I couldn't agree more. And having been to a couple of these diversity trainings and reviewed some online stuff, I will risk irritating people by saying these trainings are still very rudimentary and trainers are still finding their way. I've trained all my life and I see the short comings. I will also say that the two I actually participated in were by trainers who viewed suggestions as disagreement with the objectives so I ceased comments. That is clear evidence that the trainers were failing.

I'm not an expert in diversity, but I am an expert in training. The first rule is to keep that learning channel open in both directions. The second is to tailor the message to the audience. That means you need to listen to those questions so you know what they are really asking and where they are coming from. Instead, they make assumptions about their audience that literally turns every comment into an us/them response. And they don't even know who we are or what our histories are. Respect also needs to go both ways.

One last thing is the vocabulary. They used Christian religious terms and acronyms that were unfamiliar. I'm an atheist old lady of Jewish heritage, who doesn't have or want cable and who doesn't participate in any social media. The trainers were completely unaware that some of us didn't know what they were talking about.

I'll tell you what I'm REALLY worried about. We need GOOD diversity trainings and discussions to make us all more sensitive to this vital area of concern. Poor training is likely to provide the exact opposite result. And I think we are seeing some of this back lash now.

Diversity training also involves a whole different part of the brain than safety training. So let's keep to one subject at a time please.

Monona

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Palluzi <000006c59248530b-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Sent: Wed, Nov 24, 2021 10:32 am
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Achieving DEIR and Safety Awareness in a Chemistry Graduate Program: "Safety, Inclusivity, & Diversity Talks" ("SID Talks") as Part of a Colloquium Series

As an old curmudgeon I feel compelled to say that including anything else in a routine safety presentation has continually proven to dilute the over arcing importance of the safety message. However, abhorrent and unwanted, one can survive in a less inclusive and less diverse workplace (or survive to leave and go to one that is inclusive and diverse). But if one fails to be safe, they may be injured or worse. So I feel that safety has to trump all other topics.

I think ACS should take a position that safety should always be a primary and standalone topic.

And yes, I know that having another meeting on non safety topics immediately after a safety meeting is very common. But I think separating the two - however trivial -is an unappreciated but vital piece. So make it two meeting, Safety then whatever else they want. But not SID.

My opinion for what it is worth.

Richard Palluzi
PE, CSP,FAIChE

Pilot plant and laboratory consulting, safety, design, reviews, and training
www.linkedin.com/in/richardppalluzillc/

Richard P Palluzi LLC
72 Summit Drive
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
rpalluzi**At_Symbol_Here**verizon.net
908-285-3782

-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Ralph Stuart
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2021 9:44 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Achieving DEIR and Safety Awareness in a Chemistry Graduate Program: "Safety, Inclusivity, & Diversity Talks" ("SID Talks") as Part of a Colloquium Series

This is an interesting project at the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis connecting lab safety and DEIR issues in their graduate program.

- Ralph

Achieving DEIR and Safety Awareness in a Chemistry Graduate Program: "Safety, Inclusivity, & Diversity Talks" ("SID Talks") as Part of a Colloquium Series

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00434

A time- and cost-effective strategy aimed at increasing awareness of diversity, equity, inclusion, respect (DEIR), safety, and other issues within a typical graduate program is described. Using a brief portion of time (up to =E2=88=BC10 min) at the commencement of each weekly departmental colloquium event, graduate students under faculty guidance develop topics of interest related to the above areas to deliver what are deemed to be Safety, Inclusivity, & Diversity Talks, ("SID Talks"); one SID Talk is delivered at each seminar gathering. Importantly, as described herein, this is a student-engaged process and is not a graduate program requirement.

SID Talks are intended to increase and facilitate collegial conversations on topics leading, ultimately, to a departmental culture and climate change regarding safety awareness and DEIR. SID Talks are easily adaptable to any departmental need or situation and have had a positive impact on our program as evidenced by increased overall graduate student awareness of issues, volunteerism, and a stated desire to learn more on certain topics.

When surveyed, it was determined that a majority of graduate students found SID Talks to be a meaningful addition to our program; this attitude is also held by the faculty of the department. The development of the SID Talk concept and its integration into our program and departmental culture is described along with an assessment of its impact and future possibilities.

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