Sebastian Wild

Computer Science has a long and complicated history with Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: from Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing to Katherine Johnson and Margaret Hamilton, many of our pioneers are minoritized people.  I want to build on this history by spreading a sense of belonging and establishing a zero-tolerance policy towards acts of exclusion in our School of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Electronics.

I acknowledge that the feeling of not belonging is a major concern for many students (and staff), and it disproportionately affects people from underrepresented groups:  women, ethnic minorities, trans and non-binary people, people with disabilities or neurodiversities, and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.  When people lack this sense of belonging it doesn't just hurt them; it robs our field of vital thinkers and their contributions.  As such, we should go beyond fighting deliberate discrimination, and be deliberately welcoming.

For me, bringing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion to life is about being open:  Open to perspectives on computer science and life that differ from our own.  Open to welcoming every member of our community into our activities and spaces.  Open to investing effort and time in connecting with people through active listening.  Open to diverse communication preferences and needs, and to accommodating them by offering multiple avenues of communication.  Open to learning about the effects of bias and prejudice on our own judgments, and to doing the work needed to counteract it.

In my interaction with students, colleagues, and visitors in outreach events, I strive to make the School of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and Electronics a place that is welcoming for everyone. I welcome you to join me!