Diversity in STEM Summit 2019

At Tandon, we believe that academic excellence is inseparable from our commitment to creating a culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belongingness. Join us at our 5th annual Diversity in STEM Summit where we will explore the theme, “Engineering & Technology for a Healthier Tomorrow.”
What is the current status of healthcare technology and innovations locally and globally?
How are we expanding medical care access and addressing disparities to those with special needs and in marginalized communities?
We will dive into these questions and more as we explore the role of cultural sensitivity and ways to mitigate bias in the healthcare profession and hear from individuals at the forefront of increasing a diverse professional pipeline.
New York University and the Tandon School of Engineering provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. Requests for accommodations for events and services should be submitted at least (1) week before the date of the accommodation need. Please email eng.studentaffairs@nyu.edu for assistance.
Please note, this event is open only for the Tandon student community. If you are a student from another NYU school and are interested in joining, please email us at eng.studentaffairs@nyu.edu
Signature Events
Breakfast Panel
9:30-11:00AM
What is the connection to racial disparity and unconscious bias in STEM fields? In technology and healthcare specifically? Join Dr. Jean Gallagher, our moderator, in conversation with our panelists as we dive into these questions and a greater understanding of the role of unconscious biases within our panelists’ respective fields, as well as their hopes for the future of diversity within the STEM fields.
Participants who arrive on time will be entered to win a Mynted 3D Pen!
Luncheon Lightning Talks
12:30-2:00PM
Why is it important to make sure that our local and global diverse communities are at the forefront of healthcare technology innovations?
Over lunch, you’ll hear “Lightning Talk” presenters address these questions and share their personal journeys that brought them to their innovative work, changing the technology and healthcare landscapes.
Participants who arrive on time will be entered to win a pair of PowerBeats Pro!
Keynote Dinner
6:00-8:00PM
Join us at dinner to hear three visionary leaders and change agents, all MDs, leading the way in research and collaborating with corporations and policymakers to transform healthcare for all communities. Dr. Marilyn Fraser, CEO of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (AAIUH), Research Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and co-Director of the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center, will receive the Diversity in STEM Champion Achievement Award. Participants will have the opportunity to network with invited corporate and industry partners as well as alumni and entrepreneurs.
Participants who arrive on time will be entered to win a 5th Series Apple Watch!
Breakfast Panel Moderator

Breakfast Panelists



Luncheon Lightning Talks




Keynote Dinner

Dr. Clark leads Merck’s Patient Insights Team, is co-leader of the team that champions Health Care Equities (including the promotion of health literacy and research diversity) and chairs the Patient Engagement, Health Literacy & Clinical Trials Diversity Investigator-Initiated Studies Research Committee. Prior to joining Merck, Dr. Clark was Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center (SUNY Downstate) and founding Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded Brooklyn Health Disparities Research Center.
Dr. Clark earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and the American College of Physicians (FACP), and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Founders Affiliate of the American Heart Association. Dr. Clark has received numerous awards and honors, including the Harvard University Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Medicine. He is the current President of the Health Science Center at Brooklyn Foundation (HSCB Foundation), SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

As of 2016, Dr. Allen has served as the System Chief Medical Officer & Senior Vice President of NYC Health + Hospitals.
2019 STEM Champion Awardee

Dr. Fraser, as co-leader of an investigative research team supported by several NIH and CDC grants, helped develop behavioral health intervention models and training curricula for AAIUH’s award-winning Black Pearls and Different Fades of Health programs. The Institute’s community outreach programs prepare hairstylists and barbers to educate their clients about various health topics, including breast, prostate and colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, and HIV/AIDS risk reduction. She also served as the Co-PI in conducting the Institute’s ACCESS project to increase access to health and social services for formerly incarcerated individuals in Brooklyn.
Guyanese-born Dr. Fraser is a graduate of the Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine in St. Lucia and did her medical training in the West Indies, Mexico, and the United States. Dr. Fraser has received numerous awards including the Health Award from the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, and the prestigious Fulbright Research Specialist award to develop and implement a climate change and public health internship program for secondary school students in Trinidad and Tobago. She was also the recipient of the Innovator Award from the Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, the Community Award from the Nurses Association of the Counties of Long Island (NACLI), as well as an extraordinary woman of Downstate recognition. She was also nominated to serve on the nationally acclaimed Clinical & Translational Science Award (CTSA)’s Community Engagement Domain Task Force. Most recently, Dr. Fraser was honored as a Power Woman in Brooklyn and received the special Health Award. She was also honored as the winner of the Crain's Heritage Healthcare Leadership Award and named one of Crain’s Notable Women in Healthcare. Dr. Fraser regularly presents her work at scientific meetings, nationally and internationally, and is a co-author on several publications and a book chapter.