The Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC)

The Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC) is committed to fostering the intellectual and personal growth of underrepresented minority (URM) students in the BBS. Our central mission focuses on a four-pronged approach: engagement, empowerment, outreach, and advancement.

The student engagement division aims to increase the representation of URM scholars in BBS by advancing progressive recruitment initiatives coupled with student outreach to engage the next generation of minority scientists.

The student empowerment division tackles the historical legacy of patterns and practices that have led to the exclusion of minoritized students in STEM. Through this division, we aim to both empower minoritized students and address and alleviate historical and psychological burden that comes with being a minority in STEM. Through the appointment of dedicated YBDIC fellows for each track in BBS, we aim to create more inclusive training environments at the department level – and we believe this will culminate into institutional change.

The student outreach division focuses on providing access to science education and science communication opportunities and resources, available at Yale and within Yale’s networks, to engage, empower, and advance underrepresented, disadvantaged, and marginalized individuals in the biological and biomedical sciences to increase career readiness.

The student advancement

division is committed to preparing minority students in BBS to successfully navigate the next stage of their academic career and transition into non-academic or academic sectors. By creating a dedicated URM faculty mentoring network and leveraging our alumni relationships, we will be able to provide URM students with models and mentors as they traverse the next stage of their academic career. Collectively, through the concerted of each branch we aim to foster individual empowerment and lasting institutional change.