Underrepresented Genders in Physics and Astronomy (UNITY)

Mission statement

Underrepresented Genders in Physics and Astronomy (UNITY) at UC Irvine is a representative body for all folks whose gender identities and/or experiences of gender have been historically marginalized in physics and astronomy at the undergraduate and graduate levels and beyond. We welcome anyone who is interested in discussing topics and addressing issues related to gender inclusivity in physics and astronomy. Our overarching goal is to create a more diverse community and a supportive environment.

Our mission can be broken into four broad categories:

1. To create an inclusive and supportive environment for people of underrepresented genders in Physics and Astronomy (P&A)

2. To improve the experience of minoritized genders in P&A at UCI and beyond

3. To increase the retention rate of minoritized genders in P&A

4. To recognize and improve the experience of people in P&A whose experience of gender intersects with other minoritized identities they may have such as race, ethnicity, ability, sexuality, etc.

All of these points have actionable items attached that can be found on our website. Many of these items are works in progress. If you feel passionate about helping us achieve any of these goals, we’d love to see you at our meetings!

Department statistics

Female undergraduates (Applied Physics + Physics): 20% (national average for physics in 2017: 21%)

Female grads: 21% (national average for physics in 2017: 18%)

Female postdocs: 29% (national average for physics in 2010: 16%)

Female faculty members: 18% (national average for physics in 2010: 14%)

Core activities

You can find more information about our activities on our website.

https://sites.uci.edu/unity/

Undergraduate Mentorship Program

- Pairing graduate mentors with undergraduate mentees to share their experiences and offer advice and support

Social Events

-Hosting events for both UNITY members and for all members of the department to get together, meet UNITY members, and learn about the group

Outreach

- Organizing activities and workshops for undergrads, grads, and high school students

Magnifying Voices in Physics (MVP) Series

- MVP is a series of talks we started in response to the longstanding underrepresentation of women and non-binary folks of color in physics. We hope to provide a platform to support and highlight these folks and shift people's perspective of what a physicist looks like. Our goal is to foster a more inclusive environment and motivate aspiring physicists.

Contact

Website: https://sites.uci.edu/unity/

If you have questions or would like to join our mailing list, you can email us at: unity@uci.edu