Diversity and inclusion
Diversity is vital to research, teaching and campus culture, and genuine inclusion is vital to diversity. SEFS is committed to creating change in order to advance diversity and inclusion in our community, by providing an equitable environment for our staff, students and visitors through a variety of initiatives and actions.
Located across three campuses on Wurundjeri and Dja Dja Wurrung land, we acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we work and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging. We endeavour to increase engagement with First Nations people in all our activities.
The SEFS D&I committee includes members from different career stages and disciplines at our three campuses. The overarching priorities of the committee include:
- Actively championing diversity and inclusion to create a welcoming and thriving scholarly culture
- Fostering a culture whereby diversity and inclusion is viewed as crucial to achieving innovation and excellence
- Promoting awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion issues among SEFS staff and students
- Organising annual events to celebrate and promote diversity within SEFS such as IDAHOBIT, National Reconciliation Week, and NAIDOC Week, among others.
Resources and information
Official resources
SEFS student groups
Gender equity
- Women in Science Network - subscribe at https://lists.unimelb.edu.au/info/wisn
- The Athena SWAN Charter
Indigenous engagement and support
- Murrup Barak
- Community of practice for indigenous engagement - email IES-CoP@unimelb.edu.au to subscribe
LGBTQIA+ inclusion
Mental health and wellbeing support
Disability support
Parental support
Cultural, faith and linguistic diversity
SEFS Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Andrea Rawluk (Chair)
Lecturer in Environmental Social Science
Areas of interest: LGBTQIA+ inclusion, gender equity, disability support, employment equity
Pronouns: she/her
Email: andrea.rawluk@unimelb.edu.au
Kathy Russell
Research Fellow, Geomorphology
Areas of interest: gender equity, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, mental health and wellbeing
Pronouns: She/her
Email: kathryn.russell@unimelb.edu.au
Nina Hinko-Najera
Research Fellow (Forest Carbon) and Academic Research Assistant (Ecophysiology, TERN-OzFlux)
Areas of interest: gender equity, parental support
Pronouns: she/her
Email: n.hinkonajera@unimelb.edu.au
Julio Najera
Technical officer, Carbon/Biodiversity and Fire
Areas of interest: Indigenous engagement and support, gender equity, employment equity
Pronouns: He/Him
Email: jumana@unimelb.edu.au
Matthew Swan
Research Fellow in Fire Ecology
Areas of interest: Parental support, gender equity, cultural and linguistic diversity
Pronouns: He/him
Email: swanm@unimelb.edu.au
Maddy Sbeghen (RHD student representative)
PhD Candidate in Environmental Social Science
Areas of interest: LGBTQI+ inclusion, gender equity; cultural and linguistic diversity, disability support
Pronouns: She/Her
Email: msbeghen@student.unimelb.edu.au
Daniel Xu (RHD student representative)
PhD Candidate in Environmental Science
Areas of interest: cultural and linguistic diversity; international student support, employment equity
Pronouns: He/Him
Email: wxu4@student.unimelb.edu.au