Diversity in Biological Sciences (DiBS)

Contact us at dibs@u.northwestern.edu

Follow us on social media!

The Diversity In Biological Sciences (DIBS) Council seeks to foster a network and community for underrepresented minorities (URM) and LGBTQ students within IBiS.

This includes increasing resources for URM/LGBTQ students to facilitate their success in and completion of graduate school as well as to act as an advocacy group to provide an inclusive environment for URM and LGBTQ students. To this end, the DIBS Chairs work throughout the year to provide events that fall within the following categories:

Enhance the experience of URM/LGBTQ students through advocacy, inclusion and community building

  • Provide a safe space for students to discuss challenges related to their identities

  • Meeting with the administration to discuss the current state of graduate student experiences

  • Social events that foster and sustain a safe and inclusive environment

Provide professional development

    • Collaborate with the professional development chairs to bring in speakers from diverse backgrounds

    • Work with departments to host faculty from diverse backgrounds for departmental seminars

    • Provide a space for students to interact with speakers of diverse backgrounds about topics related to their background and how it affects their careers

Contribute to diversity recruitment

    • Act as student representatives for recruitment conferences (e.g., ABRCMS, SACNAS)

    • Implement novel recruitment initiatives to encourage diverse students to join the Northwestern community

Events

Quarterly DIBS Coffee Chat

Recurring community building social event featuring coffee, tea, pastries, and good conversation.