Dr. Lisa Jones, UCSD's incoming chancellor's associate's endowed chair in chemistry and biochemistry
“The important part about our approach to diversifying faculty is that we are being very intentional and clear about why we are doing this,” said Dr. Becky Petitt, UCSD’s vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion, who is leading these hiring efforts with faculty. “A diverse faculty is about institutional excellence. It improves teaching and learning for all students. And substantial research shows that diversity helps us solve big, complex challenges because you are bringing multidisciplinary, multi-background lenses together. This is all part of our comprehensive strategic plan for inclusive excellence.”
At a time when many institutions claim struggle to recruit diverse faculty, UCSD is being hailed as a model.
Petitt added that the current cluster hire focuses on diversifying Black faculty over the next year or two. UCSD is also working on another cluster hire that will be centered on Latinx scholars.
UCSD's latest three faculty members on board include neurobiologist Dr. Hiruy Meharena, computer scientist Dr. Imani N.S. Munyaka, and chemist Dr. Lisa Jones.
In July, Jones will join UCSD as the Chancellor’s Associate’s Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She noted a big draw to the job was the unusual chance to teach courses about health disparities that link STEM subjects to African American Studies.
“When I was an undergraduate focused on STEM, my plan was to minor in African American Studies, so when I heard about this program, I thought I would have loved that as a student,” said Jones, who added that about half of UCSD undergraduates minoring in African American Studies also major in STEM. “I think these kinds of programs are important for students today.”
