The Biological Sciences Division Diversity Committee and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion are thrilled to announce the recipients of this year’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards. These trainees were selected from amongst many outstanding nominees by the members of the BSD Diversity Committee, who carefully reviewed the nominations. Each person demonstrated an outstanding record of commitment to DEI at UChicago, within the BSD, and in the South Side community.
The DEI Awards were created to recognize the incredible work of our trainees in the BSD. We train our students to be exceptional researchers and question everything about their work. Some accept this challenge and go above and beyond their thesis research and apply brilliant critical reasoning skills to complex, sociological problems in their fields. These awards are intended not only to recognize the work of our trainee leaders, but also to communicate our Division’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The recipients have contributed in incredible ways to tackle historical disparities and inequities in science and create communities that center diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can read more about their individual contributions here. Their innovation, creativity, and hard work deserves our praise and recognition.
Join us in congratulating these trainees and celebrating their important contributions to DEI initiatives in the BSD and beyond!
2023 BSD DEI AWARD RECIPIENTS
BSD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award In Recognition of Exceptional DEI Leadership and Service
Joshua McKeever, 4th Year PhD Candidate in Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition
Veronica Locher, 4th Year PhD Candidate in Immunology
Luke Dyer, 4th Year PhD Candidate in Cell and Molecular Biology
Alexis Thornburg, 4th Year PhD Candidate in Human Genetics
BSD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commendation In Recognition of Meaningful DEI Leadership and Service
Selena Martinez, 2nd Year PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Biology
Renée Fonesca, 4th Year PhD Candidate in Human Genetics
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs DEI Award
Yara Haridy, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher in Genetics, Genomics, and Systems Biology
