The MCDB Community Committee comprises trainees, laboratory personnel, faculty, and staff who collaborate to support the department’s teaching and research missions. A positive, collegial environment helps everyone achieve their highest academic and professional goals.
The Committee is dedicated to creating an inclusive and supportive atmosphere where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel valued and embraced. We strive to cultivate a space that encourages cultural sharing and confronts prejudices, enriching Yale’s community with global perspectives and cultures.
The mission of the MCDB Community Committee is to build connections and create opportunities for meaningful interaction across all levels of the department. The Committee develops practical initiatives that promote open communication, collegiality, and professional development. Activities we organize and support include:
- BioBlitz – a seminar series where trainees give chalk-talk style presentations over breakfast and receive constructive feedback from peers and faculty in a friendly, informal setting.
- Wine and cheese tastings
- The Great MCDB Bake-Off – members share baked goods and compete for the best dessert.
- Science Over Lunch – high-level talks by faculty for non-scientific staff, aimed at sharing the wide-reaching impact of our research and showing how everyone’s efforts support cutting-edge discoveries.
- Outreach – engage and train students from the local community in the subjects that we know best: biological sciences.
- Departmental Survey – seeking feedback from the community to guide future initiatives
The Committee also helps identify existing university resources that support professional development and collegial engagement. When challenges arise affecting the professional climate, the Committee serves as an additional contact point and provides recommendations to strengthen our community.