Shi, L., Stachl, C., Popova, M.*, Linking departmental climate to the sense of belonging of chemistry graduate students and postdocs: Evaluation and insights from the DCaDEI survey. Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., DOI: 10.1039/D4RP00322E
The Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, created a survey, which we refer to as the Departmental Climate around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DCaDEI) survey. We evaluated the DCaDEI survey following the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and found that it can provide valid and reliable data for interpretation. Examination of the DCaDEI data revealed that graduate students and postdocs within the same chemistry department hold varying views about their climate, ranging from slightly negative to very positive. These perceptions likely became more positive with the continuous implementation of various DEI initiatives and interventions within the department. Furthermore, we found that a more positive departmental climate leads to a higher sense of belonging among graduate students and postdocs, which is essential for their retention and success. The demonstrated validity and reliability of the data collected with the DCaDEI survey position it as a valuable instrument for assessing and longitudinally monitoring climates in other chemistry departments. Leveraging DCaDEI data to inform data-driven initiatives can help foster more inclusive academic chemistry environments that support the persistence and well-being of all students.
Special congrats to the first author, Dr. Lu Shi!
