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In preparation of this section's contents,  a  guide from the University of Guelph has been employed. 

• I (Dr. Rahimi) have taken the Unconscious Bias Course (free of charge) offered by the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN), a national online mentoring network to connect mentors and mentees across the nation, as this can be eye-opening towards how we are as individuals and help us better understand ourselves and some methods toward better assessment and handling of bias in our daily lives. 

Equity, diversity and inclusion definitions

EQUITY Equity means fairness; people of all identities being treated fairly. It means ensuring that the processes for allocating resources and decision-making are fair to all and do not discriminate on the basis of identity. 

DIVERSITY Diversity consists of the conditions, expressions and experiences of different groups identified by age, education, sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, parental status/responsibility, immigration status, Indigenous status, religion, disability, language, race, place of origin, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status and other attributes. Recognizing and valuing diversity must be accompanied by concerted efforts to ensure inclusion of diverse populations, meaning that individuals are and feel valued, respected and equally supported.

INCLUSION Inclusion requires creating an environment in which all people are respected equitably and have access to the same opportunities. 

What do EDI considerations look like?

• Outlining measures and safeguards that will be implemented to ensure that EDI principles are key considerations in the composition and management of the research group and training activities.

•  Research projects should meaningfully engage members of underrepresented groups within the research team through the engagement of students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and partners. Underrepresented groups include, but are not limited to, the four designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, members of visible minorities, and persons with disabilities). Applicants can consult the Government of Canada’s Employment Equity website for definitions of each group.

Towards a more EDI-friendly research lab and environment, Dr. Rahimi strives to consider and actively apply the following practices in his recruitment, training, research,  and teaching:

Training Considerations

• Including training related to EDI in teams or research methodologies and practices on a regular basis, such as a two-year equity training plan for the team to participate in 2-3 training and/or workshop sessions per year. Internal and external training opportunities are shared with the team members and on social media to encourage them to attend, learn, implement and practice the values learned during these sessions on daily basis.

  • Examples of external training:

▪  NSERC’s Bias in Peer Review module;

▪  Online Status of Women in Canada GBA+ training course;

▪  CIHR’s Sex and Gender in Health Research online modules;

▪  Peer-reviewed Gendered Innovations project - develops practical methods of sex and gender analysis for scientists and engineers and provides case studies as concrete illustrations of how sex and gender analysis leads to innovation;

•  Including information related to Office of Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility (OHREA) so that staff and students are aware of rights and responsibilities

• Having team members supervising research staff or students receive training from (OHREA). This training could apply to faculty team members as well as senior HQP supervising other trainees e.g. post-docs, research associates. For example, Accessible Service Provision (AODA) that is required for all University of Windsor employees.

• Providing foundational skills, both technical and soft skills alike, for team members that can translate into diverse professional fields.

• Developing an individualized training plan and approach for each HQP, where possible. Their training in specialized techniques can be complemented by other professional development opportunities offered by the University of Windsor, LinkedIn Learning, Mitacs, conference networking, etc. that focus on the competencies outlined above as well as independent critical thinking, project management, policy/data analysis, communication, and/or knowledge mobilization, which will be transferable to academic, industrial, and other career paths).

 Composition Considerations

• Recruitment processes: Considering best practices to ensure that the recruitment of additional/new team members (faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, etc.) is open and transparent to minimize barriers and mitigate against unconscious bias.

• Publicizing positions:

  • Posting positions publicly for a minimum period of at least two (2) weeks to thirty (30) days supports openness and transparency and helps ensure an advertisement reaches a sufficiently wide audience. Positions may be posted on lab and department websites, shared through social media, professional networks and listservs, and posted on national and international job boards, especially those targeting under-represented groups (e.g. Equitek Employment Equity Solutions).

  •  Language in job posting:

    • Employing The Canada Research Chair (CRC) program suggestions, applicable to staff or grad student recruitment:

      • Using gender-neutral language;

      • Posting only the qualifications and skills necessary for the job;

      • Ensuring the job ad includes a statement encouraging applications from underrepresented groups; and

      • Encouraging candidates to speak with other members of the lab and/or department who can share their experiences regarding the work environment.

