Outreach Subcommittee Report

Fall 2020

Subcommittee members:

  • Danae Diaz (Graduate Student)
  • Shannon Fang (Undergraduate Student)
  • Richard Hilleary (Postdoctoral Researcher)

 Action Items:

  • Grad school Preview Weekend for BIPOC students throughout the South- Working with Recruitment subcommittee
  • Improve transparency and communication of ongoing Outreach efforts
  • Participate in existing outreach efforts as a department (rather than individuals)
  • Create a Bio Dept. Outreach event
  • Bio Education Outreach program   

Progress as of Nov. 30 2020:

  • Graduate School Preview Weekend for BIPOC students throughout the South:
    • Working with Recruitment subcommittee: Planning stages
    • Recruit undergraduates IiPOC Liaisons: Set agenda, date, etc.
  • Improve transparency and communication of ongoing Outreach efforts:
    • Work with Marie Claire Chelini to update Outreach website
    • Collate & Highlight ongoing outreach efforts
    • Sent Survey on outreach efforts across the department 10/2020 (Re-send 12/2020)  
  • Brainstorm better methods of community outreach:
    • K-12 School officials, community centers, life sciences museum, etc.
  • Participate in existing outreach efforts as a department
    • Science under the stars
    • Collaborate with Chemistry department to help pack and distribute take-home experiments
    • In the future (next year) also plan bio-related experiments
    • Darwin Day (sign up for 2 slots and organize two activities)
  • Create a Bio Dept. Outreach event
    • Brainstorm: For Darwin Day? 
  • Outreach program
    • Meet with CAC to understand community interest
    • Draft Goals and design

 Goals/ Accomplish by:

  • Grad school Preview Weekend for BIPOC students throughout the South- Working with Recruitment subcommittee
    • Host at end of spring 2021
  • Improve transparency and communication of ongoing Outreach efforts
    • Work with Marie Claire Chelini (communication fellow) to update Outreach website (ongoing)
    • Collate & Highlight ongoing outreach efforts
    • Have complete list by beginning of spring 2021 and share with Marie Claire for communication on website
  • Develop better methods of community outreach
    • Reach out to local public schools and distribute collated outreach efforts and opportunity for involvement by fall 2021
    • Participate in existing outreach efforts as a department
      • Science under the stars
      • Help pack and distribute take-home experiments
      • In the future (next year) also plan bio-related experiments
      • Darwin Day
      • Host two activities (Feb 2021)
  • Create a Bio Dept. Outreach event
    • Design by Fall 2021 to Host Spring 2022               
  • Outreach program
    • Design by Fall 2021 to Host by Summer 2022