Improving and Sustaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Physics Ph.D. Program at Michigan State University

Broadening the participation of graduate students from historically underrepresented group in physics is important for enhancing scientific progress and its impact on societial topics. The National Supeconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, the Facility for Rare isotope Beams, and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State University work together closely to increase the participation of students from underrepresented groups. In the past years, considerable progress has been made in terms of recruiting a more diverse student population, for example through close collaborations with institutions that serve students who are underrepresented in physics, the implementation of a holistic rubric for graduate school applicants, and a variety of outreach and research activities for which students who otherwise would be unlikely to pursue a Ph.D. in physics are recruited. More recently, the Graduate Program has been reviewed with the goal to identify areas in which improvements can be made to better support and sustain a diverse graduate student population. Based on that review and a survey, changes to the program have been made and more are being considered. The presentation will focus on progress made in the past years in terms of recruiting and supporting a diverse group of students, as well as the challenges faced in these efforts.