  • Interview Process:

    • Considering diversity as a factor in establishing participation in the interview/selection processes, those who are mindful of human rights values or who are familiar with the challenges faced by underrepresented groups;

    • Providing any accommodations that may be appropriate during the interview;

    • Making use of the following resources:

      • Online HR wage grids for student employees, minimum stipends for postdoctoral fellows, and Grant and Trust wage rates for other research staff;

      • OHERA training module on minimizing implicit bias in recruitment (note: the module was created (and required) for faculty and sessional lecturer hiring committees, but could be used to provide training for those involved in staff and student recruitment);

• Considering a range of disciplinary perspectives and/or areas of research expertise in the ongoing development and composition of core team:

  • Using a “person-task fit” approach, or matching characteristics of individuals with characteristics of the research and/or translational task;

  • Using research networking tools, e.g. Research Gate to identify potential scientific collaborators outside your current network, including representation from various career stages; Since, engineering is a not a gender-balanced discipline, ensuring that the team includes individuals of underrepresented groups at different career stages.

  • In case, a senior female scientist with relevant expertise for mentorship of earlier career stage females is not part of the team, sharing request through existing networks and/or considering making a request at Request a Woman Scientist.

•  Identifying and implementing practices that will ensure that team members from underrepresented groups are supported and integrated into the team:

  • • Acknowledging multi-faith holidays and providing appropriate time off upon request (see the UW multi-faith calendar);

    • Implementing measures to ensure that parents with young children are not excluded from team socializing and work (e.g. meetings outside of the usual work hours can pose a problem; or meetings held within the first half-hour of the work-day);

    • Encouraging and modeling work-life balance;

    • Encouraging students and staff to access services on campus geared towards minority groups and Indigenous supports, such as the Aboriginal Education Center, Indigenous Resources, and LGBTQ2IA+ resources;

    • Providing financial support to attend conferences to support students and staff from all socioeconomic backgrounds;

    • Arranging for stipends for community members to support their participation;

    • Creating a formal or informal mentorship program for new/international trainees. Encouraging international students, for further support, contact the Centre for International Programs;

    • Accounting for translation services in plans and budgets, if and when needed.

• Employing the following four key actions as standard meeting etiquette/process to integrate diverse perspectives:

1. Inviting team members to share their perspectives in their own ways

2. Gaining agreement on solutions through member-checking

3. Working towards consensus on shared goals and decision-making criteria

4. Gaining agreement on solutions through member-checking

• Cultivating positive beliefs about diversity by:

  1. • expressing the value of diversity

     • sharing and discussing emerging resources related to the benefits associated with diversity in research teams

     • developing a formal statement regarding the lab’s commitment to diversity that is posted on lab website, in staff meeting room, etc.

• Participating in inclusivity training, diversity/equity committees and/or initiatives on-campus that promote, educate on, and help implement EDI-related practices and activities.

• Incorporating strategies to ensure all team members have what they need to succeed in the lab environment. Examples of this include: 

  1. Providing a Lab Code of Conduct on the website to ensure all members are aware of and adhere to EDI values in the lab. 

  2. Encouraging HQP to get involved in the shaping of the lab and the lab code of conduct by voicing their opinions and ideas in weekly meetings and via an anonymous idea box to ensure HQP are not afraid to voice their concerns. 

  3. Involving other team members in the recruiting and interview process to eliminate potential bias in the ranking of applicants. 

  4. Recording weekly meetings with closed captions to ensure accessibility of the information exchanged during meetings to all members of the lab. 

  5. Adjusting HQP’s workload depending on their personal struggles and issues they may be dealing with to ensure they do not feel left behind and excluded. 

  6. Involving students in peer-review of their lab mates to empower them not only to learn but also to teach and mentor one another and obtain a sense of diligence. In cases where inter-peer conflicts may arise during these practices, all lab members are encouraged to revisit the lab’s code of conduct and adhere to the items included in there. If required, meetings are held to address underlying issues that have led to such circumstances and modify the code of conduct to prevent future issues.