鈥淚 see engineering as a profession that鈥檚 really about service to community,鈥� says Nia Fernandez, Manager of the E-IDEA initiative in 91社区鈥檚 Faculty of Engineering. 鈥淭he human part of the work we do is not always considered. What will our work do to people and the environment?鈥�
For Fernandez, that鈥檚 why it鈥檚 essential to integrate the principles of EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) into the engineer鈥檚 everyday work 鈥� from teaching and mentoring to research and lab work to grant writing and communications.
Fernandez began their 91社区 education with a BSc in Biochemistry and then a BEng in Chemical Engineering. While a graduate student in chemical engineering, they founded the , which went on to be recognized by the Preston Phipps Equity and Diversity Award and the 91社区 Award for Equity and Community Building. Fernandez completed their Ph.D. in the field of regenerative medicine in 2022.
Now almost one year into the new position of Manager of E-IDEA (鈥淓ngineering Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity Advancement鈥�), Fernandez oversees a slate of rapidly growing programs.
One such program 鈥� the Teamwork Initiative 鈥� partners with instructors to embed more EDI content directly into the curriculum. Rather than it being seen as something separate or supplementary, 鈥淓DI becomes part of the fabric of the engineering curriculum,鈥� says Fernandez, who notes the program has received very positive feedback from both students and instructors.
鈥淎 lot of people really do care about EDI, but they need frameworks of support for it to make sense to them in a practical way,鈥� says Fernandez. Along with a Faculty EDI strategy and an equity committee, E-IDEA includes an EDI advocacy program, a youth outreach program, EDI awards supporting student-led initiatives, and an Indigenous art exhibit spearheaded by the undergraduate .
Fernandez also notes that inertia and passivity can be challenges, especially within a university setting. Much like Fernandez鈥檚 own work with GEEC, 鈥渟tudents are always the first to speak up about what needs to change and create momentum at a grassroots level.鈥�
鈥淎 fundamental best practice in academia鈥�
For an institution to change its culture, it needs both grassroots initiatives and institutional champions, says Angela Campbell, 91社区鈥檚 Associate Provost (Equity and Academic Policies).
In her role, Campbell has overseen EDI initiatives across the University since 2015. 鈥淭he conversation is shifting, where it鈥檚 becoming increasingly accepted that this is actually a fundamental best practice in academia,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd the Faculty of Engineering has really stood out as a leader.鈥�
These efforts have been paying off. The number of women in tenure-stream faculty positions in the Faculty of Engineering almost doubled in six years 鈥� from 12 per cent in 2015 to 22.1 per cent in 2021. In the same six years, the percentage of racialized persons hired in tenure-stream faculty positions increased from 18.5 per cent to 25.2 per cent. As well, the proportion of female undergraduates enrolled in Engineering has risen steadily over the past decade 鈥� from 23 per cent in 2011-12 to 33 per cent in 2021-22.
And a recent article revealed that, of the 11 new faculty members hired since fall 2020, six are women.
鈥淓ngineering really got the ball rolling and became kind of an exemplar in this realm,鈥� says Campbell. She credits the work of champions like Fabrice Labeau, while also commending the seminal contributions of 鈥渁ll the early changemakers at the grassroots level.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e made EDI part of everybody鈥檚 job鈥�
Jim Nicell is also quick to credit the work of many contributors in the Faculty and across the University, including faculty, staff 鈥� and, in particular, students. 鈥淭hey are the renewable energy and creativity that keeps pushing us to do the right thing.鈥�
Nicell is now coming to the end of his second five-year term as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. 鈥淭he key thing we鈥檝e done is we鈥檝e made EDI part of everybody鈥檚 job.鈥�
EDI has been built into the portfolios of each of the Faculty鈥檚 Associate Deans: student affairs, faculty affairs, academic programs, and research and innovation. That means reimagining everything, from how students are recruited, how classes are taught, and how lab research is structured, to training faculty members on implicit bias and creating a more inclusive style of teamwork.
Nicell points out the unique challenges of changing the demographics in a university: Faculty members are hired for the long term, for careers that can span more than three decades. This means that it takes a very long time to shift demographics of such a population. The recent doubling in the number of women faculty members 鈥渞epresents a massive recent change in the hiring process with important long-term implications. Equally important is the advancement of women through the ranks of professors and their growing assumption of leadership roles 鈥� all of which contribute to much-needed culture change.鈥�
Reflecting on his tenure as Dean, Nicell says 鈥渕y greatest pride is making sure we鈥檝e done things that have lasting added value. And right at the top of that is E-IDEA.鈥� Rather than delegating the task of promoting EDI to one staff member, the E-IDEA initiative is building momentum across all aspects of the Faculty.
鈥淚t鈥檚 creating a fertile ground where culture change can happen and then take off on its own power,鈥� says Nicell. 鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 where we are.鈥�
The importance of role models
In 1990, Annmarie Adams was the first woman hired for a tenure-track position in the School of Architecture (currently Peter Guo-Hua Fu School of Architecture). She was subsequently the first woman tenured, the first full professor, and the first woman Director of the School.
Adams notes research has shown that students will want to become what they see. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 very important to have visible role models.鈥� She credits the late Jeanne Wolfe, who served as Director of 91社区鈥檚 School of Urban Planning from 1988 to 1999, as an inspiring role model.
Women have been well-represented in Architecture鈥檚 student population for many years. (The latest stats show that 78 per cent of 91社区鈥檚 Architecture graduates are women.) However, this hasn鈥檛 translated to women moving up in the profession, faculty positions, or leadership roles.
鈥淥ne of my proudest accomplishments as Director is that I hired a second woman. Since then, we鈥檝e welcomed two more,鈥� says Adams, who was a Fellow of the Society of Architectural Historians.
Adams also co-chaired the School鈥檚 Anti-Racism Working Group, which presented its report in February 2022. 鈥淚鈥檝e taken the lessons I learned as a feminist 鈥� someone who cares deeply about the presence of women in universities 鈥� to work on anti-racism,鈥� says Adams. 鈥淭hey are definitely linked.鈥�
An E-IDEA whose time has come
鈥淲e鈥檙e at a point now where we鈥檙e beyond just trying to spread awareness,鈥� says Nia Fernandez. 鈥淭hose efforts have been happening for a long time.鈥�
Fernandez sees their role as E-IDEA Manager as ensuring continuity and longevity 鈥� 鈥渕aking sure that EDI remains at the forefront of what the Faculty is doing and it鈥檚 not seen as a trend.鈥� Currently, Fernandez is working on a new program to be unveiled this summer that will provide more in-depth training for instructors to apply EDI skills in all aspects of their work.
Fernandez notes the appetite among students is strong. 鈥淲hen given the opportunity to engage with EDI, students jump on it,鈥� says Fernandez. A recent call for summer internships with E-IDEA immediately netted numerous responses from interested students. 鈥淪o, there鈥檚 definitely a momentum we want to tap into.鈥�
At the same time, Fernandez cautions about the tendency to rely on students to provide the impetus for change. 鈥淪tudents are already doing so much. We need to take responsibility for what鈥檚 ours now.鈥�
This article was originally published in the .