A Welcoming Environment

By Violet Rumble ’22, February 17, 2022

Associate professor Kelley Sullivan Granted Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Fellowship with American Physical Society.

Kelley Sullivan (front row, center) has worked hard to foster a sense of belonging for students throughout her career.

(Photo Submitted)

Throughout her academic career, associate professor of physics and astronomy Kelley Sullivan has realized that it’s vital to foster a sense of belonging in physics classrooms and laboratories to attract and engage talented individuals and for the discipline to thrive. To accomplish that, she believes it’s essential to address systemic inequalities that affect traditionally underrepresented populations who have been edged out of the field because they have not felt supported in their identity.

One of her goals is to change the traditional narratives and shine a light on voices that have been historically excluded in physics and science.

“We really do need to have these conversations,” she said. “We need to hold them in a way that doesn't further ostracize the students, and we need to show them why they're important.”

Dr. Sullivan will have an opportunity to bring these inequalities to the foreground as she begins the American Physical Society’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Fellows program. Dr. Sullivan is one of six inaugural fellows selected from a nationwide pool of applicants. The fellows will work with critical conversation specialists to learn how to lead conversations about equity, diversity, and inclusion.

“My motivation stems from the fact that I don't want any students in my classes and the department to feel the way I've felt at times. I want everyone to feel welcome and included.”

Kelley Sullivan, associate professor of physics and astronomy

As part of the two-year fellowship, the fellows will be tasked with designing an EDI workshop intended for physics instructors with support from a curriculum development team and critical conversation specialists. The workshop will provide focused training to help physics instructors build confidence and capacity for leading EDI conversations in their classrooms.

“Hopefully, by the end of two years, we have a well-formed workshop that the next cohort will be the ones to deliver officially,” she said. “We want to have something that's delivered by trained people, to spread this knowledge to other physics instructors that want to bring these conversations into the classroom.”

In addition to bringing back to IC an improved understanding of the ongoing importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion, Sullivan is eager to connect with others who share that goal.

“I'm excited to meet the other fellows who have the same passion and dedication and create a network of people to be able to reach out to not just about this, but about all sorts of different EDI initiatives and challenges that we may face,” she said.

“Dr. Sullivan has demonstrated success in her efforts to make our department community more welcoming to all, and she has experience in leading her colleagues and students to think deeply about how we can do better in the future - to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.”

Beth Ellen Clark, professor and chair of department of Physics and Astronomy.

Sullivan has made equity, diversity, and inclusion a central tenet of her time at IC. She convened and led an anti-racism and inclusion action group on campus in fall 2020, where members brainstormed critical changes to improve equity and inclusion in the physics department. She also guides the department’s ongoing efforts to implement these action items.

“My motivation stems from the fact that I don't want any students in my classes and the department to feel the way I've felt at times,” she said. “I want everyone to feel welcome and included.”

Sullivan’s dedication to these principles is not lost on other members of the Ithaca College community.

“Professor Sullivan is a leader on our campus in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and she is eminently deserving of this honor,” said Claire Gleitman, interim dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences.

“She has demonstrated success in her efforts to make our department community more welcoming to all, and she has experience in leading her colleagues and students to think deeply about how we can do better in the future - to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community,” said Beth Ellen Clark, professor and chair of Department of Physics and Astronomy.