The STM EDI committee are committed to promoting and improving the School’s diverse workplace culture and helping to facilitate diversity of leadership in academic research from a grassroots approach.
We aim to design and implement School-wide initiatives that drive culture change to promote diversity, equality and inclusion for research, education and professional staff.
Examples of our recent initiatives:
Surveys
Diverse Lived Experiences survey (2021)
Mentoring Expression of Interest (EOI)
Mapping the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical research workforce at the Central Clinical School (2020)
Acknowledgement to country screensavers, desktop images, zoom images and welcome posters
Despite long-standing calls to increase diversity on university campuses, First Nations researchers remain poorly represented in academia, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. For those in STEM, although there are Western ways of learning, it is integral that First Nations cultural integrity is maintained and protected in a way that is achieved without becoming tokenistic and with utmost respect. There are numerous way, we here at the STM, can demonstrate our support of First Nations staff and visitors within our school.
The EDI committee were privileged to receive generously donated images from Mr Brent McKee (senior animator), Mr Fred Leone (project manager) and Associate Professor John Bradley (Director) of the Wunungu Awara: Animating Indigenous Knowledges at the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre, who use 3D animation as tools to re-engage and revitalise interest in language continuation, by reconnecting language and its people, and to assist in the preservation of language. Language preservation by Indigenous communities also reinforces Indigenous rights in protecting their cultural and intellectual property, through the preservation and archiving of history, knowledge, songs, and performance contained within their language.
The STM EDI committee have created Acknowledgment to Country screensavers, desktop images and zoom backgrounds from the Wunungu Awara images for STM staff.
The NAIDOC organisation of 2021 has also kindly given the STM EDI committee permissions to convert the winning poster “Care for Country” by Maggie-Jean Douglas - a Gubbi Gubbi artist from SE QLD, was selected to be converted to an Acknowledgment to Country image for the Alfred Precinct.
It is encouraged that a selected image be prominently displayed at the entrance to Departments and STM Office spaces to demonstrate support of First Nations staff and visitors.
These are free to downloaded here. To save a copy, right click on the image and select 'Save image as...'
Support Pride in STEM at STM
LGBTQIA+ individuals still experience significant apprehension being open about their sexuality and gender identity in the research workplace.
To combat this, STM departments have placed 'Pride in STEM' posters at their entrances to signify to all staff and students that they are an LGBTQIA+ friendly workplace.
If STM Departments/Labs would like to have a poster to display to welcome and support LGBT+ coworkers, that they can download it here, or email Elan L'Estrange-Stranieri, Jessica Borger or stm.edi@monash.edu. Elan is the STM EDI Executive Officer, and has led the initative.
Affirmative action checklist
In 2020 the affirmative action checklist was designed as a proactive checklist to ensure that School events consider the STM principles of equity and inclusion. This checklist was adopted in 2021 by Prof Edwina McGlinn, chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee at ARMI.
Globally, IDAHOBIT has been acknowledged since 2004, bringing attention to the ongoing violence towards the LGBTIQ community and celebrating the richness of diverse human experience. May 17 is a significant date in the ongoing fight for equality. On this day in 1990, the World Health Organisation declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. The day is now celebrated in over 130 countries, with Monash University in 2021 celebrating under the theme of "Together: Resisting, Supporting, Healing!" .This powerful theme was chosen in light of the recent challenges of the global pandemic, which has reinforced the importance of community, solidarity and coming together in the face of adversity. For that reason, the STM EDI committee designed a glossary of LGBTQAI terms that all members of the School should know to demonstrate solidarity and support to those in the LGBTQAI community.
Mapping the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical research workforce at STM (formerly Central Clinical School)
To ensure the pandemic response from the STM was an inclusive as possible, the EDI committee collaborated with WiSPP and EMRA to survey STM research, educational and professional staff in the 2-week period from May 15 to enable the analysis of the major risks and opportunities presented by the pandemic, and suggest a framework of key mitigation strategies. Additionally, a gendered lens was applied to identify if any groups experienced inequities more severely than others. The STM survey was later implemented at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and by the Athena Swann committee, chaired by Professor John Carroll, Dean Biomedical Science.
'Working from home has cut my commute time and increased my mental wellbeing’
