Weill Cornell Medicine is delighted to host its third Diversity Week and to share with you the latest scholarship and initiatives related to equity, the needs of diverse patient populations, anti-racism, and social justice. I’m very excited for this event to be back on our calendars, after a break in 2020 due to the pandemic.
A major goal of Diversity Week has been to bring our community together and strengthen our culture of inclusion and belonging. In 2021, our annual celebration of diversity has taken on even greater significance and urgency. The ongoing pandemic has highlighted all too clearly the underlying health and social inequities that leave communities of color more vulnerable to diseases including COVID-19. Widespread civil unrest last summer following the killing of George Floyd and other Black people has fueled much needed dialogue about systemic racism in our country and is inspiring change at all levels.
At Weill Cornell Medicine, we are redoubling our efforts toward greater equity and diversity among our students, staff, faculty, and leadership. New groups have been formed in recent months, including Medical Education’s Equity and Inclusion Initiative and the Graduate School’s Social Justice and Anti-Racism Task Force, which are addressing aspects of the student learning environment. The Office of Institutional Equity has been charged with investigating reports of discrimination and harassment and enhancing fairness in employment practices. Existing units, including the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Diversity Council, and Office of Faculty, are optimizing strategies to develop, mentor, advance, and sustain a diverse faculty. In addition, many individuals and programs throughout our institution are finding innovative ways to strive for social justice and better healthcare for people of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, religion, and background.
I am proud of the progress we are making and know that we still have much to do as an institution and as a community. Diversity Week reflects our shared and sustained commitment toward a more equitable and inclusive society for ourselves and for our patients. Many thanks go to all those who organized this year’s event. We have an outstanding line-up of speakers who will be addressing topics that are so important to the future of academic medicine, and I hope you have the opportunity to hear from many of them.
Sincerely,
Augustine M.K. Choi, MD
Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean
Weill Cornell Medicine
Provost for Medical Affairs
Cornell University
On behalf of the Weill Cornell Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion, we are pleased to welcome you to the third Annual Diversity Week. The first Diversity Week was launched in the spring of 2018. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s distressing impact on our communities in New York City, we cancelled the Dean’s Diversity Week in 2020. In countless ways, 2020 was a haunting year. We encountered as a community, a nation, and globally the devastating effects of COVID-19 and its disproportionate impact on underrepresented and socioeconomically disenfranchised communities in New York and beyond. We also saw the horrendous social justice crises, precipitated by the murder of George Floyd. On the positive side, in 2020 Weill Cornell Medicine was again recognized by the higher education community for its efforts on diversity and inclusion, winning the INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award for the third year in row.
As noted by Dean Choi, this year we are excited to renew our tradition of hosting the Dean’s Diversity Week with a richer agenda. Diversity Week celebrates our achievements and highlights our activities related to diversity and inclusion. It also promotes health equity and explicitly affirms our strong belief in the relationship between diversity and inclusion in our academic workforce and national efforts to reduce or eliminate disparities in health care.
Once again it is important to note that the Dean’s Diversity Week is made possible by the unwavering support of our academic leaders starting with the Cornell University Office of the President, the Weill Cornell Medicine Board of Fellows, the Dean’s Office, and the numerous departmental/divisional heads across our institution for whom this week represents an opportunity to affirm their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
We also thank our keynote speakers and guest speakers who will appear on Zoom to celebrate the week with us. Especial thanks to the many members of our Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian community whose contributions make Diversity Week academically engaging and create a collaborative working and learning environment year-round. Lastly, we thank all the faculty, students, staff, and guests who take time from their busy days to attend the various lectures (in our virtual meeting spaces) and who enrich our community with their different perspectives, skills, and life experiences.
With warm regards,
Executive Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
Inmaculada de Melo-Martin, PhD
Corrie Moreau, PhD
Renee Alexander, PhD
Cecile A. Ferrando, MD, MPH
Kavita Mishra, MD
Lawrence Daniels, MD
Martin S. Karpeh Jr., MD, FACS
William A. Smith, PhD
Robert Livingston, PhD
Roopal Kundu, MD
William McDade, MD, PhD
Regine Douthard, MD, MPH
Koleka Mlisana, MBChB, MMed Micro, PhD
Vanessa Rouzier, MD
Allison Hill
Nagin Cox
Nina Terrero Groth
Melissa Lewin
Lisa Renee-Brown
M. Elizabeth Ross, MD, PhD
Esteban G. Burchard, MD, MPH
Anton M. Bennet, Ph.D.
Vivian Shaw, Ph.D.
Jennifer Ching, Esq
Donnay Edmund
Community Upstander Coordinator, Center for Anti-violence Education
Louis Wade Sullivan, MD
Spero M. Manson, PhD (Pembina Chippewa)
Roderic Pettigrew, PhD, MD
LaTonya Wilkins, ACC
Deirdre Cooper Owens, PhD
Avelino Amado, PhD
Aubrey Leukart, PhD
Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development
Hilda Hutcherson, MD
Melissa B. Davis, PhD
Alex Keuroghlian, MD, MPH
Angela Winfield, JD
Staff Equity & Inclusion Council
Lynda Nwabuobi, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical Center
Please RSVP at Chl9090@nyp.org or call (212) 312-5165 for an invitation
Ethel Cesarman, MD, PhD
Keith LaScalea, MD
Maria K. Papadakis, Ed.D.
