DIRC21 Content:

Created for Virtual, Designed for Flexibility

Explore all the ways you can engage with DIRC21 content, presenters and fellow attendees

DIRC21 was designed from the ground up as a virtual event. Why try to replicate the in-person experience, when there is so much that can be done in a virtual setting? A key tenet of our approach is to maximize flexibility, giving each attendee the opportunity to create a customized experience that suits their interests and their level along the D&I journey, and their busy schedules.

To facilitate the customized experience, DIRC21 offers content in a variety of formats and a mixture of live and always-on experiences:

  • TED-style Solo Talks

  • Panels

  • Disruptive Conversations

  • Spotlights

  • Workshops

  • Interactive experiences

  • Live Q&A Sessions

  • Networking

  • Recordings

The vast majority of this content will be available between 11am and 3pm USA Eastern Time on November 17, 18 and 19. This scheduling will make the live content accessible for most people between the west coast of the USA all the way to Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Most of the content will be recorded so that it can be enjoyed by any attendee even if they cannot join during the live portions of DIRC21.

The variety of formats ensures that, whether you are dropping in during a lunch break, or settling in for a full 4 hours of live DIRC activities, you will find quality content that suits your needs. Check out the descriptions and the list of content for each type of experience below.

But even if you can’t show up during the live portions, worry not: much of the content will be recorded and will be available shortly after the closing bell (if you are not a paid attendee, you’ll have to wait a few months…).

 

TED-Style Solo Talks

 
 

These 12- to 15-minute presentations showcase individuals whose work exemplifies the value of applying research principles to address issues related to D&I. We carefully select top-notch speakers who will knock your socks off with their compelling talks on a wide range of relevant topics.

Solo Talks are pre-recorded and available for your enjoyment starting a full week before the live event. The speakers will also take part in Live Q&A sessions to engage with the audience.

View the current list of solo talks and speakers

  • Gilda Barabino, President, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering: Talk Title: TBD
  • Darrell Burrell, Associate Professor of Business, Florida Institute of Technology: Talk Title: Psychological Safety in COVID times
  • Jason Forrest, Director of Interactives, McKinsey & Company: Talk Title: The Data Visualizations of WEB DuBois
  • Sara Hart Weir, Senior partner, Institute of Workplace Skills and Innovation: Talk Title: Ready, Willing & ABLE: Why it Pays to Hire People w/ Disabilities
  • Ravi Kudesia, Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management, Temple University: Talk Title: Why Collective Intelligence Requires Both Diversity and Disagreement
  • Romy Newman, President & Co-founder, Fairygodboss: Talk Title: Women's Job Satisfaction & Mobility in 2021
  • Alison Taylor, Executive Director, Ethical Systems: Talk Title: Culture, Transparency and the Future of Business Ethics
  • Thomas Woodson, Associate Professor of Technology and Society, Stony Brook University: Talk Title: Broadening participation in STEM research
 

Panels

 
 

Panels feature a moderator and (typically) three panelists. Think “An academic, a CEO an a DEI practitioner walk into a bar…” No, really, we strive to select panelists who bring complementary viewpoints to the conversation. All panels are recorded for later access.

Panels last about 50 minutes including a few minutes of audience Q&A. But worry not, if you want to continue the conversation, you can join the after-panel networking sessions, or see if your favorite panelist signed up for a Live Q&A session.

