Dr. Taniecea Arceneaux Mallery was hoping for the perfect opportunity to return to Acadiana and apply what she小蝌蚪APP檚 learned about diversity from studying at Princeton 小蝌蚪APP and working in Washington, D.C.
The 小蝌蚪APP 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 小蝌蚪APP 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小蝌蚪APP檚 campus, such as Science Olympiad and Honor Band.
小蝌蚪APP淪o, I was always part of the UL Lafayette community, even before I was in high school,小蝌蚪APP she said in a recent interview.
She wanted to attend a university close to home, so she enrolled in Loyola 小蝌蚪APP in New Orleans. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in mathematics.
Mallery said she knew she wanted an advanced degree but wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 sure what to study. So, she accepted a job with the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. That小蝌蚪APP檚 when she was drawn to social science.
小蝌蚪APP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.小蝌蚪APP
Mallery applied to Princeton because it would allow her to study a variety of academic subjects and seemed to be an accepting university. 小蝌蚪APP淚t really shaped my thinking,小蝌蚪APP she said.
Her first research interest was social networks and 小蝌蚪APP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.小蝌蚪APP
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小蝌蚪APP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 小蝌蚪APP places on diversity. 小蝌蚪APP淚 felt like the commitment to diversity came from the top, from the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 president.小蝌蚪APP
Prior to joining the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 staff, she was senior diversity research specialist for the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, D.C.
小蝌蚪APP淚 was able to see how different institutions across the country viewed diversity and the position of diversity officer,小蝌蚪APP 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小蝌蚪APP檛 have a broad reach.
Her role at UL Lafayette, however, is to work with students, faculty and staff across campus. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP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.小蝌蚪APP
One of Mallery小蝌蚪APP檚 research interests is the exploration of unconscious bias in the process of academic promotion and tenure.
Unintentional prejudice shouldn小蝌蚪APP檛 be surprising, she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 a part of human nature that you are meant to be uncomfortable with things that are not familiar to you. It小蝌蚪APP檚 a way of preserving yourself and keeping yourself safe from harm.
小蝌蚪APP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.小蝌蚪APP
Internet giant Google, for example, launched training in 2013 that小蝌蚪APP檚 meant to raise awareness of 小蝌蚪APP渉idden小蝌蚪APP bias. According to recent reports, seven of every 10 of its employees are male; blacks and Hispanics are particularly underrepresented.
小蝌蚪APP淯nconscious bias training has huge potential on a college campus,小蝌蚪APP Mallery said.
During the past couple of weeks, the new director has been meeting with groups and individuals to learn about the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 diversity-related programs and policies.
小蝌蚪APP淚 see my role as an agent to bring different parts of the university together,小蝌蚪APP Mallery said.
She is often asked, 小蝌蚪APP淲hat小蝌蚪APP檚 a mathematician doing in a diversity office?小蝌蚪APP 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 小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP檚 the core of what diversity is 小蝌蚪APP really appreciating different perspectives. I bring that personal philosophy to my work.小蝌蚪APP