Towards that end, we have developed this Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) to practice our collective interest in fostering a diverse and inclusive community of biomedical researchers.

This work had its origins in conversations between students in the Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology graduate programs. Their experience with other DIAPs across Brown University suggested that I-BEAM could benefit from such a structure, tailored to the unique circumstances of this cross-divisional center.

In order to have a more diverse and inclusive environment, I-BEAM must engage in three different types of activities:

• Assessment | Characterizing progress on improving diversity and inclusion within any organization is challenging. How do people experience our I-BEAM climate? Do our members find the program is diverse and inclusive? Are we attracting a diverse set of individuals into I-BEAM?
• Development | These internally focused activities seek to build knowledge and capacities for our researchers, staff and organization. Can we provide resources that help everyone become more educated about issues related to diversity and inclusion? What strategies are the most effective at changing behavior related to bias? How can we benefit from partnerships with others on campus to improve our climate for diverse individuals?
• Outreach | We should project, outside of Brown University, our center’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. By doing so we hope to attract even more diverse individuals to our center, and contribute to the national conversation about diversity in STEM.