At the Université de Sherbrooke, women make up 16% of the student body in physics, from the bachelor's degree to the postdoctorate level. Despite the progress made in recent years, women continue to be under-represented in several scientific fields. However, the lack of diversity in science does not stop at women: racialized people, Aboriginal people, people belonging to minorities of gender or sexual orientation, and people with disabilities all face particular obstacles in their path to a scientific career, and the intersections of these realities lead to opportunities that are sometimes even more limited.
Born out of a student initiative, the Comité pour la diversité en physique de l'Université de Sherbrooke (formerly the Regroupement des femmes en physique de l'UdeS) was formed in the fall of 2016. The main objective of this committee is to promote diversity in physics and science. More concretely, the Committee wishes to break the isolation of women and persons belonging to minorities who are studying or working in physics, and to foster their sense of belonging to the UdeS Physics Department. Furthermore, the Committee wishes to participate in the recruitment of women and other persons under-represented in physics by organizing activities with a scientific flavour for young people and by offering diverse female role models of success in science. The Committee also wants to promote brain retention in the field, leadership, and networking.
Finally, the UdeS Committee for Diversity in Physics aims to raise public awareness of the problems related to the low representation of women and the lack of diversity in science and to contribute to the elimination of prejudices and stereotypes in order to create an environment conducive to the advancement of knowledge for all.