Nii A. Addy, PhD
Julie Silver, MD
Silvia Formenti, MD
Rainu Kaushal, MD, MPH
Katherine Hajjar, MD
Geraldine McGinty, MD, MBA, FACR
Laura Alonso, MD
Lisa Newman MD
Monika Safford, MD
Yoon Kang, MD
Susana Morales, MD
Terri Young, MD, MBA, FARVO
Alexander H. Green, MD, MPH
Hugh Hemmings, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.A.
Fanesse George, CDP
Jamal D. Lopez, JD, SHRM-SCP, CDP
Sushmita Mukherjee, PhD, MS
Sharon Brooks, MPA
Susan Ball, MD, MPH, MS
Robert Livingston, PhD
Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Dr. Robert Livingston is a social psychologist and one of the nation’s leading experts on the science underlying bias and racism. For two decades, he has served as a diversity consultant to scores of Fortune 500 companies, public-sector agencies, and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining the Harvard Kennedy School in 2015, he held professorships at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and the University of Sussex, where he was the chair of the organizational behavior area as well as the founder and faculty director of Centre for Leadership, Ethics, and Diversity (LEAD).
Dr. Livingston’s research has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. His ranges from micro-level investigations of the psychological and physiological processes that underlie unconscious bias—to more macro-level examinations how biases impact organizational diversity, leadership representation, and social justice. For example, his research on the “Teddy Bear Effect” finds that Black CEO’s uniquely benefit from having facial features that make them appear warmer and less threatening (i.e., babyfaceness). He is also known for his research on the intersectionality of race and gender, and how the nature of bias systematically differs for White women, Black women, and Black men.
His work has been published in top-tier academic journals such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Academy of Management Journal, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Psychological Science, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and Leadership Quarterly. He is the author of the forthcoming book The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth about Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations which will be published by Penguin Random House in February 2021.
In his spare time, he enjoys jazz, wine and whiskey tasting, gastronomy, philosophy, interior design, real estate investing, hiking, and nature documentaries. He has resided in five countries and speaks four languages.
Julie K. Silver, MD
Associate Professor
Associate Chair
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Harvard Medical School
Spaulding Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals
Julie K. Silver, MD is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Silver has held numerous leadership positions and is a former start-up company founder. She was named the Top Innovator in Medicine in 2012 by The Boston Globe, and the same year her start-up company was listed by Bloomberg/Businessweek as one of the most promising social enterprise companies. She is on the medical staffs of Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women’s, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospitals. Dr. Silver developed and directs the successful Harvard Medical School women’s leadership CME course which has trained thousands of women in medicine.
Dr. Silver is a subject matter expert on workforce equity, diversity, and inclusion. She has published many studies and reports specifically focused on workforce gender equity. Her work has been published in high-impact journals and across numerous specialties—including The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Dermatology, The Lancet, The British Medical Journal, Pediatrics, Neurology, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Health Equity, and Journal of Women’s Health.
Dr. Silver’s research often intersects with innovation and implementation science. She developed a unique approach to workforce inclusion and wellness aimed at analyzing and strategically advancing equity and promoting wellness for faculty and staff by analyzing how they are valued and respected for their important contributions. For example, Dr. Silver identified that faculty members were not equitably recognized by their own medical societies, and she spearheaded groundbreaking research on the underrepresentation of women physicians—at zero or near zero levels--for recognition awards. Dr. Silver has led numerous high impact national strategic initiatives such as the Be Ethical Campaign, Need Her Science Campaign, and Walls Do Talk Challenge.
Dr. Silver’s work has been featured in many media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The London Times, US News and World Report and NPR. She has also appeared on numerous TV shows including the CBS Early Show, The Today Show, Fox News and ABC News.
The 2021 recipients of awards honoring exceptional contributions to diversity at Weill Cornell Medicine will be recognized at the:
Diversity Awards Ceremony and Reception
Monday, April 26
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM l Zoom
Dean’s Diversity and Healthcare Disparity Research Awards
The Dean’s Diversity and Healthcare Disparity Research Awards support excellence in research to improve the health of women and underrepresented minorities and/or to reduce health disparities in healthcare systems and in clinical settings, either locally or globally.
This year’s recipients will be formally announced and will present posters of their research at the Diversity Awards Ceremony and Reception.
The Jessica M. and Natan Bibliowicz Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty recognizes outstanding men and women faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine who demonstrate commitment to advancing the academic careers of women in the areas of clinical care, research, or education. The individual must have a track record of providing strong mentorship, as well as fostering a nurturing and supportive environment for all faculty.
The Ida Sophia Scudder, MD Award for Excellence in Public Service recognizes an MD, PhD, MD-PhD, or PA student who has made significant contributions in the field of community service and providing care to the underserved.
The Bruce Laine Ballard, MD Award for Excellence in Mentorship is presented to a faculty member who demonstrates a commitment to improving student life and to fostering a nurturing and supportive environment where students are able to thrive and succeed.
The Louis Wade Sullivan, MD Award for Excellence in Public Health Advocacy honors a resident or postdoctoral fellow who has been an outspoken champion for health promotion and a public health advocate, especially for medically underserved populations.
The Administrative Staff Award recognizes staff members who embody the spirit of cultural diversity and service. This award honors staff members who have gone beyond the call of duty to make sure the environment is inclusive, engaging and welcoming, and whose efforts may often go unnoticed.
Marie Metoyer, MD Award recognizes faculty or alumnus of the medical college who has gone above and beyond to serve communities despite difficult conditions.
Follow @WeillCornell, use #WCMDiversityWeek
and tweet about what sessions you will be attending, who you are excited to see and what you learn.
Elizabeth Omondi
elo2010@med.cornell.edu
https://diversity.weill.cornell.edu
To access available diversity week session recordings click here
