Pathways to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Civil Engineering

A frequently asked question is, “How do we apply MOSAIC’s Best Practice Guide on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our field?” This Concurrent Program Session will focus on two engineers discussing initiatives that span from companywide to regional, and identify how to transform best practices into actions. The presenters will discuss their perspectives and experience as follows: 
Tim will present on the creation of an LGBTQ focused Employee Resource Group (ERG) within the civil engineering workplace: reasons for need, steps taken for formation, utilizing the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equity Index as a metric to achieve Code of Ethics goals and enhance company values/culture, and teaming with other ERG & Company organizations. He will focus on the positive feedback from his work, as well as pushback, and compromises needed to succeed. Tim will also discuss the positive benefits that an ERG can add to a company and its impact on all DEI initiatives. 
Matt, representing The ASCE Philadelphia Section, YMF JEDI Committee Chair, will discuss ways to start a Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) committee, including utilizing social media campaigns, questionnaires, and strategic teaming. He will describe the growing pains of a new JEDI Committee finding its feet. Matt will discuss how the JEDI Committee hosted a connection event bringing together disciplines within the field to discuss JEDI, created design guidelines for visually accessible content for the section, and held a panel discussion of engineers sharing stories of their adversity which avoid an echo chamber and are PDH worthy.