Students working together on large desk

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion are core values of the Civil and Environmental Engineering community.  We embrace Cornell's Vision for Diversity: Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds. 

CEE is committed to creating and maintaining an open and inclusive environment, where people from all backgrounds can come together to explore new ideas, skills and opportunities. 

We believe that openness to diversity of thought, identities and experiences creates the ideal environment for our students and the greater CEE community to develop an appreciation for different perspectives and discover creative solutions. The innovation that emerges from CEE’s instruction, research and social connections enriches our community and transforms our students into outstanding leaders.

Defining Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity

Diversity

“Diversity is the presence of differences that may include race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, (dis)ability, age, religious commitment, or political perspective.  Populations that have been-and remain- underrepresented among practitioners in the field and marginalized in the broader society.” 

Inclusion

“Inclusion is an outcome to ensure those that are diverse actually feel and/or are welcomed. Inclusion outcomes are met when you, your institution, and your program are truly inviting to all. To the degree to which diverse individuals are able to participate fully in the decision-making processes and development opportunities within an organization or group.”

Equity

"Equity is promoting justice, impartiality and fairness within the procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems. Tackling equity issues requires an understanding of the root causes of outcome disparities within our society."

Source: DEI Extension

CEE Actions

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (DEIB)

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee is made up of a group of students, faculty and staff who work together to problem-solve, advise leadership, and find sustainable ways to create a greater sense of belonging for everyone within the CEE community and beyond.

Goals

  • Increase a sense of belonging for all members of the CEE community 
  • Provide and promote DEIB educational opportunities
  • Provide spaces for conversations around DEIB and belonging 
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration 
  • Practice and promote allyship and inclusion of all identities and lived experience
  • Focus on well-being and mental health

Contact Us

To contact DEIB with a question, comment, or discussion topic, you are welcome to use this contact form or email us at CEE_DEIB@cornell.edu

Resources

Students

Resource Centers

Through Cornell's identity and cultural centers and groups, you can engage with individuals of similar background or connect with identities other than your own on topics ranging from academics and activism to arts and service. The resource centers, advising units, and affinity groups that comprise the Office of the Dean of Students focus on identity development, student support, and advocacy, and create opportunities for students to explore the intersectionality of identity development.

Diversity Programs in Engineering (DPE)

Diversity Programs in Engineering collaboratively works with university and external partners on initiatives enhancing equity for the Cornell Engineering community in terms of: ethnicity, race, sex, gender, orientation, identity, first generation status, socioeconomic class, and veteran status. To achieve DPE's goals, they employ a systemic approach based upon core principles (composition, engagement, inclusion, and achievement) to meet students’ needs.

Diversity and Inclusion Events at Cornell

Faculty

Office of Faculty Development & Diversity The Office of Faculty Development & Diversity (OFDD) provides a range of resources, including training and support for deans, department chairs and individual faculty members, in the areas of faculty development and diversity. 

Staff

Cornell’s Colleague Network Groups are university-sponsored employee resource groups for diverse populations, including racial/ethnic minorities, differently abled, young professionals, LGBT, and veterans, and allies of those groups. The groups provide programs that enhance the university culture by fully engaging all our faculty and staff. Each group advocates for a specific demographic within the Cornell faculty and staff community—to aid in recruitment and retention efforts, as well as improve the climate for the community as a whole.

Community

Accessibility Information for Visitors 
Celebrate Diversity Month Resources

Podcasts

IDP’s "I" Statements Podcast -In each episode people with different identities come together to share their own beliefs, experiences, and perspectives, demonstrating the power and possibility inherent in communicating across difference.

IEA’s Inclusive Excellence Podcast - Join Anthony Sis and Toral Patel from the Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity for a monthly podcast series where they unpack various topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion at work.

Professional Engineering Organizations:


Land Acknowledgment

Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (the Cayuga Nation). The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' people, past and present, to these lands and waters.

This land acknowledgment has been reviewed and approved by the traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' leadership.