Our unique culture of open collaboration—the "Urbana style" of physics—draws talent from around the globe and from every walk of life. The strength of diverse perspectives allows us to attack the most relevant and pressing questions in physics with tremendous breadth of experience, unparalleled innovation, and great synergy.
"Students, faculty, and staff at Illinois Physics come from different backgrounds and cultures from around the world and speak many languages," says Department Head and Professor Matthias Grosse Perdekamp. "In this diverse environment, success in physics education and research critically depends on a strong culture of inclusion in which all contributions are welcome, and we strongly reaffirm our commitment to respect and tolerance for all."
The Illinois Physics community issues this official statement:
The Department of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign strongly rejects all hateful acts of antisemitism, racism, and discrimination on campus and elsewhere. As scientists, we recognize that acts of intolerance not only create a climate of intimidation and fear, but also stifle both scientific education and scientific progress. Research consistently suggests that as diversity increases, so do productivity, creativity, and innovation in human endeavors. As a department, we are committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive community at this university. We recognize that it is our responsibility to use our privilege as scientists and academics to create and defend an environment where people of all races, religions, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations are treated with respect and dignity, and where their contributions are welcomed and encouraged.
All members of the Physics community are invited to endorse the statement, please go to: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1967297.
For more information about Illinois Physics' commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, please visit the department's corresponding web page, which describes our unique culture of open collaboration and lists our diversity-focused organizations.