AVP for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Assessment
To: The Caltech Community
From: Thomas F. Rosenbaum, Sonja and William Davidow Presidential Chair and Professor of Physics
Date: January 11, 2021
Re: AVP for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Assessment
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Lindsey Malcom-Piqueux to the newly created position of assistant vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion, and assessment in the office of the vice president for strategy implementation, effective February 1. Lindsey will guide a strategic, research-informed approach to enhance, expand, and coordinate the Institute's overall diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She will build on her experience as Caltech's chief institutional research officer and work closely with the President's Diversity Council. In September, when vice provost Cindy Weinstein's term as the Institute's inaugural chief diversity officer ends, Lindsey will assume the responsibilities of the chief diversity officer and report directly to me in that capacity.
A proficient scientist, respected scholar, and talented administrator with more than ten years of experience applying qualitative, quantitative, and action research methodologies to inform change across STEM fields, Lindsey is deeply committed to advancing the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has cultivated in-depth knowledge of barriers that prevent diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities in STEM on the one hand, and of research-based strategies and interventions to realize new, effective opportunities on the other.
A nationally recognized expert, Lindsey has been engaged by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to write and present her work on diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields, and to assess the work of others in this domain. Most recently, Lindsey was appointed to the NASEM study committee on Increasing Diversity and Inclusion in the Leadership of Competed Space Missions and commissioned to write a paper on the implications of transformations in STEM higher education on racial equity by the NASEM's Board on Science Education. She has served as an advisor for specific projects and national efforts with the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Institute of Physics (AIP), the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), and the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
An Institute alumna, Lindsey returned to Caltech in 2018 and systematically revitalized the institutional research function, serving as an indispensable resource for faculty, academic leaders, and trustees across a panoply of projects. Notably, Lindsey and Cindy Weinstein led the Institute's reaccreditation process, which culminated in a successful virtual site visit in October 2020.
Prior to joining Caltech's staff, Lindsey served as associate director of research and policy at the Center for Urban Education at the University of Southern California and as a faculty member at the George Washington University and the University of California, Riverside. She holds a doctoral degree in urban education, with a concentration in higher education, from the University of Southern California, a master's degree in planetary science from Caltech, and a bachelor's degree in planetary science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Lindsey's appointment signifies an important enhancement of institutional capacity as Caltech launches significant new initiatives in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Caltech Center for Inclusion and Diversity (CCID) has played a key role in progress to date and will continue to do so. With Hanna Song's announcement that she will step down as director on January 20 to accept the position of vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at Children's Hospital, Lindsey will soon commence a national search to identify the next CCID director. With the appointment of the new director, Lindsey will assume oversight of CCID. CCID's efforts will be embedded firmly within the strategic directions of the Institute as it continues its transformative engagement with faculty, postdoctoral scholars, students, and staff across campus.
Finally, in a complementary development, I am pleased to announce the launch of the Institute's new diversity, equity, and inclusion website. This website is a dedicated resource that articulates Caltech's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; celebrates the stories and accomplishments of our students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and staff; and records progress toward the goals announced in July 2020. The Office of Strategic Communications will maintain, curate, and expand content on this site as existing programs evolve and new initiatives take hold.
Lindsey's expertise, counsel, and initiative will be instrumental as Caltech evolves, through collective and sustained campus-wide efforts, to become a destination for the most outstanding scholars from all backgrounds and perspectives. She has a keen ability to formulate and guide complex projects to successful resolution. Please join me in congratulating Lindsey as she expands her role to encompass this essential work.