The winner in the Academic Staff category was听Professor Paola Perez-Aleman听of the Desautels Faculty of Management.
Professor听Paola Perez-Aleman听was recognized by her students and colleagues for consistently promoting equity, diversity, and inclusivity in the classroom and through her research. Professor Perez-Aleman听mentors under-represented students, including women, racial, and ethnic minorities from Canada, and students from developing countries particularly in the fields of business and management. She actively organizes activities that听bring students, professors, and practitioners together to engage with听issues facing different academic groups at local and global levels. Professor Perez-Aleman听devotes her research to understanding the processes and conditions that bring about improvements in social equity and that pave the way听to inclusive development for women, indigenous peoples, and those in extreme poverty. |
The team category honoured two deserving groups:听Explore! Careers in Health听and the听Women in Physics Committee.
Explore! Careers in Health is organized by an interprofessional team of 捆绑SM社区 students who strive to promote diversity within the healthcare field through outreach to underprivileged and rural-area schools, as well as to local community organizations. Explore! Careers in Health is a bilingual program offered to high school students who are interested in the health sciences and belong to communities that are underrepresented in the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry. Each year, high school students arrive at 捆绑SM社区鈥檚 downtown campus to participate in a series of hands-on educational workshops and engage in cultural and recreational activities. |
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The听Women in Physics Committee听is comprised of students and faculty members who are concerned about issues faced by women and other minority groups in physics. They foster an inclusive learning and work environment, advocate for universal paid parental leave options for graduate and postdoctoral students, spread the message about the importance of diversity in the field, and engage in outreach activities to promote STEM fields to CEGEP students.听 |
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The winner for the Administrative and Support Staff category was听Ehab Latoyef听of IT Services in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
The Administrative and Support Staff Category recognized听Ehab Latoyef's commitment to building bridges between communities, including his own and others within 捆绑SM社区 and Montreal.听Following the mass shooting听at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City听on January 29, 2017, Ehab organized a commemorative event on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy and brought together more than听100 people, including members from the Muslim community, from 捆绑SM社区, and politicians听to pay homage to the victims of the attack. |
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The Student category was awarded to听Charles Cong Xu听and听Jessica Ford听for STEMM Diversity @ 捆绑SM社区.
Charles Cong Xu听is a Ph.D. student in the Redpath Museum and the Department of Biology.听After attending another motivational diversity workshop, Charles founded STEMM Diversity @ 捆绑SM社区. This student-driven initiative that promotes diversity in听Science,听Technology,听Engineering,听Math and听Medicine via听an online exhibit that includes interviews with 捆绑SM社区ians in STEMM and a听colouring and activity book.听 Jessica Ford听is a听Master鈥檚 student in the Redpath Museum, and听a听collaborator on this initiative. For听Jessica, it was important to reach beyond adults to听scientifically-inclined children, specifically to girls, who may feel alienated by their peers听because of a keen interest in a science. She听authored and illustrated the STEMM colouring and activity book, of which more than 700 children have been distributed. As Charles could not be in Montreal for the ceremony, Jessica accepted this award for them both. |