At the end of her time in FAS, Benita D. Wolff reflects on its first DIB steps.
Benita D. Wolff served as the FAS Division of Science’s first-ever Equity and Inclusion Administrative Fellow from October 2019 to the end of this month. She was part of the Administrative Fellows Program, a University-wide, year-long leadership development program.
Wolff, who was based in the Department of Physics, came to Harvard from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine, where she will return. Her influence spanned well beyond physics, and she spent the year helping develop strategy, policies, recommendations, and structures for the Division of Science and its departments. Here, she reflects on the year, and in particular, the Division’s diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DIB) efforts.
Q: This has been an atypical year with the pandemic and then with racially charged events beginning in late spring. How did priorities shift with the racial reckoning occurring all over the country?
WOLFF: Over the summer, the conversation changed in the Division of Science in that we began focusing on systemic racism and systemic bias. We moved from questioning the prevalence of racism to acknowledging that there are systemic issues that need to be addressed collectively. We also recognized the need for real change to some of our own systems, structures, policies, and procedures to support all community members’ success.
Q: In terms of DIB, where does FAS Science stand right now? Where does it want to be?
WOLFF: FAS Dean Claudine Gay wrote a beautiful piece on advancing racial justice in late August that outlines the future of diversity, inclusion, and belonging across FAS. Dean Gay talked about the importance of accelerating teaching and research on racial and ethnic inequality and building capacity across FAS to pursue inclusive excellence. The Division of Science looks forward to collaborating with Sheree Ohen, FAS’ new Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and colleagues across FAS and the University to advance the initiatives Dean Gay outlined. The possibilities related to inclusive excellence in the Division of Science and across FAS energizes me.
Q: What are some of the efforts being put in place to get there?
WOLFF: In the Division of Science, we’re moving from conversation to action. We are benchmarking our current state through departmental climate surveys, engaging peers across the country to understand the best practices for increasing equity and inclusion in the sciences, and adapting and implementing those strategies locally. We’ve developed an anti-racism resource site with material related to addressing racism in scientific fields.
We’ve held Division-wide community conversations, including the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture featuring John Silvanus Wilson and the “Two Pandemics,” conversation on anti-Black bias in partnership with SEAS. We also and took part in the national #ShutDownSTEM initiative.
The Division of Science has also offered skills building seminars for department leaders, including understanding and mitigating burnout, establishing and maintaining psychological safety, and leading difficult conversations. The next step is to evaluate our initial actions for effectiveness and course correct as needed. We will continue to support departments as they articulate values, visions, and strategies related to DIB. We are fully committed to holding each other accountable for meaningful progress.
Q: What would you like to see more of?
WOLFF: Departments have had the most success when they have embraced the need for change. I’ve also encouraged colleagues across the Division to approach this work with cultural humility, which requires acknowledging gaps in understanding and a willingness to seek resources to close those gaps. Departments and leaders who have been willing to approach this work with cultural humility have been able to have difficult but necessary conversations that build trust and facilitate inclusion.
Q: What else is critical to this effort?
WOLFF: Leadership and time. I’m grateful for the vision Dean Chris Stubbs has articulated about the importance of diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the Division. It’s critically important for all of us to invest the time necessary to learn and grow in this domain.
Interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.