Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access

The Centre aims to deliver scientific innovations in optical science and its applications. To translate research into innovative technologies in transport, health, security, defence, agriculture, entertainment, and education, we gather outstanding innovators from diverse backgrounds to be future leaders for decades to come.

Significant research has shown that diverse teams can develop more innovative ideas. When people from different contexts work together, their unique perspectives lead to greater creativity. The Centre provides a safe and respectful environment, responding to our community’s diverse needs. This will be achieved by actioning the IDEA Strategic and Implementation Plan and will remain a responsibility of all Centre members.

Our principles are:

• Respect: We respect and value the diversity of our staff and students – who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse, of all genders, who are of diverse gender identities, sexes and sexualities, who have a disability, ongoing medical or mental health condition and who are socially or economically disadvantaged.
• Safety: We seek to provide a culturally safe environment where our Indigenous communities and students, and staff of all backgrounds are respected and included.
• Innovation: We measure, assess and strive to improve our efforts to provide a diverse and inclusive environment for our staff and students and communicate these efforts throughout the community.
• Sustainability: We capture and embrace our whole community’s diversity while maintaining the integrity of the international relationships we hold.

IDEA committee goals/activities

• Build a diverse Centre team today for tomorrow’s workforce.
  Engrain IDEA values and behaviours in our Centre team so we are the change-makers in our universities and beyond.
• Create a sense of belonging and shared purpose in our Centre team to become inclusive individuals.
• Amplify and leverage the efforts, resources, movements, and voices of underrepresented groups to support Centre team members and allies.