Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability foster and celebrate a diverse workforce that values the contributions of all employees. Our goal is to practice IDEA principles that create a culture of inclusion. This culture empowers people and attracts and engages with the brightest minds to advance Berkeley Lab’s scientific breakthroughs, groundbreaking innovations, and vision and mission.
In the Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics Division, we have moved purposefully towards a more diverse and equitable workplace via three key actions—raising awareness, expanding activities, and increasing accountability. These actions form the core of ATAP’s IDEA strategy and have been successfully integrated throughout our work processes.
Turning Strategic Goals Into Actions: The ATAP IDEA Committee
The IDEA Committee meets monthly to develop innovative efforts that help embed IDEA principles and practices in our actions and activities. The committee helps support a workforce that reflects and embraces diversity and inclusiveness.
The ATAP IDEA Committee’s objectives:
- Participate in Berkeley Lab’s IDEA Office initiatives in support of the Lab’s strategic IDEA goals.
- Improve opportunities for women, minorities, and underrepresented minorities (URMs).
- Increase active participation in IDEA initiatives and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to promote awareness, accountability, and implementation of IDEA principles.
- Develop the current and future STEM workforce through education and outreach at the K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels and via mentoring programs.
- Promote the ongoing integration of IDEA values throughout our work processes.
IDEA discussion topics are incorporated into our monthly ATAP All to All meetings, which also highlight themes observed in the wider world (e.g., Women’s History Month). The bimonthly ATAP Newsletter has IDEA topics in every issue, with the messaging amplified via social media.
Education and training of future scientists and engineers are integral to ATAP’s mission. We focus on workforce development, including recruitment, retention, and mentoring at all levels from internships through graduate and postdoctoral study and research.
We undertake activities that promote a better understanding of the science and applications of particle accelerators and how our research benefits society. We show how careers in STEM are attainable and lay out pathways to opportunities at Berkeley Lab and the wider scientific community.
DOE requires the inclusion of Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) plans in proposal submissions. The ATAP IDEA Committee serves as a resource for guidance when preparing PIER plans and DOE RENEW and FAIR proposals that promote collaborations with researchers from Minority Serving Institutions.
Safety is fundamental to ATAP’s mission and we have successfully organized an annual Safety Day—now Multi-Lab Safety Week—since 2015. The agenda for the week includes seminars such as Going from Bystander to Upstander, as well as SAFE Workshops that focus on both physical and psychological safety. This helps us incorporate IDEA values and principles in our work processes.
ATAP’s IDEA Committee helps integrate IDEA into our business practices and turn our goals into actions. We invite you to contact us to find out more, offer suggestions, or get involved.
