We Believe....
Diversity brings new perspectives, new approaches, and new insights.
The Burns Lab believes that diversity is paramount to successful science. We recognize that racism and inequities are present in science and academia, and structural racism is present in our society and in our own institution. We as individuals have often fallen short in our thoughts, actions, and deeds. We want and need to address inequities in our own laboratory, our university, our neuroscience community, and in our country. Our lab is committed to welcoming and supporting people from all cultures and identities. TBI does not discriminate against color, creed, sex or gender and we require individuals to bring their unique perspectives to research TBI, to advocate for TBI patients and research, and to fight TBI.
The Burns Lab is proud to have been a home to humans from many different backgrounds. Black, White, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian, Pacific Islanders - all outstanding researchers who have contributed to this lab's core mission and advanced TBI research. We have hosted immigrant scientists originating from Jamaica, Spain, Nigeria, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, India, Australia, Russia and Ireland. Colleagues who are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and colleagues who are not. We know that love is love, and the brain is beautiful to all neuroscientists.
The Burns Lab has pledged
to develop and foster a lab environment that provides support for diversity;
to discuss these issues, and those of implicit bias, at our weekly lab meetings;
to hold ourselves, and our institution, accountable for implementation of practices to promote the recruitment, outreach, and advocacy of underrepresented minorities;
to do better.
In our weekly lab meetings, the Burns Lab has identified improving access to science for underrepresented minorities as a key issue we will actively engage with. We will improve access by offering internships for High School and University students. Lab experience is the key to unlocking access to graduate and medical school, but lab experience is difficult to get if you don't first have a foot in the door - or cannot afford to take on an unpaid internship. The goal of the Burns Lab is to improve access to research at Georgetown University to those from underrepresented minorities.
The images and header on this page is modified from a poster by Sammy Katta. Click on her awesome webpage to learn more about being an ally in academia. The Burns Lab donated to Fellowship for the Future in lieu of royalties to Sammy, and we acknowledge and appreciate her advocacy.
Helpful Georgetown Links
Georgetown University -Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action
Georgetown University Medical Center - Racial Justice Committee for Change