Diversity
MIT Biology: A place for all to learn, explore, and discover
The Biology Department continually strives to increase the number of underrepresented minority faculty, students, and staff in our community, and to ensure that all feel welcome. In addition, we continually work to make our community accessible to all qualified individuals. In partnership with the university, we place high value on creating and maintaining a supportive environment for studying, working, and living that promotes physical and mental well-being and allows each individual to reach their full potential. If you have DEI-related questions or would like to talk, you can email Hallie Dowling-Huppert, the department’s DEI officer.
Hallie Dowling-Francisco
Hallie Dowling-Francisco holds a Master’s of Education in Community Engagement and Higher Education Administration from Merrimack College. Prior to arriving at MIT, she worked at Emory University’s Center for Civic and Community Engagement, where she led the Emory Votes Initiative, a program focused on civic and voter engagement. In addition, she was responsible for creating and maintaining materials focused on trainings to help build inclusive communities — and led projects to forge relationships and coalitions within the community. She has also served as the Retention Coordinator in the Office of Latino Students Services at Georgia State University.
As MIT Biology’s DEI Officer, Hallie works directly with students, postdocs, staff, and faculty to identify and implement mechanisms and programs that promote equity and inclusion — with the goal of making the Department a more welcoming, supportive, and vibrant place. She partners with the Department’s DEI Council and Faculty DEI Committee, and other organizations and groups within the department and across the Institute that have similar missions. She is also a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).