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Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Indigeneity

Mission Statement

Inclusion inspires teamwork and innovation. Diversity sparks creativity. Equity represents opportunity, trust, and the foundational resources for productive relationships. Indigenous awareness facilitates collaboration and learning from the land and its people.

These values are fundamental for success in our mission to ‘change the way our society collaborates with nature for a sustainable and renewable future.’ We embrace these values in our daily actions to innovate and create sustainable solutions that reflect society’s connection to our natural environment. By bringing together state of the art research and resources, BPI aims to unlock the potential of nature and creativity to make a positive impact on all sectors of the economy.

To advance UBC’s Inclusion Action Plan and Indigenous Strategic Plan, our strategic plan reflects the significance we have given to Inclusive Leadership & Respectful Engagement by embedding EDI.I in all facets of our research and operations.

Action Plan

As a hub of innovation, the Bioproducts Institute is actively involved in constructing and maintaining productive team relationships and engaging with the local and global communities to learn, develop and implement sustainable solutions that reflect EDI.I values. To deliver on these commitments, we focus on five core themes:

  1. Collaboration: Listen respectfully to all voices and promote diverse and equitable ideas by working together with communities at both the local and global scale.
  2. Innovation: Provide a safe environment for creativity and multigenerational research excellence.
  3. Leadership: Act with uncompromising honesty and integrity in our daily operations by remaining inquisitive and adaptive.
  4. Education: Equip staff and community members with resources that enhance the competencies and capacity they need to build respectful, diverse, and inclusive communities.
  5. Engagement: Foster environments for learning, building, and exchanging multiple and intersectional ways of knowing to empower people today to build a better future for the next generation.

BPI EDI.I Committee

Working together on issues or concerns related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigeneity, the development of an EDI.I Committee is essential in supporting efforts to advance inclusion within BPI as well as at UBC more broadly.

The Committee will be an intentional place for members to support policy reviews and revisions; initiate educational programming; address and implement proactive strategies to mitigate concerns regarding human rights (i.e., religion, age, disability) and discrimination (i.e., racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism); as well as demonstrating an authentic commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and valuing traditional ways of knowing. Moreover, the Committee can ensure that BPI provide professional research support and services to Indigenous communities and that university researchers undertake collaborative projects that are based on community-led interests, reciprocal relationships and principles of mutual accountability.

BPI’s EDI.I Committee will focus on initiatives such as the development of programs, events, workshops, and analysis of data or reports as well as providing direction on policies, programs, initiatives and systems change. The formation of the Committee will require a mix of perspectives and expertise, with membership determined by representation, lived experience, expertise or skills. The initial requirements of the Committee will be to identify a purpose and focus, followed by ascertaining the structure, location, and authority of the Committee.

EDI.I Committee Members

 

 

Ariane_2023
Ariane Fernandes
PhD Candidate
Wood Science

 

Adriana Manso
Associate Professor Restorative Dentistry

 

Anderson Veiga
PhD Student
Wood Science

   

 

Akash Gondaliya
PhD Candidate
Chemistry

 

Ayako Takagi
Ayako Takagi
Industrial Designer

 

Daniela Vargas Figueroa
ERMP Research Project Manager

  

 

Gregory Paradis
Assistant Professor
Forest Resources Management

 

Heather Trajano
Associate Professor Chemical and Biological Engineering

 

jaya_joshi
Jaya Joshi
Assistant Professor
Wood Science

  

 

Kelley Oh
Engagement & EDII Facilitator

 

Marina Mehling
PhD Candidate
Chemical and Biological Engineering

 

Orlando Rojas
Professor & BPI Scientific Director

  

 

Qingshi Tu
Assistant Professor
Wood Science

 

Sumi Siddiqua
Associate Professor
Civil Engineering

 

Yalan Liang
MASc Student

Wood Science

Got Ideas or Concerns?

We want to hear from you! Share your questions or suggestions about EDII issues with Kelley Oh, our Engagement & EDII Facilitator, at kelley.oh@ubc.ca

Prefer to stay anonymous? Click the link below to submit your feedback. The EDII Committee will review all input confidentially and take action. 

Submit your input anonymously

Thank you for helping make BPI a safer, more inclusive community!

 

 


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