Berkeley Lab postdoc association (BLPA) supports about 800 postdocs employed and affiliated with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). We all come from different backgrounds and cultures, united towards the common goal of pushing the boundaries of our knowledge. About 80 percent of LBNL postdocs come from outside the United States. Our association puts a strong emphasis on highlighting and celebrating the professional, cultural, and gender diversity of our members and helps our members face the challenges of living in a new cultural environment. In our poster, we present our innovative, simple-to-implement activities towards this goal. Two years ago, we launched a series of Cultural Lunches - brown-bag meetings during which postdocs present the places where they grew up. Speakers are free to choose any cultural topic which is important for them. This series turned out to be successful not only in embracing our cultural diversity, but also triggering discussion about our cultural differences, exposing us to different points of view, and supporting postdocs experiencing the challenges of adapting to a new culture. Driven by the great success of Lunches, we incorporated aspects covered by the series in our other in-person and online activities e.g., trivia games, international potlucks, and other community-building activities. To promote the breakthrough science led by scholars from a wide variety of backgrounds and STEM disciplines, we launched a blog called “Coffee with Postdocs.” Every month, the blog features research and personal stories of one of our postdocs, which helps to promote early-career scientists and build an inclusive community. With about 27 percent of female postdocs in LBNL, we especially highlight women in STEM. Featured scholars also get special recognition through LBNL social media. The poster will summarize our activities towards embracing the diversity of our community, including their implementation and strategies to encourage postdocs’ participation.
