We believe a diverse and inclusive community brings value to all and will engage with our community to promote equality and compassion. -
The department’s DEI committee goal is to empower all members of the EECE community, remove barriers and create solutions. We believe a diverse and inclusive community brings value to all and will engage with our community to promote equality and compassion. -
The department’s DEI committee goal is to empower all members of the EECE community, remove barriers and create solutions. We believe a diverse and inclusive community brings value to all and will engage with our community to promote equality and compassion. -
The department’s DEI committee goal is to empower all members of the EECE community, remove barriers and create solutions. We believe a diverse and inclusive community brings value to all and will engage with our community to promote equality and compassion.
EDI Service Project
The newly formed EDI committee in the EECE department helped to build a Habitat for Humanity home May 7 in our first service project of 2022. Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit organization that helps families in need of affordable housing and enlists homeowners’ help to build their home alongside volunteers. The EDI committee, which includes faculty, staff and students, had no experience in building homes, but was up to the task. The construction tasks taken on by the six-member team, led by Habitat construction lead workers, included hammering support studs into walls and ceilings, installing insulation in the basement, and safely learning to use construction tools.
The homeowner, Jackie, said, “I am so thankful for all your help. With Covid, we have not had as many volunteers as needed, and the project is taking more time. Your volunteering has helped so much. The basement looks completely different today, and I’m just so excited!”.
McKelvey Engineering
Goals & Initiatives
The EECE department supports the goals articulated below and on the McKelvey School of Engineering Equity, Diversity & Inclusion webpage.
- Create and maintain a culture that integrates and advances diversity throughout all levels of the school — from people, initiatives and ideas to policies, curriculum and beyond
- Become a national higher education leader in embracing and supporting a diverse, open and inclusive environment
- Ensure that all members of our community are able to achieve their full professional and academic potential
- Emphasize diversity when recruiting faculty, staff and students
- Support student organizations' diversity initiatives
University-Wide Commitment
The EECE department joins the university in its commitment to justice and racial equity.
We will listen and engage to work toward mission-oriented action that makes our university and our city a beacon of justice to the world.
Learn more about the university's commitment
- The Office of Institutional Equity was created for staff and faculty members, to become the university’s ‘primary forum for changing climate and culture’ by housing diversity and inclusion resources, including training resources, support for campus affinity groups, and annual events and recognition ceremonies.
- The Center for Diversity and Inclusion supports and advocates for undergraduate, graduate and professional students from underrepresented and/or marginalized populations, creates collaborative partnerships with campus and community partners, and promotes dialogue and social change among all students.
- MEMS coordinates a schoolwide summer research program focused on enhancing participation of undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in research. The WUSEF program description and application materials can be found online.
- SafeZones Training for Faculty and Staff offers faculty, graduate teaching assistants and staff inclusivity training to promote safer and more secure living, learning and research environments for WashU’s LGBTQIA* students.
Inclusive Teaching Resources for Instructors
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) provides faculty with resources for developing inclusive teaching and learning modes that are designed to actively engage, include and challenge all students. The CTL also regularly offers workshops on inclusive pedagogy.
EECE Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group
The faculty, staff, and students below work together to advise the department on measures related to EDI and coordinate EDI initiatives. This group communicates and coordinates with administrators and working groups in other departments in the McKelvey School of Engineering and Washington University to support these objectives. If you have ideas or concerns to help the EECE department in its mission, you are welcome to contact any of the members of this group.
Janie Brennan
Senior Lecturer (Committee Co-Chair)
she/her
jbrennan@wustl.edu
Fangqiong Ling
Assistant Professor (Committee Co-Chair)
she/her
fangqiong@wustl.edu
Kim Coleman
Assistant to the Chair
she/her
kcole@wustl.edu
Monique Spears
Academic Program Coordinator
she/her
moniquespears@wustl.edu
Maria Bruce
PhD student
she/her
b.maria@wustl.edu
Jean Brownell
PhD student
she/her
bjean@wustl.edu
Zehua Wang
PhD student
he/him
w.zehua@wustl.edu
Runyu Zhao
PhD student
she/her
zhaorunyu@wustl.edu
Devin Hale
BSEnvE student
she/her
d.hale@wustl.edu
Andy Kim
BSChE student
he/him
andy.k@wustl.edu
Cindy Borrayo-Carrera
BSChE student
she/her
borrayo-carrera@wustl.edu