Diversity and Inclusion | Evolutionary Genetics Lab at SUNY Oneonta
Faculty members at colleges and universities have many roles, acting as mentors, teachers, researchers, and members of a broad educational community.
Because of this, I believe faculty members have a responsibility to encourage and facilitate a community of inclusion and understanding.
As a faculty member it is critical to acknowledge and appreciate that students come from a wide array of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
This diversity can lead to broad, creative scientific questions, but more importantly, it can enrich the lives of people involved by demonstrating
the importance of unique perspectives. I believe this uniqueness is powerful because it exposes people to new ideas, perspectives, and experiences.
Thus, I urge my students to be themselves both in and out of the classroom, and I work hard to provide all students with opportunities to not only
grow and learn as students, but also as people. As such, my lab is a safe space for folks of all backgrounds!
Alex Sotola