Instructor(s) of Record: Dr. Chloé Arson
Email: chloe.arson@ce.gatech.edu
Meeting Times: Wednesdays, 5pm-5.50pm
Location: Mason 3132
Office Hours: Wednesdays + Thursdays 1pm-2pm (Virtual – see Syllabus)
Syllabus (Spring 2022): CEE4801
Description: This course aims to expose students to issues of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) specific to Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). While students have opportunities to receive training on matters of diversity and equity, there are few venues to apply and implement actionable items to improve DEI in the workplace. The course contents will vary from semester to semester depending on the current DEI issues encountered in society, on campus and in the CEE professional communities. To start, it is anticipated that the following topics will be covered: the viewpoint of U.S. CEE professional associations on DEI matters; equity in transportation and urban planning; environmental justice; accessibility of infrastructure for physically disabled persons; LGBTQ+ inclusion in CEE; venues for DEI engagement in the profession; campus DEI policies (and how to make a difference in the School of CEE). The class will meet once a week, alternating between talks by invited speakers with expertise in one of the topics above, and roundtables during which students will debate on the issues presented by the speakers under a set of ground rules established by the instructor and the students at the beginning of the semester, under the mentorship of one of the members of the CEE Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). Roundtables will be held in person (pandemic permitting). Talks will preferably be given in person, but a remote option will be offered to off-campus speakers. Talks will be streamed online synchronously, open to the whole CEE community and recorded (if speakers agree).
Course Goals & Learning Objectives:
1. Increase the sentiment of belonging to CEE among students who are new to Georgia Tech;
2. Educate on DEI issues;
3. Bring awareness to DEI issues in the CEE workplace;
4. Celebrate role models from Under-Represented Minorities (URMs) in CEE.
Spring 2022 Talks:
January 19th:
The Climate for LGBTQ Students, Academics and Professionals in STEM:
Lessons from a Study of the Physics Community
Dr. Michael Falk, Johns Hopkins University
View the recording here
January 26th:
Transportation: a means to deepen or bridge divides
Jacob Tzegaegbe, Expansion at Via
View the recording here
February 9th:
How environmental justice changed after the Flint catastrophe
Dr. Lindsey Butler, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
View the recording here
March 2nd:
Evidence of gender inequality in energy use from a mixed-methods study in India
Dr. Paulina Jaramillo, Carnegie Mellon University
View the recording here
March 9th:
Disability + Infrastructure 101
Maria Sotnikova, Data Scientist, Atlanta Regional Commission
Session was not recorded at the request of our speaker.
March 30th:
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives at Public Universities
Dr. Scott Brandenberg, Professor, UCLA
View the recording here
April 13th:
Complete Trip-ITS4US Deployment Program:
Safe Trips in a Connected Transportation Network (ST-CTN)
Maria Roel-Principal Planner, Atlanta Regional Commission
Poonam Patel-Transportation Analyst, Kimley-Horn & Assoc
Natalie Smusz-Mengelkoch-Senior ITS Engineer, Kimley Horn & Assoc
Session was not recorded.