From Fatigue to Foundations: Reframing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the Scientific Enterprise
Abstract
Conversations about equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in STEM are increasingly marked by fatigue, polarization, and skepticism. Yet the core questions remain urgent: how do we build research environments that are rigorous, innovative, and sustainable and produce impactful outputs? This talk reframes EDI not as compliance or identity politics, but as foundational research infrastructure - shaping all aspects of science, including (but not limited to) experimental design, lab culture, authorship practices, and scientific excellence itself. Participants will acquire concrete strategies for navigating backlash, strengthening lab culture, improving mentorship dynamics, and embedding inclusive practices into their daily scientific work.
Bio
Dr. Imogen R. Coe is a professor of Chemistry and Biology at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and an affiliate scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She is an active researcher in the biomedical sciences focusing on the uptake of anti-cancer drugs into cells and has secured over $1,000,000 in research funding in recent years. She is also a former academic leader, being the founding dean of the Faculty of Science at TMU as well as Chair of Biology and Associate Dean, Research and Partnerships at York University. From 2022-2025, she was the inaugural Scholar-in-Residence at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada and has served on many peer review committees to evaluate rigorous inclusive research for NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, CFI, ISED and others. She has received many awards (most recently, the King Charles III Coronation medal) and is known as a compelling and accomplished scholar-activist and public intellectual in Canada especially with respect to the integration of principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) into research cultures. She is known nationally and internationally for her work as a biomedical researcher and an IDEA expert and is much in demand as a reviewer, speaker, panelist and consultant.