Upcoming Engineer Together Day to highlight college's DEI efforts

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee is hosting Engineer Together Day on Wednesday, March 15, in the Brown-Kopel Center.   

The event, which is centered on fostering inclusivity, accessibility and a supportive academic and professional environment, will feature a wide variety of speakers, breakout sessions and opportunities to learn with fellow members of the Auburn Engineering community.   

“This event stresses the growing importance of engineering together on campus and beyond. By prioritizing the integration of diversity, equity and inclusion into engineering education, we will produce more effective and creative engineers who will be able to better support the community around them,” said Jeff Fergus, associate dean for undergraduate studies and program assessment who oversees the college-wide Inclusion and Diversity Committee.  

The schedule for the event is as follows:  

• 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Browse (Grand Hall 2)

This option to browse is open to all students, faculty and staff, especially those interested in becoming involved. It will feature the Society of Women Engineers, 100+ Women Strong, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Inclusion and Diversity Committee.   

• 11 a.m.: Breakout Session 1  

This Breakout Session includes three different sessions to choose from. The first is “Transparent Assignment Design” (Brown-Kopel 2174) hosted by Erin Garcia, lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Daniela Marghitu of the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering will host an additional roundtable during this time titled “Accessibility in the Classroom” (Brown-Kopel 2116). Both events are open to faculty, staff and graduate students. 

Undergraduate students are encouraged to consider Career Development and Corporate Relations' “Design for Humanity Challenge,” taking place in Grand Hall 1. 

• 12 p.m.: Breakout Session 2 

This session, open to all faculty, staff and graduate students, will feature Director of Recruiting, Jessica Taylor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Jeff Fergus who will speak on “Student and Faculty Recruitment Efforts and K-12 Outreach Opportunities” (Brown-Kopel 2174). 

A talk on “Practical Inclusion Strategies” (Brown-Kopel 2116) will also be moderated by Virginia Davis, the Dr. Daniel F. and Josephine Breeden Professor of chemical engineering, during this time.  

• 1 p.m.: Breakout Session 3  

The final session will feature “Advocates and Allies” (Brown-Kopel 2174) hosted by Matthew Miller, professor in the School of Kinesiology, and David Timm, the Brasfield and Gorrie Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Jenny Sconyers, Student Initiative Administrator, will host a session titled “Inclusive Customer Service Strategies,” (Brown-Kopel 2116). These are open to all faculty, staff and graduate students. 

Lunch will be provided for all from 10-1 in Grand Hall 2. Additionally, the winner of the Engineer Together design competition, which calls for entries of visual depictions of what it means to engineer together, will be announced and the top two designs will be available for viewing.     

Registration for the event is open now at aub.ie/engineertogetherday.

The Inclusion and Diversity committee, which was founded in 2018, strives to “monitor the climate regarding the engagement of diverse student, staff and faculty populations and to coordinate and support activities to improve inclusion and diversity in the College of Engineering.”