Faculty, Staff and Students Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

The Statler College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

The charge for the DEI Committee in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources includes the following:

• Promote the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion as identified by West Virginia University and in the Statler College.
• Identify challenges and strengths in promoting and achieving DEI goals.
• Make recommendations to the College Dean/Administrative units/Vice President’s office regarding ways to achieve DEI goals.
• Facilitate communication and understanding among different constituencies in the College and at the University levels.
• Engage students, staff, and faculty to assess needs related to DEI/Propose strategies for assessing progress and removing barriers in DEI.

• 

  Samuel Ameri

  Chairperson, Professor - Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering

  samuel.ameri@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Avishek Choudhury

  Assistant Professor - Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering

  avishek.choudhury@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Cerasela Zoica Dinu

  Associate Dean for Student, Faculty and Staff Engagement - Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

  Professor - Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

  Chairperson - Statler College Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

  cerasela-zoica.dinu@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Robin Hensel

  Teaching Professor - Fundamentals of Engineering Program

  robin.hensel@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Qingqing Huang

  Syd and Felicia Peng Professor and Associate Professor with Tenure - Department of Mining Engineering

  qingqing.huang@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Paige Nesbit

  Marketing & Communications Director - Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

  paige.nesbit@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Guilherme Pereira

  Associate Professor - Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  Adjunct Associate Professor - Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

  guilherme.pereira@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Michelle Poland

  Director and Academic Advisor - Statler College Advising Center

  michelle.poland@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Brian Powell

  Teaching Assistant Professor - Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

  brian.powell@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Dimitra Pyrialakou

  Assistant Professor - Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  dimitra.pyrialakou@mail.wvu.edu

• 

  Xueyan Song

  George B. Berry Chair of Engineering, Professor - Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  xueyan.song@mail.wvu.edu

Subcommittee Charges

Graduate Education Subcommittee

The charge of the Graduate Education Subcommittee of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is to conduct a thorough external and internal environmental scan of the graduate education program to:

• Collectively advocate for the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups
• Ensure that every graduate student has the full opportunity to thrive in the college and at West Virginia University
• Recognize and promote awareness, engagement, and community building around diverse experiences
• Inform and hold departments, academic units, and administration accountable to improving the recruitment, retention, and degree completion of underrepresented groups.

Undergraduate Education Subcommittee

The charge of the Undergraduate Education Subcommittee of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is to conduct a thorough external and internal environmental scan of the undergraduate education program to:

• Ensure that our campus is a place where future and current students with different backgrounds feel supported, included, and celebrated by fellow students, faculty, and staff.
• Commit to increasing our population of diverse students and ensuring they have the tools and equal opportunities to achieve to their fullest potential.
• Envision working collaboratively to build on natural talents to develop technical and theoretical problem-solving skills with the goal to produce future industry leaders capable of leading richly diverse and creative teams.

Faculty and Staff Subcommittee

The charge of the Faculty and Staff Subcommittee of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is to conduct a thorough external and internal environmental scan of faculty and staff programs to:

• Create, implement and optimize programs that support the success of all underrepresented faculty and staff in the college Clearly define underrepresented groups in the college (STEM definition, NSF definition, etc.)
• Regularly evaluate hiring processes to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion are held as top priorities
• Address programmatic obstacles in recruitment and retention processes for underrepresented groups with the goal of increasing the number of faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds
• Advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion and work to create an overall more inclusive culture in the college
• Establish and hold ongoing conversations with key units and stakeholders such as the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, the Center for Excellence in Disabilities, the Center for Black Culture and Research, the ADVANCE program, the LGBTQ+ Center, the Office of Multicultural Affairs etc.