Diversity & Inclusion

Committed to diversity & inclusion

The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) is committed to fostering a community of diverse faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff from across a wide range of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability status, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and other forms of difference. PBS values diversity, equity, and inclusion as core strengths and essential elements of its mission.

As part of this advancement, PBS is committed to cultivating a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, cooperation, professionalism, ethical behavior, and harmonious relationships between and among administrators, faculty, students, staff, and alumni. Advancement will occur across three dimensions of diversity including departmental structure, curriculum, and climate.

Why diversity matters

Diversity is essential to academic excellence and brings many immediate and tangible benefits. There is a kind of learning and problem solving that occurs in heterogeneous groups – people who come from a variety of races, backgrounds, and other dimensions of difference and who have a variety of interests, talents, and perspectives – that cannot occur in groups of people that are the same. Interactions among a diverse department allows (1) everyone to learn from their differences and (2) stimulates the reexamination of our most deeply held assumptions about ourselves and our world. Diverse perspectives enrich the learning environment, which leads to the formulation of cutting-edge innovations, which are disseminated to benefit communities near and far.

IU diversity scholarships

McNair Scholars Program

McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education who have demonstrated strong academic potential. The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase graduate degree awards for students from underrepresented segments of society.

Hudson and Holland Scholars Program

The Hudson and Holland Scholars Program (HHSP) is an IUB scholarship and support program for high achieving underrepresented minorities. The program provides scholarship and support services to address the holistic needs of its student participants.

PBS diversity scholarships

Women in Science Fund

Women are still underrepresented in scientific and technological fields, and PBS hopes to change that. Our department extends support to women students and faculty as they pursue careers in psychological science, and it encourages and supports research related to the issue of women in science.

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Kenneth Heller Minority Student Support Fund

Professor Emeritus Ken Heller matches funds for any gift given to this fund, which supports awards, fellowships, scholarships, or support for minority students. Recipients are American citizens from minority groups who are underrepresented in the psychology profession.

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Diversity resources at IU

Project STEM

This summer internship program that invites high school students interested in science and engineering to become involved with scientific research at a college level. It is a collaborative effort between the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) and the Indianapolis Project STEM.

Women in STEM Living-Learning Center

The Women in STEM Living-Learning Center is home to a group of undergraduate women of all levels (freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors) who are driven to achieve in the fields of science, technology, informatics, and mathematics, or STEM.

IUB Diversity Resources

The Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs (OVPDEMA), works to enhance student success and to create a climate that promotes cultural, ethnic, and gender diversity. From cultural involvement to academic support to opportunities for scholarly achievement and community engagement, this office is an advocate for diversity, equity, and multicultural organizations.

Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center

The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center is a unit of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs. It strives to create and consistently facilitate activities and programming that challenge, support, and contribute to the continued development and success of black students, faculty, and staff within the IU community.

Campus cultural centers

IU supports six cultural centers in programming, events, outreach, and advocacy. IU also supports the African American Arts Institute—the only organization of its kind in the nation—and encourage student and alumni organizations that value community and culture. These resources offer consulting and support across the university’s seven campuses.

Black Student Union

The Black Student Union provides opportunities from community service throughout the Bloomington area and also is designed to enhance the educational and social experience of minority students on this campus.