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\title{Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Water Engineering Group Discussions:
Lessons Learned and Future Work}



\author[1]{Abdul-Rashid Zakaria}%
\author[2]{Achira Amur}%
\author[2]{Michael Burns}%
\author[2]{Danielle Holt}%
\author[2]{Sarah Godschall}%
\author[2]{Madhat Fares}%
\author[2]{Amanda Garzio-Hadzick}%
\author[2]{Smith Virginia}%
\author[2]{Bridget Wadzuk}%
\affil[1]{Civil and Environmental Engineering}%
\affil[2]{Villanova University}%


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  \date{May 23, 2024}


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\begin{abstract}
The UN identified water as a human right in 2010; however, the bodies
analyzing and designing water management often do not represent a
diverse spectrum of the populations they serve. Villanova Center for
Resilient Water Systems (VCRWS) research focuses on supplying resilient
and sustainable solutions to global water and stormwater challenges. A
diverse team of faculty, staff and students created a group that
discusses diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the context of water
resources engineering and associated design and solution considerations.
The group has discussed a wide array of topics through the biweekly
meetings. Some benefits of this group included the opportunity for
personal growth and development, education on incorporating DEI into
engineering thought, and re-education on DEI issues. This group served
as a mechanism for members to share their grief and concerns over the
political, social, and environmental issues that impede positive change.
Outputs from this group include (1) competing in the Schiller Challenge
through writing a paper on DEI in water engineering as a group, (2)
drawing an action plan to further incorporate DEI in the activities of
VCRWS through research, symposiums, conferences, public outreach
programs, articles and papers, and engineering education, and (3)
creating a guideline for creating DEI groups in other departments,
research centers and institutions. This presentation will discuss
lessons learned from creating and implementing a successful DEI focused
working group within the water resource research center and will include
some of the future work planned by the VCRWS group, such as
incorporating DEI into the Water and Environmental Engineering
curriculum through curating audiovisual materials on DEI concepts, and
case studies of successes stories of DEI.%
\end{abstract}%



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