Our Commitment
The Department of Integrative Physiology is committed to Baylor College of Medicine’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The department fosters diversity among its students, trainees, faculty, and staff as a prerequisite to accomplishing our institutional mission, and setting standards for excellence in training healthcare providers and biomedical scientists, promoting scientific innovation, and providing patient-centered care.
We echo the same beliefs as highlighted in the institutional policies of Baylor College of Medicine:
- Diversity, respect, and inclusiveness create an environment conducive to academic excellence and strengthens our department and the Institution by increasing talent, encouraging creativity, and ensuring a broader perspective.
- Diversity helps position BCM and our department to reduce disparities in health and healthcare access and to better address the needs of the community we serve.
- We are committed to recruiting and retaining outstanding students, trainees, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds by providing a welcoming, supportive learning environment for all members of the BCM community.
Inclusion and Equity Leadership
Md. Abul Hassan Samee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology
Committee Chair & Inclusion and Equity Ambassador
Susan Hamilton, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Integrative Physiology
Inclusion and Equity Committee
Our department Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee is open to all Integrative Physiology personnel. If you are interested in joining, contact any committee member or the admin office located in 414B.
Rose Elsaeidi
Research Associate, Department of Integrative Physiology
Research Staff Committee Member
Chih-Wei Hsu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology
Non Tenure Track Faculty Committee Member
Arielys Mendoza
Graduate Student, Integrative Physiology
Student Committee Member
Robia Pautler, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology
Tenured Faculty Committee Member
Janet Tran
Administrator, Department of Integrative Physiology
Administration Committee Member
Nicole Trieu
Senior Coordinator, Department of Integrative Physiology
Admin Staff Committee Member & Inclusion and Equity Ambassador
Joshua Wythe, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology
Tenure Faculty Committee Member
Rachel Yee
Graduate Student, Integrative Physiology
Student Committee Member
Our Activities and Events
Oct 2022: The DEI Committee hosted its first Physiology Trainee-Faculty Lunch. Department trainees were invited to have an informal open discussion with Integrative Physiology Professor, Christine Beeton, Ph.D.
June 2022: The DEI Committee and Departmental Faculty Recruitment Committee attended the “AAMC Holistic Review for Faculty Recruitment and Selection” workshop. Hosted by: Eric Malmberg, Ph.D., J.D. Committee members were invited to learn how to apply AAMC Holistic Review principles in faculty recruitment and retention situations.
May 2022: The DEI Committee hosted a departmental “Diversity Equity and Inclusion 101” seminar. Speaker: Eric Malmberg, Ph.D., J.D. Department personnel were provided with an overview of the Office of Community Engagement & Health Equity and the resources available at Baylor College of Medicine.
March 2022: Integrative Physiology Assistant Professor and DE&I Committee Chair, Md. Abul Hassan Samee, Ph.D., gave a seminar on machine learning and genomics to the Center of Excellence Transformed Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Scholars.
June 2021: The department developed and posted an inclusive, anti-discriminatory statement on our external webpage.
November 2020: The DEI Committee held peer-mediated discussion sessions. Department personnel were invited to share their thoughts and opinions on topics such as Infrastructure/Centralized Office, Recruitment & Onboarding, Retention & Advancement, Inclusion & Engagement, and Diversity, Inclusivity & Equity Education.
September 2020: The DEI Committee attended a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - Foundational Principles of Inclusion Excellence training workshop. Hosted by: Toi B. Harris, M.D .and Antonie Howard Rice, Ph.D. Committee members were invited to learn about the inclusion excellence foundational principles.
July 2020: The department formed the Physiology Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Md Abul Hassan Samee, Ph.D. was appointed committee chair.
June 2020: The department organized an “Express Yourself” bulletin board. Department personnel were invited to express their support for social movements, make suggestions on how to combat racism and xenophobia, relate news, propose new departmental initiatives or ways to improve, express gratitude to someone, point out an exemplary behavior or deed, note events or seminars that you think people would be interested in, or share artwork or photos.
