On May 14th, Brian Tracey became the first awardee of the College of the Environment’s Outstanding Diversity Commitment Award. Among 42 nominees across the College of the Environment including faculty, staff and students, Brian was selected for his efforts and impact not only at the department or university level, but in the Seattle community as a whole. 

At the core of Brian’s work in diversity efforts is the ideal of volunteerism and service to groups historically hindered from social and academic progress. An especially noteworthy volunteer effort is that he was instrumental to the recruitment program of SMEA last year, always making time to meet with URMs that visited SMEA as prospective students and maintained contact with them throughout the application process. Through this collective effort, he helped SMEA recruit five students who identify as URMs, the most of any graduate marine science department at UW.

Brian’s thesis is on the advancement and inclusion of underrepresented minority (URM) students in the marine sciences, particularly at UW. His research focuses on the effects of social capital (forming relationship that facilitate access and opportunity) on URM students in graduate level marine science programs here at UW. Furthermore, Brian is mentoring an undergraduate student of color for his senior project, “African American Environmental Awareness.”

Brian is also a well-known leader throughout UW in addressing disparities and issues of diversity. Brian is an active senator in the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS). In his short time as a senator, he was elected chair of the GPSS Diversity Committee, a team of graduate students who challenge cultural status quos on campus through their ‘Campus Conversations’ series and allocate funds to diversity events. These events address the full spectrum of diversity issues, raising awareness and pushing the boundaries of people’s belief systems. Their most recent Campus Coversation on ‘Ageism’ made the front page of the campus newspaper, The Daily.  He is also the Executive Liaison (special ambassador) to UW Diversity Council, Provost Advisory Committee for Students (PACS), and the College of the Environment College Council for Students. In each of the committees, he has strongly advocated and pushed for policies that address cultural competency training for faculty and staff, which has been well received by both students and administration.

Beyond his work with GPSS, Brian is the co-founder of a registered student organization, Empowerment Through Education (ETE). This community-service based group of students seeks to raise awareness of social justice and diversity issues pertaining to education and society through volunteerism and informational sessions. Their most recent activity was a productive community discussion led by a Seattle University administrator and local activist, Tyrone Brown, at the Ethnic Cultural Center. ETE holds quarterly shadowing events with University District Youth Center (UDYC). This event pairs group members with at-risk high school-age students to encourage academic excellence by allowing them to experience a day in the life of a college student.

In addition to his leadership roles at the University, he also serves the city of Seattle, working with local social justice organizations to promote positive understanding and interactions between groups of various identities and privileges. Twice a month, he hosts a free community training session at a local movement center in Seattle. The sole purpose is to facilitate access to those individuals who have interest, but cannot afford to attend classes there regularly. These individuals are typically from lower socio-economic groups, but are representative of many identities. He is also a volunteer and collaborator with Social Outreach Seattle (SoSea), a local social justice non-profit that mainly works within the Queer community. Additionally, Brian promotes and collaborates with the #moralmondays social justice events at Seattle University.

Using his broad knowledge of the marine sciences and professional fisheries experience, Brian serves as a youth mentor with a number of organizations in and outside of UW. He is the mainstay of the volunteer core at the Seattle MESA (math, engineering, science achievement) program. He regularly donates his time, knowledge and energy to a plethora of their events designed to increase high school and junior high school URM student participation in the STEM fields. His short-term goal is to be the Director of this program after he graduates. Similarly, he volunteers with a number of other organizations, where he strives to bring issues of diversity to the fore. These efforts include serving as a field guide for the Ocean Inquiry Project (OIP), a citizen-science organization; a science fair mentor for Bryant Elementary School, and student organizers for Discovery Science Weekend held at the Seattle Aquarium.

Congratulations on your accomplishment Brian and thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do!