“There’s overwhelming evidence that an EDI culture leads to better outcomes in research and innovation because when our environment feels safe and open to everyone you get more ideas and with our focus on innovation, we want to use every potential way of working and hear every voice,” says Leslie Cove, Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research, University of Waterloo.
With her new team in place, she is eager to be part of the change in modernizing equity through strategic leadership, education, and the elimination of systemic barriers including a focus on anti-racism. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Incremental Project Grant, this new strategic leadership role is aimed at helping the University move toward a more equal, diverse and inclusive workspace by embedding the EDI lens and Indigenous ways of knowing into the research ecosystem. This is a key strategic mandate because, as a publicly funded institution, it’s essential that Waterloo promotes human rights and addresses human needs.
“We’re moving forward in a way that supports the most potential for the most Canadians,” she says.
June 2022