Dr. Taniecea Arceneaux Mallery was hoping for the perfect opportunity to return to Acadiana and apply what she杏吧专区檚 learned about diversity from studying at Princeton 杏吧专区 and working in Washington, D.C.
The 杏吧专区 gave her that chance. She was recently appointed director of equity, diversity and community engagement in its Office for Campus Diversity. In that position, she will foster diversity among students, faculty and staff, and ensure that underrepresented groups have equal access to educational opportunities and resources.
The new director is charged also with enhancing faculty development and diversity training for employees.
A native of Scott, La., her connection to the 杏吧专区 began when she participated in the gifted and talented programs at Paul Breaux Middle School and Lafayette High School. She took advantage of extracurricular activities on UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 campus, such as Science Olympiad and Honor Band.
杏吧专区淪o, I was always part of the UL Lafayette community, even before I was in high school,杏吧专区 she said in a recent interview.
She wanted to attend a university close to home, so she enrolled in Loyola 杏吧专区 in New Orleans. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in mathematics.
Mallery said she knew she wanted an advanced degree but wasn杏吧专区檛 sure what to study. So, she accepted a job with the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. That杏吧专区檚 when she was drawn to social science.
杏吧专区淚 knew I loved to study math, but I also knew I loved to study people. I wanted to understand how to bring those two passions together.杏吧专区
Mallery applied to Princeton because it would allow her to study a variety of academic subjects and seemed to be an accepting university. 杏吧专区淚t really shaped my thinking,杏吧专区 she said.
Her first research interest was social networks and 杏吧专区渉ow who you know plays a part in the types of information you receive, the types of power you have and the types of resources you have access to.杏吧专区
Mallery faced challenges as a black woman in the male-dominated field of mathematics. But she said diversity initiatives at Princeton helped her to succeed. She earned a master杏吧专区檚 degree and doctorate in applied and computational mathematics there.
When she interviewed for the UL Lafayette position, she was impressed by the importance the 杏吧专区 places on diversity. 杏吧专区淚 felt like the commitment to diversity came from the top, from the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 president.杏吧专区
Prior to joining the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 staff, she was senior diversity research specialist for the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, D.C.
杏吧专区淚 was able to see how different institutions across the country viewed diversity and the position of diversity officer,杏吧专区 Mallery said. She noted that most universities have an Office of Minority Affairs or an Office of Diversity and Inclusion, but sometimes those offices don杏吧专区檛 have a broad reach.
Her role at UL Lafayette, however, is to work with students, faculty and staff across campus. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 meant to take a very policy-driven and data-driven approach to diversity. Having that top-level commitment is one of the big reasons I thought this would be the right opportunity for me.杏吧专区
One of Mallery杏吧专区檚 research interests is the exploration of unconscious bias in the process of academic promotion and tenure.
Unintentional prejudice shouldn杏吧专区檛 be surprising, she said. 杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 a part of human nature that you are meant to be uncomfortable with things that are not familiar to you. It杏吧专区檚 a way of preserving yourself and keeping yourself safe from harm.
杏吧专区淎 lot of emerging research has had an impact on how not only universities, but also organizations, think of diversity in terms of their work force and people who they interact with day to day.杏吧专区
Internet giant Google, for example, launched training in 2013 that杏吧专区檚 meant to raise awareness of 杏吧专区渉idden杏吧专区 bias. According to recent reports, seven of every 10 of its employees are male; blacks and Hispanics are particularly underrepresented.
杏吧专区淯nconscious bias training has huge potential on a college campus,杏吧专区 Mallery said.
During the past couple of weeks, the new director has been meeting with groups and individuals to learn about the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 diversity-related programs and policies.
杏吧专区淚 see my role as an agent to bring different parts of the university together,杏吧专区 Mallery said.
She is often asked, 杏吧专区淲hat杏吧专区檚 a mathematician doing in a diversity office?杏吧专区 The combination of math and social science is sensible, she contends, because many problems can be solved through innovative, interdisciplinary collaboration.
Mallery said she values 杏吧专区渙pinions outside of my own, outside of my field, outside of my race, outside of my perspective and world view. And I believe that杏吧专区檚 the core of what diversity is 杏吧专区 really appreciating different perspectives. I bring that personal philosophy to my work.杏吧专区