Georgia Institute of Technology

              Highlights from the 2012 Symposium

Symposium Description

The annual Georgia Tech Diversity Symposium promotes dialogue among faculty, staff, and students about ways we can embrace and leverage the scope and breadth of the diversity found within our community. Through open public dialogue, we are better able to identify the important issues that we as a community must address now and in the future.

Georgia Tech sees Inclusive Excellence as an important element of our vision enabling us to be a leading technological University in the 21st century. From these conversations, we learn how the experiences of the members of our community compare with our aspirations and help us identify future diversity goals.

The primary audiences of the symposium are institutional leaders, staff and faculty who have responsibilities for faculty and staff hiring and student academic success. At the annual symposium, we hear from the many diverse voices that make up our community as we continue our efforts to make Georgia Tech a world-class research university and a vibrant and inclusive community for everyone.

Objectives

• To create a climate and culture of inclusion where diversity is valued and embraced.

• To provide a forum for creative exchange among institutional leadership, diversity experts, faculty, administrators and students as a way to open the lines of continued conversation.

Goal

• To increase senior level leadership engagement with faculty, staff and students about the importance of diversity to our future aspirations.

Georgia Tech's Annual Diversity Symposium

     2012 Theme: Achieving Inclusive Excellence: Challenges and Opportunities

Keynote Speaker:

• Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Director, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. Former President of Spelman College and Bennett College

Topic: Leadership for transforming the academy to diverse and inclusive communities. 

Panelists:

• Dr. Willie Belton, Professor, School of Economics
• Dr. Ayanna Howard, Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Mr. Danny Ingram, Technical Analyst, Office of Information Technology
• Dr. P.K. Yeung, Professor, School of Aerospace Engineering
• Mr. Eran Mordel, President, Undergraduate Student Government Association

Moderators: 

Opening Plenary

•  Dr. Catherine L. Ross,  Harry West Chair for Quality Growth and Regional Development and Director; Professor, City and Regional Planning; College of Architecture, ADVANCE Professor

Community Conversations/Breakout Sessions

• Dr. Carol Colatrella, Moderator, Comments and instructions to the audience Professor, Literature, Communications and Culture, The Ivan Allen College

Hosts:

• Dr. G. P. “Bud” Peterson, President
• Dr. Archie Ervin, Vice President for Institute Diversity