Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Reimagining a culture of inclusion

Our mission

In the spirit of our slogan, “Revealing how life works, for the benefit of all,” the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics is committed to building an inclusive community that is welcoming, safe and supportive for everyone. We affirm the importance of justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity as essential to the fulfillment of our departmental mission. We celebrate diversity, respect the perspectives and qualities of all people, and strive to recognize and understand the different social, economic and health challenges that we face. We are committed to enhancing diversity and equitable practices in our research, education and public outreach efforts.

To help us align our goals, priorities, and responsibilities, we have established a Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) committee that will work alongside the College of Science and department leadership. Our DEJI committee hosts educational events and workshops for faculty and students to create better awareness and understanding of inclusive and equitable practices in teaching and research. We utilize surveys to investigate our BB culture through an equity lens and enact changes for the betterment of all within our community. We also serve as a place of contact for any DEI concerns within the department and provide resources and guidance for addressing them.

Our committee

The BB DEJI committee is made up of member representatives from the BB community (academic faculty, professional faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students).

• Lauren Dalton (she/her), Senior Instructor I & Advisor
• Dave Hendrix (he/him), Associate Professor
• Kayla Jara (she/her), Professional Faculty
• Sanjay Ramprasad (he/him), Graduate Student
• Katyayani Karlapati (she/her), Undergraduate Student (BMB Major)
• Ava Thomas (she/her) Undergraduate Student (BMB Major)
• Kaitlyn Kim (she/her), Undergraduate Student (BMB Major)

College of Science Resources

The College maintains a Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion website with a number of relevant resources. Additionally, you can review the College's Diversity Action Plan, Embedding Equity, Access and Inclusion to learn more about how the College is working to improve in these areas.

Disability Access Services (DAS)

Disability Access Services provides accommodations, education, consultation and advocacy for qualified students with disabilities at Oregon State University. DAS works with students at OSU, OSU-Cascades, across Oregon and around the world through the OSU E-campus program.

College of Science feedback form

The College welcomes all positive and negative feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests related to their experiences as well as to submit suggestions, ideas and concerns and information related to Equity, Access and Inclusion in the College. This kind of input provides the College information that helps us create meaningful change.