Markus Min announced as recipient of Award for Outstanding Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility
Congratulations to Markus Min, the recipient of the 2023-2024 Award for Outstanding Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility (DEIJA) given by the College of the Environment. Markus, a Ph.D. Candidate in SAFS, has been a trusted leader since joining the school in fall of 2020, and a strong advocate for equity and inclusion at both the unit level and across the College.
Markus’ award nominators describe him as “a student who identifies systemic problems and finds partners to craft creative solutions to solve them.” One of the embodiments of this quality is his “Navigating the Hidden Curriculum: Professional Development Modules for Undergraduates in the Marine Sciences” program, which aims to overcome the barriers of hidden curriculum issues for students from historically excluded groups. Receiving support from the Diversity Seed Grant from the UW Diversity Council, and in partnership with advisors and instructors from three units in the College of the Environment (Marine Biology, Oceanography, and SAFS), Markus has so far developed and delivered a series of six workshops for undergraduates, which have been well-attended and enthusiastically received. He plans to continue this program for future undergraduate cohorts.
In addition to developing workshops open to all undergraduates in the aquatic sciences, Markus has also engaged in equity-minded mentorship of undergraduates. Part of the first-ever cohort of mentors trained through the Identity, Belonging, and Inquiry in Science (IBIS) Program, Markus engaged in two quarters of research mentoring with Marine Biology undergrad, Sarah Hensley, and continues to work with her, now in their fifth quarter working together. Receiving skill-based training in evidence-based mentoring practices, Markus helped develop Sarah’s skills as a research scientist and reiterated his commitment to providing opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to pursue marine science. As further evidence of this commitment, Markus secured a grant from Conservation, Research and Education Opportunities International (CREOi) to provide a paid research experience for another undergraduate under his mentorship.
“SAFS has always benefited from the exceptional leadership of its graduate students. Markus has continued this rich tradition through his many contributions to the School. I’m thrilled that Markus is receiving this award that he so richly deserves,” said Tim Essington, Director of SAFS.
Building on this commitment to engaging undergraduates and enhancing equity, inclusion, and diversity in aquatic and marine sciences, Markus has also led workshops to share tips and advice for applying to scholarships or fellowships such as the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship or the NSF GRFP, while helping students build important skills along the way.
We congratulate Markus again and look forward to supporting his efforts to make SAFS, the College of the Environment, and marine and aquatic science as a whole, more inclusive and equitable for our student population.
