PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee

Our mission is to raise awareness and facilitate ongoing training and dialogue about issues related to diversity and multiculturalism.

2015–2016 Activities

Diversity Committee Undergraduate Travel Award: In conjunction with the Council of University Directors for Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) and the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, the PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee awarded a $400 travel grant to a UMass undergraduate to present original, diversity-related research at the CUDCP midwinter meeting in Miami,

FL. This year’s winner was Patrick McGonigal, ’16. Annual Diversity Retreat: Each January, the PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee hosts a retreat, which is a daylong opportunity for our community to convene and learn about topics relevant to multicultural practice and research. Co-sponsored by the Mutual Mentoring Team Grant from the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development, this year’s retreat was titled, “The Party Line: A Psychological Perspective on America’s Top Presidential Issues.” Speakers featured our own Dr. Linda Isbell, who spoke on stigma and mental illness; Dr. Esther Shapiro from UMass Boston, who spoke on immigration and mental illness; and Dr. Elizabeth Morgan from Springfield College, who presented on sexual identity development. Here is a list of diversity colloquia and diversity retreats from 2008–2016. Northampton Pride: For the third consecutive year, the PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee participated in Northampton Pride, which took place on May 7, 2016. Co-sponsored by the Psychological Services Center, PBS Graduate Student Committee members worked alongside other nonprofit organizations to share information about local mental health services available to LGBTQ individuals in our community. Transgender-Affirming Initiative: In collaboration with the Psychological Services Center (PSC), the PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee is actively involved in an initiative to increase affirming resources and services for individuals who identify as transgender and gender nonconforming. Wendy Helmer Memorial Graduate Student Grant: In loving memory of Wendy Helmer, longtime PSC secretary and proud supporter and friend of the PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee, an annual $500 grant was established in her honor. Starting in the fall of 2016, this peer-nominated grant will be awarded to a PBS graduate student who embodies Wendy’s spirit and commitment to social justice.

Cierra Abellera awarded Yale Ciencia Academy Fellowship | Psychological and Brain Sciences | UMass Amherst

02/11/2020

Congratulations to our very own Cierra! 😄

Cierra Abellera awarded Yale Ciencia Academy Fellowship | Psychological and Brain Sciences | UMass Amherst February 11, 2020Cierra AbelleraCierra Abellera, first-year social psychology PhD student, is one of 40 fellows to participate in the Yale Ciencia Academy (YCA) for Career Development. This week, these young science leaders will kick off their year as fellows at an in-person meeting held to coincide...

01/22/2020

hot off the press! check out our line-up of incredible speakers for our retreat series!

12/06/2019

Thanks for coming out last night! Good luck to everyone in finishing up the semester!

Help Diversity Sciences Inst. & BRiDGE broaden the STEM pipeline

10/30/2019

BRiDGE needs your backing! We hope to reach 200 supporters to show the university that this initiative deserves their ongoing support. Please consider throwing in $1 and adding your name to the Donor Wall to show this matters to you!

For those who are not familiar with BRiDGE, it is a student-led initiative to highlight early career researchers from underrepresented groups with exceptional broader impacts. It first began in the geosciences department, and we have expanded it to PBS this year. We have invited 3 speakers this academic year, Dr. Richard Prather, Dr. Belem López, and Dr. Fantasy Lozada. Students have been engaging with BRiDGE scholars in critical conversations about identity, professional development, and broader impacts, which also gives us opportunities to expand our professional networks.

Help Diversity Sciences Inst. & BRiDGE broaden the STEM pipeline Help UMass Amherst raise $2,400 for the project: Help Diversity Sciences Inst. & BRiDGE broaden the STEM pipeline. Your gift will make a difference!

10/18/2019

We have another fantastic BRIDGE scholar visiting PBS in a couple of weeks! Check out the website of Dr. Belem López (https://belemglopez.com/) to learn more about her lab and research!

10/08/2019

We're looking for graduate students and postdocs to mentor undergrad students! Check out our flyer for more info on how to give back to our academic community!

10/06/2019

BRiDGE needs your support! Today, we launched a campaign to sustain our efforts to bring early career researchers from underrepresented groups with exceptional broader impacts to UMass Amherst. Please consider supporting this student-led initiative by donating to the campaign here:

09/23/2019

Today! Our first BRiDGE Scholar of the semester is here. Come by Tobin 423 at 12:15 to hear Dr. Richard Prather speak about the math behind how your brain learns math!

08/20/2019

We're excited to share the CNS Bridge Scholars for the Fall semester!

04/18/2019

The PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee has chosen Adaeze Egwuatu as the recipient of this year’s Wendy L. Helmer Memorial Graduate Student Award!

The winner of the first Faculty/Staff Ally to Graduate Students Award is Professor Lisa Harvey!

Pictured left-right: Adaeze Egwuatu, Kirsten Helmer (Wendy's wife), and Lisa Harvey

https://www.umass.edu/pbs/news/graduate-student-diversity-committee-honors-outstanding-student-and-facultystaff-ally

04/17/2019

ATTENTION PBS GRAD STUDENTS: Join us Friday (4/19) for some Doughnuts and Dialogue! There will be free coffee and treats, and we will have Dr. Chrystal George Mwangi there to speak on advocating for yourself and others as a graduate student.

We'll be in Tobin 423 from 10:30 am until noon. Stop by whenever you can!

Wendy Helmer Memorial Graduate Student Award: 2019 Nominations

03/31/2019

We want to hear from you!! Nominations are currently being accepted for the Wendy Helmer Memorial Graduate Student Award and the Faculty/Staff Ally to Graduate Students Award.

These awards recognize graduate students and faculty/staff who actively contribute to our community and work to improve the climate in our department for graduate students.

The deadline for nominations is tomorrow (4/1) so don't delay! Each nomination form takes between 5-10 minutes to complete.

The nomination form for the Wendy Helmer Graduate Student Award can be found here: https://goo.gl/forms/MCivSecdVw0D04813

And the nomination form for the Faculty/Staff Ally to Graduate Students Award can be found here: https://goo.gl/forms/zPGEaGzjNVqiZZUz1

Wendy Helmer Memorial Graduate Student Award: 2019 Nominations The Wendy Helmer Memorial Graduate Student Award is a peer-nominated award that is presented annually to a graduate student in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences who embodies Wendy’s spirit and positively influences the PBS community. This individual works to foster an environment ...

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https://www.umass.edu/pbs/diversity/diversity-committees/graduate-student-diversity-committee

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Amherst, MA
01003

PBS Graduate Student Diversity Committee

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