Women in STEM Annual Summit

"Good morning, and welcome to UB’s Sixth Annual Women in Stem Summit.

I am delighted to join all of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, university friends and guests who are here with us today. And I want to thank the members of the UB Women in STEM Cooperative, and our sponsors, for bringing together mentors and thought leaders who inspire and support our students, faculty and professionals in STEM fields.

At UB, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for our students, faculty and staff. This is who we are, and how we identify as a campus community. When we pursue our research and scholarship in an environment where all feel respected, and all have the same opportunities, we are best positioned to excel in these pursuits.

Among higher education institutions, UB has long been a leader in promoting and improving opportunities for women and minorities in STEM fields and entrepreneurship. These include programs such as: the Institute for Strategic Enhancement of Educational Diversity or iSEED; Women in Science and Engineering programs and summer camps for high school girls; and the Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs (MWEE) program.

Thanks to our intentional planning, we know that efforts such as these are working to improve diversity and increase the number of women studying the STEM disciplines. In the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, for example, the percentage of both women and under-represented students has gone up—creating a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive student body as a result. And across our university, we have nearly doubled the number of under-represented students enrolled at UB.

While we’ve made great progress, we are dedicated to continuing to bridge the STEM gap through cultural inclusion and educational opportunity.

Thank you, again, for joining us today. I wish you all the best for a most enlightening and productive conversation."