May the Fourth Be With You: Celebrating D&I in our LifeSci Galaxy

May 02, 2018

By Edie M. Stringfellow, Director of D&I at MassBio

No, this is not a trap.  So, please do not have a bad feeling about this.

In honor of Star Wars Day, I am requesting your participation in discussing how your organization bridges Science Fiction and Science Reality through Inclusion & Innovation while improving workplace engagement and patient care along the way.  If you aren’t already aware, May 4th is something of an intergalactic holiday and is the day to honor the iconic film series Star Wars, because the date is a rhyming pun of the signature line, “May the Force Be with You.”  At MassBio, we take pride in being the driving ‘force’ behind the on-going initiative to improve diversity and inclusion throughout the life sciences galaxy.

As a diehard Star Wars fan girl, I decided to channel my inner Jedi by checking in with biotech community to see who is celebrating May 4th and to see how they incorporate diversity and inclusion into their growth strategy and make their teams stronger.  Please let me know your thoughts on the following and respond/connect with us on Twitter @MassBio or Linkedin @MassBio either on May 3rd or May 4th.

What ‘May the Fourth Be With You’ means to your organization

  • How are you going to celebrate? Please feel free to provide pictures
  • Who is your favorite character and why?  From which Episode? Please relate answers to D&I
  • Your thoughts on the Resistance now being led by a woman?

Age/Generation Gaps

A workforce composed of different age demographics creates an environment where each generation brings different skills and talents to the table.  How do you balance or deal with conflict management & bring out the best Force in everyone between:

  • Younglings (Students/Interns)
  • Padawans (Millennials)
  • Jedi Knights (Generation X)
  • Jedi Masters (Baby Boomers) 
  • Force Priestesses (Silent Generationers) – How do you keep them engaged and feeling valued?

Recruiting Jedi Knights from Underrepresented Groups to your Starship

  • How do you identify top diverse candidates and get them into your pipeline? 
  • How do you support their career advancement?
  • Can you describe your methodology for orienting new hires into your culture?

Thank you for your participation.  No, I am not your Father, but I truly appreciate your time and attention.  May the force be with you.

– Edie M. Stringfellow 

 

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