Research Groups

To promote multidisciplinary research collaborations, the institute hosts monthly research group seminars organized around diversity and equity in the context of:

  • Health
  • Learning and Work
  • Climate

At these meetings, Five College faculty from a variety of disciplines, departments, and colleges, present their research, seek feedback, and look for new collaborators. Over 300 faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students are affiliates in one or more of the institute's research groups.

This stimulating exchange of ideas launches new collaborations. Some of these new teams were awarded seed grants from the Institute of Diversity Sciences to pursue pilot projects that can be leveraged in the future to seek larger external research grants on equity.

Health

Health, both physical and mental, is influenced by a range of factors including access to healthy nutrition, physical activity, quality of one's local environment, family relationships, as well as the larger sociological, economic, and historic structures within which individuals are immersed.

Learning & Work

From early childhood to adulthood, individuals' learning and employment outcomes are influenced by many factors, including their local learning environments, educational and workplace institutions, teachers' and employers' expectations, societal structures, and individual differences in social cognition.

Climate

In the years and decades to come, all people will be affected by climate change in one way or another. Yet there is significant diversity and disparity in the ways in which different individuals, communities, organizations and nations will be impacted by climate change.