The ACEC New York community of engineering companies embraces acceptance, rejects hate, affirms the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and reaffirms our commitment to continually improve on living these values. We are proud members of ACEC
National and stand with our colleagues across the nation in support of ACEC’s commitment to an inclusive and diverse engineering industry.
Following on the success of the 2021 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging webinar series, ACEC New York has collected resources from these programs to assist our members in addressing issues in their own firms.
Please note: the following materials are for the benefit of our member firms. Please use discretion when sharing these resources.
Corporate America has responded to widespread protests with direct and clear public statements about their position on systemic and structural racism, but most admit that they still have significant work to do to build cultures where everyone is valued
and treated equitably. The challenge is that the evolutionary instincts that paved the way for the survival of our species, such as tribalism, pose significant threats related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B). During this
session, Dr. Jarik Conrad, who began his career as a engineer, shared how engineers can use their unique problem-solving skills to better understand and overcome these challenges. He explored:
Common pitfalls that sabotage efforts to bring people together around diversity initiatives.
The historical policies and practices that have resulted in the widespread disparities Black people experience in various aspects of quality of life in America
Concepts related to Emotional Intelligence, psychology, and neuroscience that explain some of our challenges and opportunities with DEI&B.
This session focused on how firm leaders can navigate sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in the workplace.
Topics of discussion included:
How firms can support employees' sexual orientation, gender identity & gender expression
Navigating pronouns
How firm owners can leverage the Gender Expression "toolkit" to support employees who are transitioning from one gender to another, and to educate their coworkers so they can be supportive
The importance of respecting and celebrating individuality and uniqueness as a means for retaining valuable employees and attracting new talent
Keynote Speaker/Facilitator:
Talya Meyerowitz, President and Founder | A Respectful Workplace.com
This session focused on how STEAM educational outreach will lead to larger, more diverse pools of talent, particularly at the entry level, for engineering professional firms. The speakers will discuss best practices, lessons learned, and tools to assist
in developing programs within firms. This session also provided a step-by-step guide for corporate engagement and STEAM outreach.
This session featured a diverse panel of professionals in the engineering industry discussing their experiences and sharing how firms can address the ever-present issue of unconscious bias and work towards an inclusive workplace.
Moderator: Kyle Young-Moncure, Founder & CEO | The Neuro-Inclusion Group Panelists:
