We are acting to improve diversity & inclusion in the Physics & Astronomy department by:
- Cultivating a community dedicated to upholding racial and social equality by supporting all students, postdocs, staff, and faculty, regardless of background or identity
- National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity is free to join since Penn is a member. Lots of useful resources here for graduate students, postdocs, tenure-track faculty, and mid-career faculty.
- AIP National Task Force to Elevate African American Representation in Undergraduate Physics & Astronomy report. This task force investigated underrepresentation of African Americans in physics and astronomy. Their report has recommendations for systemic changes.
- Recordings of anti-racism workshops from the PAN-ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HOUSE (PAACH)
- Improving outreach to undergraduates about careers with a Physics major
- Intro class video (Penn Canvas site)
- Opportunities to meet with colloquium speakers each month in 2022-23
- Lunch with graduate students and SPS physics and astronomy undergraduate students
- Meeting open to all women and marginalized gender identities in physics & astronomy
- Research opportunities
- Penn Physics & Astronomy one-page research flyers for a who’s who list
- Undergraduate research opportunities where to look, posts
- Graduate research opportunities posts
- Career prospects
- MyPenn (current students and alumni only) searchable database of Penn alumni that can be filtered by degree, major, employer, location…
- Organizing panels with alumni, professors, postdocs, graduate students to talk about careers, build connections, and give advice
- The Cal-Bridge Science by Diverse Scientists speaker series highlights the scientific contributions of minoritized members of the physics and astronomy community (including Cal-Bridge alumni), showcases future career paths, and discuss anti-racism and experiences of scientists of color. The talks are aimed primarily at undergraduate Physics and Astronomy students, though all are welcome.
- Improving mentoring for all new graduate students to help them navigate the transition to graduate school and achieve their goal of obtaining a PhD in Physics & Astronomy. Starting in 2020, each new graduate student will have a dedicated faculty mentor and a graduate student mentor.
- Improving a sense of belonging and identity in physics for everyone
- Improving access to graduate school with the Cal-Bridge Partner Program since Fall 2020 and the APS Bridge Partnership Institution Program since Fall 2021.
APS Bridge Program – Partnership Institution 
Cal-Bridge Partner - Improved access to gender-neutral bathrooms
- Investigating renovation/relocation of undergraduate lounge
- Developing recommendations for our department based on the following reports: