The Department of Psychology’s EDI Committee is responsible for implementing policies and initiatives related to equity, diversity and inclusion within our department.
EDI Committee Members
In the 2025/26 academic year, the EDI Committee consists of the Associate Head, EDI (Amori Mikami; committee chair) and the leads of the EDI working groups (Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva, Luke Clark, Todd Handy, David King, Mark Lam, Joelle LeMoult, Lily May, Darko Odic, Noah Silverberg, Miriam Spering, Bonnie Vockeroth), and Graduate Student Council representatives. The committee meets monthly during the academic year and is responsible for all decisions and policies that reflect our Department EDI Committee. Like all Psychology Department committees, the membership on the EDI Committee differs year by year and we expect that in each academic year some new members will join while others will depart.
Read below to learn more about the initiatives undertaken by each working group, each group’s goals, and the many department members who are contributing to that working group’s efforts. These department members are not part of the committee that is creating the decisions and policies attributed to our Departmental EDI Committee as a whole, however, the initiatives carried out by each working group could not succeed without these department members’ efforts.
EDI Working Groups
Community engagement (educational and research partnerships with community members and/or with non-profit organizations that serve local, national, and international public interests) can advance EDI-related objectives and attract students from traditionally underrepresented groups to the field. In addition, community engagement allows for underrepresented and marginalized voices in the community to be acknowledged, valued, and prioritized in education and research. Because community initiatives often emphasize social change and justice, engagement with community can support anti-racist goals. Although community engagement is widely considered to be an asset for academic units, it necessitates an ethic of care, an ethic of responsibility, and a host of cultural, practical, and research competencies. This working group investigated incentives and funding opportunities for community engagement in teaching and research. The group will present the results to the department and explore next steps in the current academic year, based on department feedback. (Inclusion 19, 20, 21)
Lead
Mark Lam (Faculty)
Members
Sunaina Assanand (Faculty)
Steven Barnes (Faculty)
Andrés E. Montiel (Graduate Student)
Anuki Amarakoon (Graduate Student)
This working group consists of trained graduate student (and occasionally, undergraduate student) consultants who are available to support department members on EDI-related goals. In previous academic years, for example, the consultants focused on offering a syllabus review to any faculty or graduate students teaching a course. The syllabus review involves 1:1 meetings where the consultant can offer suggestions about diversifying the reading list, EDI-friendlier course policies, land acknowledgements, and syllabus language. The consultants are available to support other, individualized, EDI-related goals that department members or areas may have, such as reviewing the graduate curriculum, creating a more inclusive lab environment, developing a more equitable system of selecting undergraduate research assistants, or using non-biased language in recommendation letters, as examples. (Inclusion 4, 10, 11)
Lead
Lily May (Faculty)
Members
Jenn Burrell (Graduate Student)
Dana Hunter (Graduate Student)
Marissa Nelson (Graduate Student)
The focus of this working group is on supporting EDI-related learning and conversations between department members about this content. This working group has arranged lunch and learn workshops (sometimes involving external speakers and other times involving internal facilitators), as well as a book club, about EDI-related topics. It has also sponsored affinity groups within the department such as PrideMind. Most events are open to all department members. A high priority is placed on encouraging attendees to dialogue with one another about the material and how they want to apply it. Sign up for the EDI Dialogue and Learning newsletter. (Inclusion 5, 7, 8)
Lead
David King (Faculty)
Members
Lauren Farahani (Undergraduate Student)
Erica Flaten (Post-doc)
Jay Hosking (Faculty)
Annette Idiagbor (Undergraduate Student)
Ava Morris (Undergraduate Student)
Kiarah O'Kane (Graduate Student)
Megan Stephan (Undergraduate Student)
This working group is aimed at creating priorities and programs that provide financial support for graduate and undergraduate student research assistantships, in ways that support diverse students, including students who otherwise would not be able to have these research opportunities. This group created the Psychology Inclusive Excellence (PIE) Fund which is a new funding stream for these research assistantships. This working group has led fundraisers for the PIE Fund, and developed procedures for adjudicating graduate and undergraduate student awards. (Inclusion 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Lead
Noah Silverberg (Faculty)
Members
Zaina Alkurdi (Undergraduate Student)
Daniella Beyene (Undergraduate Student)
Samantha Dawson (Faculty)
Hin Fu (Graduate Student)
Francis Yuen (Graduate Student)
The working group is helping the Department Search Committees to implement recommendations concerning the recruitment and selection of faculty members who advance our department’s EDI-related goals. Some efforts have involved getting the word out about our jobs more broadly, changing language in our job ad and interview procedures in ways that value our department commitment to EDI, suggesting interview procedures that are more equitable to candidates with diverse backgrounds, and contributing to procedures to adjudicate applicants that involve consideration of their EDI contribution as a part of the decision. (Hiring 1 through 16)
Lead
Luke Clark (Faculty)
Members
Dipra Gulati (Undergraduate Student)
Tanoulu Li (Graduate Student)
Alia Mahrez (Graduate Student)
Grace Truong (Faculty)
Shayden Schofield-Lewis (Graduate Student)
Cindy Yu (Graduate Student)
Lead
Program Director: Joelle LeMoult (Faculty)
Members
Program Managers: Seonwoo Hong and Jen Hyslop (Graduate Students)
Benjamin Cheung (Faculty)
Brandon Forys (Graduate Student)
Yangyilin Guo (Graduate Student)
Connor Kerns (Faculty)
Yash Joshi (Graduate Student)
Brian Liu (Graduate Student)
Alia Mahrez (Graduate Student)
Caroline Miller (Graduate Student)
Khai Qing Chua (Graduate Student)
Shuyuan Shi (Graduate Student)
If you’re interested in research methods or program evaluation (using psychology research methods to evaluate the effectiveness of real-world initiatives, and communicating the results to stakeholders), consider joining this working group! This working group establishes and implements a regular annual assessment of our department’s progress on EDI goals. This group supports the other working groups in their goal setting for the year and promotes the transparency of these goals on our website. The working group also conducts an annual EDI climate survey in the department, writes an annual EDI report, and contributes to a yearly department-wide Town Hall about our department’s EDI goals and progress. (Progress Monitoring 1, 2)
Lead
Miriam Spering (Faculty)
Members
Salma Abouhalika (Undergraduate Student)
Camila Cavalli (Faculty)
Douglas Forrest (Graduate Student)
Chantelle Cocquyt (Graduate Student)
Wynter Hasti Nikfarjam (Undergraduate Student)
This working group amasses, develops, and distributes information about resources to support wellness and wellbeing for department members (faculty, staff, students). This includes resources about the options that department members have if they are experiencing an EDI-related complaint or concern. The working group aims to incorporate information about supports within the department, university, and broader community into the graduate student handbook and orientation, as well as post this information on our website. The group is also developing a system to be available to consult with department members about the various support options. (Progress Monitoring 4)
Lead
Todd Handy (Faculty)
Members
This working group oversees the EDI-related content and resources on our department website. This includes sourcing and updating information and resources to display on the website and Psychology Student Guide (On Canvas), as well as efforts to structure these platforms to make the information more accessible to user groups (prospective graduate students and faculty members, current interested department members, current undergraduate students, other departments looking for models, the general public). (Inclusion 6, 9, 14, 18)
Lead
Bonnie Vockeroth (Staff)
Members
Emma Furland (Undergraduate Student)
Rin Tjandra (Undergraduate Student)
This working group has the goal of evaluating and making recommendations for things like merit procedures, space allocation, and promotion and tenure for faculty, to align with departmental EDI goals. Another relevant task is evaluating and making recommendations for equity in resources related to graduate students, undergraduate students, and staff. This group administered a survey to assess department members’ views about inequitable areas in our department, in order to set priorities for the current academic year. (Progress Monitoring 3)
Lead
Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva (Faculty)
Members
Kassandra Darbel (Staff)
Jason Rights (Faculty)
Tara Martin (Staff)
This working group completed a preliminary investigation of the feasibility and design of a new graduate minor in the Psychology of Diversity. The group’s research uncovered three potential options. In the current academic year, this working group will present the options to the department and potentially investigate further, based on department feedback. (Inclusion 13)
Lead
Darko Odic (Faculty)
Members
EDI Statements of Support
Our EDI Committee’s statements of support, plus policy and decisions for issuing statements of support concerning events in the world as well as closer to home.
EDI Strategy and Initiatives
Our EDI Working Groups are implementing a number of initiatives and actions for faculty hiring, inclusion, and progress monitoring in the department.
EDI Goals and Actions
Our EDI Working Group’s goals and actions advance equity and inclusion in the Department of Psychology. These initiatives stem from the Psychology EDI Task Force report and recommendations. Plus, read the EDI Annual Report.
EDI Involvement
Looking to get involved in EDI? Join a working group to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion priorities and initiatives in the department.
Psychology EDI Surveys
EDI Climate Survey
The EDI Annual Reports provide results from annual Department-wide surveys conducted each Spring to assess the Department climate with regard to equity and inclusion. These reports also summarize EDI Working Group’s progress on a wide range of EDI-related goals each academic year, as well as challenges faced and future directions.
2025 Equity in Departmental Resources
The Equity in Resources Working Group implemented a department wide survey to gather data on areas of perceived inequity in resources in our department. The survey results were presented to the department for reflection and discussion.
2021 First Generation Student Survey
The EDI committee is organizing a community for First Generation students—students who’re the first in their family to pursue higher education. We wish to put in touch students that have similar backgrounds and experiences, with the ultimate goal of creating a safe and positive community with the department. Let us know what we can offer you.
2018 EDI Committee Survey
In February 2018, the EDI committee distributed a survey to understand if the psychology community is aware of UBC’s Equity and Inclusion resources and policies.
2017 EDI Committee Survey
In March 2017, the EDI committee distributed a brief survey to faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students about equity issues that affect our department and how we may better support an inclusive environment. Below are survey questions and results for your reference.
Contact Us or Get Help
Do you have EDI related questions or concerns? Complete our Contact form and select I have an inquiry about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Are you experiencing harassment, discrimination, bias, microaggressions, bullying, sexual harassment, or racism?