College of Engineering Diversity Contacts
Interim Associate Dean for Access, Opportunity, and Diversity
Sarah C. Vigmostad
Senior Human Resources Director, College of Engineering
Diane Fountain
University of Iowa Ombudsperson
The Office of the Ombudsperson is a resource for any member of the university community -- including students, faculty, staff, postdocs, residents and fellow-- with a problem or concern. We provide informal conflict resolution, mediation services and advocacy for fair treatment and fair process.
Undergraduates
The College of Engineering is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment that supports all undergraduate students and fosters a sense of belonging. The College of Engineering supports cultural and identity-based student organizations and offers programming specifically for undergraduates that identify as part of minority or underrepresented groups including, but not limited to, students of color, women, first-generation, members of the LGBTQ+ community, international, or students with disabilities. The College of Engineering regularly collaborates with the Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity, the UI Cultural Centers, and other campus offices committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion work in these programming efforts.
Inclusive Events
The university's Accessibility-Informed Events and Programming Guide is intended to provide event organizers and campus administrators with the tools necessary to proactively plan events that are inclusive and accessible for all attendees. This is a newly created resource that is intended to continue to evolve and be updated over time.
Cultural and Identity-Based Engineering Student Organizations
These organizations include:
- Female Alliance of Civil Engineers (FACE)
- The Female Alliance of Civil Engineers exists to create a community on campus with the purpose of improving the networking opportunities for women and their allies within the Civil Engineering department at the University of Iowa. The goal of this group is to empower and unify women pursuing a degree in civil engineering, by creating a safe place for women to study, network, and talk about the experiences and challenges faced in this field.
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
- Our mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
- Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (oSTEM)
- oSTEM exists to provide LGBT+ individuals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors and their allies the resources they need for community, self-exploration, and professional development that is not offered in other spheres of campus life. Membership is open to all Iowa Students. We welcome all people of all academic interests and hope to spread acceptance of LGBT+ people and our affinity of the sciences.
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
- SACNAS chapters are a powerful and inclusive source of community that provides local and regional support for college students and professionals to succeed in STEM. Collectively, our chapters are the on-the-ground ambassadors behind SACNAS’ movement to achieve true diversity in STEM.
- SHPE UIOWA
- SHPE changes lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support and development.
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
- The Society of Women Engineers is Iowa's chapter of the national SWE organization. We network at conferences, host professional development events, perform outreach events to teach kids about engineering, volunteer, socialize, and have a lot of fun!
- Women in STEM Ambassadors (WiSA)
- The purpose of Women in Stem Ambassadors (WiSA) is to increase the participation and advancement of women in science, technology, engineering, and math fields through outreach to the local community as well as undergraduate and graduate students. Women in Stem Ambassadors (WiSA) is a community of women wishing to enrich their own lives and also give back to the community. We organize educational and social events for members while also planning outreach events for the wider community.
All Engineering student organizations
Welcoming Diverse Graduate Students
Diversity programs have served to build and nourish the graduate community within the College of Engineering. We have been active in recruiting graduate students of diverse backgrounds and have provided mentoring, networking, professional development and financial support for many graduate students. The success of mentoring of underrepresented students in engineering has been built on strong collaboration with other campus units and has been supported though private, state, and federal funding.
Support for graduate programs and research experiences for undergraduates comes from the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Graduate College as well as from significant federal grants. Other support comes form corporate and alumni giving. Campus partners include the Carver College of Medicine, the College of Public Health, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, and the Center for Diversity and Enrichment.
Signature programs within the College of Engineering which support graduate students include the Women in Science in Engineering program which provides opportunities for graduate professional development. In addition, the college is a member of The National GEM Consortium.