Community Energy Center

By MARISA PEÑALOZA

Earlier this month, National Grid, the electricity and natural gas company, announced that it’s honoring Juneteenth as a paid company holiday.

“Declaring Juneteenth a company holiday is a symbol of our dedication to honoring Black Americans who have suffered the impacts of racism throughout U.S. history,” notes Natalie Edwards in a press release. She is chief diversity officer of National Grid.

Read the full article here. … Read More >>

by Brandon Paykamian

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation last month requiring the state’s secretary of higher education to develop guidelines for colleges and universities to identify and address “cultural barriers” keeping many students of color and women out of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

The order took effect amid an ongoing national discussion about a lack of diversity in the current tech workforce, where multiple researchers have noted little progress in addressing the underrepresentation of non-white and non-male workers over the last few years.

“Over the next decade, demand for STEM jobs is expected to increase … Read More >>

Professor of Marine Science and Geosciences Laura Wetzel will gather a team of Eckerd College faculty and staff to create a detailed plan on how to recruit, support and encourage Black, Indigenous and Latinx high-schoolers to attend Eckerd and then go on to pursue Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This work is made possible by a $49,960 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

“To start, we will work on diversity training and professional development,” Wetzel said. “We have hired a consultant on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and we will be reading books and having … Read More >>