Strategic Plan

To foster inclusive climate in the department and in the classroom (curriculum of EDI training and resources)

Workshops & Trainings

We organize interactive sessions designed to build practical skills and deepen understanding of how to support a diverse and inclusive academic community. These events are open to faculty, staff, students, and researchers, and often feature expert facilitators. We also support student-led workshops when appropriate, helping to amplify peer-driven learning and leadership.

2025-2026 Highlights include:

• Workshops on sexual violence prevention, neurodivergent learners in higher education, and suicide awareness.
• A Conflict Theatre event exploring communication and conflict in academic settings.

Orientation & Guidelines

We develop resources to support inclusive onboarding and teaching practices across all roles in the department. These materials ensure that EDI awareness is embedded from the start and that all community members have access to guidance on inclusive practices.

2025-2026 Deliverables include:

• A slide package for instructors to use on the first day of class, introducing community agreements and EDI resources
• Orientation packages tailored for new faculty and staff
• Guidelines on inclusive course syllabi

Medium and long-term deliverables

Since 2024, we have been developing a suite of training programs and resources to embed Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion practices into the department’s academic and research culture. Our goal is to build shared learning tools that foster an inclusive environment for all members of our community—especially those historically marginalized in Physics and Astronomy, including BIPOC students, LGBTQ2S+ students, women, students with disabilities or neurodivergence, and first-generation university students.

To achieve this, we will:

• Develop and implement a core EDI curriculum, delivered through workshops and asynchronous Canvas modules, that introduce essential practices for creating equitable learning and research environments. Key topics include but are not limited to the following:
  • The value of diversity in research and teaching. How diverse perspectives, including those of BIPOC students, women, LGBTQ2S+ students, students with disabilities, and first-generation scholars, enhance creativity, problem-solving, and scientific innovation.
  • Inclusive mentoring practice. Strategies for mentoring students from historically underrepresented groups with attention to identity safety, disclosure boundaries, equitable access to opportunities, healthy group culture, and the importance of visible role models.
  • Bystander intervention strategies. Practical tools for recognizing and addressing microaggressions, exclusion, and harmful behaviors; how to intervene safely and effectively to support peers and students.
  • Conflict resolution and dialogue across difference. Approaches for navigating disagreement, supporting respectful communication, and maintaining psychological safety in diverse teams, classrooms, and research settings.
  • Responding to bias, harassment, and discrimination. Case-based scenarios to practice intervention, understand reporting pathways, and employ trauma-informed responses when individuals share harm or identity-related concerns.
• Design tailored orientation materials for all categories of community members (faculty, staff, students, postdocs) to ensure consistent onboarding with EDI principles.
• Encourage active participation in EDI learning through incentives and recognition, fostering a culture of continuous development.
• Measure engagement and shifts in attitudes through surveys and feedback forms, participation metrics and analysis of policy changes and outcomes.

To organize events to foster networks and link with existing groups (e.g. societies, clubs, associations)

Short term (1 year):

• Improve Communication Channels: Enhance communication to reach all PHAS and QMI groups.
  • Make information on existing community groups (e.g. how to join their mailing lists) accessible to all dept members, e.g. through orientation packages (see below). Explore the need for an opt-in community mailing list to alert community members to department events
• Annual Town Hall Organize a Town Hall in Fall to engage with the community, and recruit volunteers for working groups.
• New Community Avenues: Explores initiatives including “Monday tea”, communal lunches, annual department barbeque, open houses, to foster community.
  • New members introduction: Use events as introductions of new dept members
  • Community photos: Use the TV screen in Hennings to display photos of our community.
• Inclusive Space: establish a dedicated sensory-friendly working space within the Hennings building.

Medium-term (2-3 years):

• New Member Orientation Checklist: Ensure the development of an orientation checklist with clear points of contact for all elements.
• Pool of shared equipment tools: establish avenues to borrow/share equipment.

Long Term (5+ years):

• The PHAS department has taken over self-sustaining community building efforts.
• New Member Introductions: A mechanism for introducing new PHAS members (faculty, staff, and graduate students) to the community is working well and is automated.
• New Member Orientation: All new department members automatically receive a guide to benefits and resources, access to mentors, etc.
• Welcoming Spaces for Department Members and Visitors: Access to welcoming working spaces for visitors, and welcoming spaces for department members to make connections across career stages. For example, renovating Hennings 318 with modernized AV capabilities.

Outcomes the PHAS EDI community building committee will advocate for

• Henning 318 Redesign: Transform Henning 318 into a more inviting space for both community members and guests.
  • New department-led community building avenues: department retreats, and department-wide poster sessions.
    • Internal open houses: Monthly events to increase departmental community knowledge of research our labs are doing. This would be a useful tool for recruiting and enhancing the professional development of students.
    • Colloquium Enhancements: Collaborate with colloquium coordinators to improve colloquium experiences based on feedback from town halls and climate surveys
• Department photo update: Consolidate old departmental photos from Hennings building’s walls and make them available as a digital archive.

To create support systems (mentorships program,orientation, outreach initiatives, scholarships). Cross-link with existing groups (e.g. societies, clubs, and committees)

Short term (~1 year):

• Launchpad for Summer 2026: offering of 5-6 summer research positions for Indigenous students. It will complement the newly introduced Indigenous Student Researchers Pathway to NSERC USRA, and it will guarantee returning students a spot the following year.
• Graduate Student Involvement: we will advocate that the department head provides a clear set of expected outcomes and a timeline in advance for graduate student involvement in hiring committees.
• Initiate Incident Response Contacts: assess training paths for the designated point of contacts in the department.
• Admissions Cycle 2026: implement new policies to increase applications of racialized and underrepresented groups (e.g. application fee waivers; focused marketing strategies)

Medium term (~2/3 years):

• Peer Mentoring Programs: Create peer mentoring programs for staff, RAs, and postdocs and advocate for orientations for new department members.