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Success and Wellbeing
Mission statement:
Our mission is to cultivate a departmental culture that supports the wellbeing and personal success of all members. By engaging with our community through open dialogue and shared learning, we aim to foster an environment where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to pursue their goals. We are committed to nurturing a community where everyone can grow, connect, and thrive—personally, academically, and professionally.
Success and Wellbeing Committee:
- Hana Alsheikh, Graduate Student (hana.alsheikh@emory.edu)
- Helen Ansell, Postdoctoral Fellow (Postdoctoral fellow chair; hansell@emory.edu)
- Alissa Bans, Associate Teaching Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies (alissa.sue.bans@emory.edu)
- Dixie Baronofsky, Undergraduate Student (dixie.baronofsky@emory.edu)
- Justin Burton, Professor (justin.c.burton@emory.edu)
- Elaine Li, Undergraduate Student (elaine.li@emory.edu)
- Leon Palacio Rangel, Graduate Student (jlpalac@emory.edu)
- Sean Ridout, Postdoctoral Fellow (sridout@emory.edu)
- Jennifer Rieser, Assistant Professor (Faculty Chair; jennifer.rieser@emory.edu)
- Yuying Sun, Graduate Student (yuying.sun@emory.edu)
- Toler Webb, Graduate Student (Graduate student chair; toler.webb@emory.edu)
- Daniel Weissman, Associate Professor (daniel.weissman@emory.edu)
Recent activities in the Department:
- Fall 2025:
- Ethics hour discussion – Using AI in research
- Spring 2025:
- Celebrated Alumni Colloquium – Charlotte Selton (APS), Science Policy and Advocacy: Opportunities and Career Paths for Scientists
- Department forum – Open discussion and feedback gathering
- Ethics hour discussion – Experiences of LGBT+ Physicists, with Tim Atherton (Tufts University)
- Colloquium – Emily Alicea Muños (GA Tech), Training and professional development of physics GTAs
- Fall 2024:
- Department forum – Culture in physics
- Undergraduate forum – Discussion of undergraduate experiences and culture
- Ethics hour discussion – Expectations of brilliance in academia
- Spring 2024:
- Celebrated Alumni Colloquium – Destiny Thomas (Cleveland Museum of Natural History), A woman in science.
- Ethics hour discussion – Gender discrimination in Physics and Astronomy
- Department forum – Maintaining a healthy work-life balance in academia
- Fall 2023:
- Department forum – Overview of the committee’s recent work and plans for the year