Diversity Statement

The Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder is committed to creating a collegial, mutually supportive, and inclusive culture. As outlined in the department’s Strategic Plan, diversity and inclusivity are primary goals of our department, both on their own merits and because they are essential to advancing excellence in education and research. Accordingly, we aim to develop a departmental culture where all members of the Department, notably those from underrepresented groups, enjoy both support for their work and a collegial environment with a sense of shared purpose. In this same spirit, a key goal identified in the Strategic Plan is for the Department to be recognized as a leader in recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, postdocs, students, and staff through dedicated efforts to improve representation. 

In our pursuit of a more diverse and inclusive department, the department is committed to efforts in the following four key areas:

  • Pursue overarching inclusion initiatives at the Department level supported by the work of departmental groups such as R-Cubed, CU-Prime, Women and Gender Minorities in Physics, and EIC (see the Groups and Resources page for more information on Departmental and Student Groups)
  • Encourage and empower contributions from individuals and groups within the department, with a key focus on minimizing barriers that disproportionately burden underrepresented groups
  • Increase knowledge of how to promote a healthy climate and culture
  • Encourage evaluation of our efforts to improve diversity and inclusivity

In 2018, the CU Physics Department faculty voted to adopt a diversity and inclusion statement. The Representation, Recruitment and Retention (R-Cubed) Committee drafted the statement above and the CU Physics Executive Committee approved it in May 2020. Additional information on campus diversity, equity and inclusion can also be found on the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement website.

Physics Department Conduct

To achieve its mission, the Department of Physics is committed to upholding the University’s policies on appropriate conduct, including nondiscrimination, sexual harassment and sexual violence. The Department of Physics and the Physics community at CU Boulder will not tolerate discrimination or harassment in any form.

CU Physics students are expected to adhere to the university's Student Code of Conduct

Faculty are expected to adhere to the Professional Rights and Duties of Faculty Members

All employees (faculty, staff, and students) are expected to adhere to the university's Code of Conduct.

Seeking Help

If there are any issues, questions, or areas of concern that we should be aware of, please reach out to us using the Forms to Seek Support in Physics page. For issues, questions or areas of concern that require attention outside of the Department, please see the Campus Support and Reporting page. The latter includes information on reporting sexual misconduct, protected class discrimination or harassment, or related retaliation.