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EMPOWERing Engineers for Positive Change

The new EMPOWER program is intended to support faculty, staff and students who want to foster an inclusive climate by actively promoting practices that advance equity for all members of our engineering community.  The engaging workshops are designed to equip us with tools to create positive change via:

  • an increase in awareness of our own personal biases, and how biases are exerted via personal interactions and institutional practices
  • interruption of exclusionary behaviors or actions that perpetuate inequality, and
  • adoption of evidence-based practices that advance equity, inclusion and diversity.

Through interactive sessions led by the Berkeley Interactive Theater, participants will be empowered with knowledge, skills and practice to become agents of change.

The EMPOWER program will consist of multiple modules, with each module being a series of workshops.  The roll-out of new modules will occur over several years. In 2019-20, we plan to offer three new modules, listed below.  These modules are intended for faculty and staff, and additional modules for students will be announced later in the year. Program participants who complete all three workshops for a given module will be recognized at a college event.  The completion of four separate modules will be recognized with an EMPOWER certificate. Participation in the EMPOWER program is a great way for faculty to show their commitment to advancing equity and inclusion, and can be mentioned in the contributions-to-diversity statement as part of merit and promotion cases.

Module for Summer 2020

Module: Grading for Equity: Promoting Excellence for All

Targeted Audience: Faculty, Staff
Contacts: Lisa Pruitt, associate dean for students, lpruitt@berkeley.edu; Fatima Alleyne, director of community engagement and inclusive practices, fatima.alleyne@berkeley.edu
RSVP Form

Workshop 1: Foundational principles
Thursday, July 9, 3-5 p.m.

This workshop provides a brief historical presentation on traditional classroom grading and explores more equitable grading practices. Alternatives to the 100-point scale are introduced. Unintended biases in traditional grading are examined.  Examples for equitable assessment of student mastery in small and large classes are discussed.

Workshop 2: Applications to virtual classrooms
Monday, Aug. 10, 1-3 p.m.

This workshop explores more equitable grading practices in our virtual STEM classrooms. Summative assessment models are examined. Faculty will engage in an interactive discussion to explore assessment methods for their upcoming courses.

Workshop 3: Putting concepts to practice
Monday, Aug. 24, 1-3 p.m.

This workshop affords participants an interactive opportunity to explore grading rubrics and equitable assessments. Faculty will have the opportunity to discuss course syllabi and how they plan to implement equitable assessments in their upcoming courses. Faculty will engage in an interactive discussion to explore assessment methods for their upcoming courses.

Workshop 4: Community of practice
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1-3 p.m.

This workshop affords an interactive opportunity for faculty to convene and share how they employed equitable grading strategies. Faculty will have the opportunity to share best practices and problem-solve any ongoing issues in their courses or classrooms. This workshop will foster a community of collaboration.

Module for Spring 2020

Module: Grading for Equity: Promoting Excellence for All

Targeted Audience: Faculty, Staff
Contacts: Lisa Pruitt, associate dean for students, lpruitt@berkeley.edu; Fatima Alleyne, director of community engagement and inclusive practices, fatima.alleyne@berkeley.edu
RSVP Form

Workshop 1: Why grading?

Wednesday, February 5, 12 pm-2 pm in Kresge Engineering Library Training Room
During Workshop 1 we will lay the foundation for the series by providing a historical context of common grading practices and underlying inequities.  We will also introduce participants to more equitable practices they can employ to create a more positive student-centered experience.

Workshop 2: Equitable grading in higher education

Wednesday, March 4, 12 pm-2 pm in Kresge Engineering Library Training Room
During Workshop 2 we will take a deeper dive into equitable grading practices in higher education that are accurate and bias-resistant.

Workshop 3: Equitable grading in higher education

Wednesday, April 8, 12 pm-2 pm in Kresge Engineering Library Training Room
During Workshop 3 we will take a deeper dive into equitable grading practices in higher education that are accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational.

Workshop 4: Equitable assessment in higher education

Wednesday, April 29, 12 pm-2 pm in Kresge Engineering Library Training Room
During Workshop 4 we will take a deeper dive into equitable grading practices in higher education that are accurate, bias-resistant, motivational, transparent and student-empowering.

Modules for Fall 2019

Module: Creating Inclusive Learning Spaces for All

Targeted Audience: Faculty, Staff
Contacts: Lisa Pruitt, associate dean for students, lpruitt@berkeley.edu; Fatima Alleyne, director of community engagement and inclusive practices, fatima.alleyne@berkeley.edu
RSVP Form

Workshop 1: Raising Our Awareness of Inclusive Spaces

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 10:30 am-12:30 pm in Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Hall
In Workshop 1, Berkeley Interactive Theater will present a new interactive theater presentation developed in collaboration with Berkeley Engineering.  Participants will have the opportunity to analyze specific examples of how unconscious bias can interfere with creating classrooms that support the success of all students and foster an “inclusivity mindset” in our teaching and advising.

Workshop 2: Practicing What We Learn About Inclusive Spaces

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 10:30 am-12:30 pm in Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Hall
In Workshop 2, we will explore a wider range of examples of how unconscious biases exert themselves in different learning environments and practice looking at underlying issues and problematic words and behaviors. We will also share specific tools for creating inclusive classrooms and inviting deeper participation in learning.

Workshop 3: Owning the Process of Knowledge Acquisition and Inclusive Applications

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 9:30 -11:30 am at 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building
During Workshop 3 we will provide participants an opportunity to continue practicing “multi-perspective awareness” to support successful multi-cultural interactions and micro-affirmations to foster inclusivity at Berkeley Engineering. We will do problem-solving and coaching, and we will build a toolkit of promising practices.

Module: Showing Up for the Faculty Search

Targeted Audience: Faculty, particularly those serving on search committees; Staff e.g. AP Analysts
Contact: Kara Nelson, associate dean for equity and inclusion, karanelson@berkeley.edu 
RSVP Form

Workshop 1: Interactive Theater

Thursday, Nov. 14, 10 am-12 pm in Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Hall
In Workshop 1, Berkeley Interactive Theater will present a new skit developed in collaboration with Berkeley Engineering.  Participants will have the opportunity to analyze specific examples of how implicit bias can interfere with our efforts to increase the diversity of our faculty.

Workshop 2: Taking a Deeper Look

Wednesday, Dec. 4, 10 am-12 pm at 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building
Workshop 2 will present evidence on different ways that bias can influence the faculty search process to raise awareness on issues that impede our ability to recruit a more diverse faculty.

Workshop 3: Putting it All Together: from Exposure/Knowledge Acquisition to Application

Wednesday, Dec. 11, 10 am-12 pm, at 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building
During Workshop 3, participants will have the opportunity to discuss specific strategies to improve our faculty hiring, and to practice participating in difficult faculty dialogues that will support successful multi-cultural interactions and micro-affirmations to foster inclusivity at Berkeley Engineering.

This work is funded by Chevron Corporation and the College of Engineering in partnership with faculty from the Departments of Bioengineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering, as well as students from Black Graduate Engineering and Science Students, Latinx Association of Graduate Students in Engineering and Science, Graduate Women in Engineering, Black Engineering and Science Students Association (BESSA), Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Hispanic Engineers and Scientists (HES).