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finding other students with whom to discuss my feelings. Moreover, adjusting to the new environment was not a topic of discussion within the acoustics research group, so I had to find a solution on my own. I have heard simi- lar stories from peers, some of whom decided to transfer to another university or terminate their degree early.
The fact is that studies have shown that one of the greatest barriers to persons of color thriving in STEM academic programs is establishing a scientific identity and connect- ing with others in the discipline. I was able to connect with other STEM students of color in the Minority Sci- ence and Engineering Program (MSEP) and the Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program (see https://grad.uw.edu/gomap-is-now-gsee/), and my aca- demic performance improved over time. Additionally, I began to visit the Ethnic Cultural Center (ECC; see http://depts.washington.edu/ecc/) frequently because this was a safe space for students from underrepresented groups to discuss the challenges of simply existing at a PWI. We created a supportive community, which enabled most to excel instead of survive at the UW, and we worked collectively to push the university to expand access and support for underrepresented students.
Additionally, I cofounded the Minority Think Tank (MTT) with other students from the ECC. We organized seminars and launched programs that were designed to combat exclusivity and counter the false narrative pre- sented by anti-affirmative action advocates. I assumed the identity of an activist during this period, and my involvement in these activities served as a stress release. However, it was difficult to balance my identities as a doctoral student and as an activist.
Fortunately, Larry Crum and the other bioengineering faculty and staff were understanding and extremely sup- portive. I worked on a collaborative project studying the impact of high-intensity focused ultrasound combined with pH-sensitive polymers on the permeability of cell membranes. There were many days where I split my time equally between the laboratory and meetings at the ECC. Throughout this period, Larry and other faculty in the department fueled my passion for science and occasionally attended events that my peers in MTT and I organized. I successfully managed my dual identities with the support of Larry and the other faculty, complet- ing my doctoral studies in 2003 while also creating new
programs to recruit and support marginalized students that were adopted by the university.
When I started my faculty position at Boston University (BU; Boston, Massachusetts) I found myself once again in the all-too-familiar position of being “the only or one of the few.” I continued my commitment to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in STEM programs but found it more difficult to balance my efforts with my obligations as a faculty member. I had more time available for extracurricular activities as a graduate stu- dent but starting a faculty career was significantly more demanding, and in a way, the expectations on me, as the only Black faculty member, were greater than for White colleagues. In addition to building a research program and teaching core undergraduate engineering courses, I agreed to serve as faculty advisor for the BU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Black Student Union.
Byworkingwiththisgroup,Idiscoveredthatthestudents craved contact time with faculty of color so I attended meetings of the organizations as often as possible to increase interaction with the students. Additionally, I reg- ularly met with the presidents of the chapters to discuss monthly events, membership recruitment, and leader- ship skills. By working cooperatively with the presidents, the chapters were operated more effectively, which led to an increase in membership enrollment and participation.
Although working with the students directly was grati- fying, it also was draining and took time away from building my research program. This was a major risk given that scholarly output and teaching are more valued in promotion and tenure decisions than efforts to increase DEI in higher education.
The fact is that DEI efforts are commonly referred to as “invisible work” because there is no clear way to capture the impact of these efforts in a measurable way in faculty
annual reports or promotion and tenure dossiers. More- over, faculty who write evaluation letters for promotion and tenure cases are rarely if ever asked to comment on the efforts of the candidate to address underrepresenta- tion of marginalized groups in their respective discipline. Knowing that my DEI efforts could go unnoticed created tremendous stress and anxiety because they were a reflec- tion of my identity and core values. I felt like the system
Spring 2022 • Acoustics Today 73