View the current list of panels

Please check back for updates

  • The Role of Scientific Publishing in Supporting D&I
    Jointly Sponsored by Wiley and by Cell Press
    • Laura Paglione [moderator], Partner, Spherical Cow Group
    • Marcus Lambert, Associate Vice President for Research Strategy and Operations, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
    • Caeul Lim, Editor-in-Chief, Cell Press
    • Judy Verses, EVP of Research, Wiley
  • From Diversity to Dividends: Expanding The Corporate Playbook For DEI
    Sponsored by Aperture Venture Capital
  • Putting Inclusion and Equity at the Forefront of the Return-to-Workplace Decision
    • Jill Finlayson [moderator], Director, Expanding Diversity and Gender Equity in Tech, University of California
  • How can DEI data help level the playing field in entrepreneurship?
  • Inclusion as the key to corporate DEI
  • The experiences of Black women in tech fields from academia to startups/innovation and corporate
    • Karen Jackson-Weaver [moderator], Associate Vice President, Global Faculty Engagement & Innovation Advancement, New York University
  • The Use of Data to Advance Corporate DEI Efforts
  • The impact of DEI on STEM career transitions
    • Srikant Iyer [moderator], Associate Director of Science Alliance, New York Academy of Sciences
 

Disruptive Conversations

 
 

New to DIRC in 2021, Disruptive Conversations feature two thought leaders who hail from different sectors and experiences, and who are likely not to have collaborated or shared the stage before.

The two participants will engage in an unscripted, 45-minute conversation revolving around core ideas and timely events in the space of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

The DIRC21 Disruptive Conversation

  • Lisa Coleman, Chief Diversity Officer of New York University, will join Mark Wilkins, Managing Director - Wealth Management, UBS
 

Spotlights

 
 

Spotlights are shorter “lightning” presentations that capture a wide range of topics, from new research findings and novel technologies, to case studies and book launches.

Spotlights are clustered in groups of 3-5 presenters, each of whom will share their work in 5-6 minutes. After all presenters have spoken, the audience will have an opportunity to ask live questions for a few minutes.

Some of the Spotlight clusters may feature multiple presenters on a single, related topic or project, while other clusters might include a mixture of stand-alone, unrelated presentations.

View the growing list of Spotlights

Spotlight titles will be posted closer to the live dates (Nov 17-19) as some of the Spotlights may reflect current events.
Please check back frequently for updates!

  • Amna Al Abri, Faculty, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Nizwa, Oman
  • Paolo Gaudiano, Co-President, ARC and Chief Scientist, Aleria
  • Janeya Griffin, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, ConCreates
  • Kenneth L. Johnson, President, East Coast Executives
  • Isak Nti Asare, Associate Director, Language Workshop, and Associate Director, Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program, Indiana University
  • Byron Slosar, Founder & CEO, HIVE DIVERSITY
  • Jason Thompson, Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Western Governors University
  • Chibin Zhang, Research Associate, Aleria PBC
 

Workshops

 
 

Workshops, as the name would suggest, are special sessions conducted by professionals to provide various types of training and education on specific DEI-related topics. Workshops were introduced at DIRC20 In response to popular demand for hands-on, practical advice and tips.

We curate a list of top-notch professionals who normally conduct workshops — often at a significant cost — to make their workshops available to the DIRC21 audience. Several of the workshops have enrollment caps, so be sure to check out the list soon!

Interactive Experiences

 
 

In 2019, before COVID-19 change the world, we had the idea to add some interactive experiences to provide additional valuable content between sessions. We had two Virtual Reality companies offering DEI experiences, and a company doing headshots.

Switching to the virtual format made it impossible to do headshots and VR headsets, but opened the door to a range of other interactive experiences. From immersive videos and interactive computer simulations, to virtual yoga and games, you’ll be able to drop in and out at your convenience to add more value to your DIRC21 experience.

Live Q&A Sessions

 
 

From the very first time we held DIRC (back in 2018), we wanted to disrupt the typical Q&A model: we set up an area outside the conference hall where speakers and panelists gathered during networking breaks, and could be joined by the audience - or chat among themselves.

The virtual format makes this even more flexible: throughout the live portions of DIRC21 there will be several live Q&A sessions that will be joined by a mixture of speakers and panelists. Members of the audience will be able to submit questions and enjoy some of the spontaneous conversations that happen when you put a bunch of smart people together in a room.

Networking

 
 

For DIRC21 we are using best-of-breed platforms to create an engaging experience even when you are not attending a Solo Talk, Panel, Spotlight, Workshop or any of our other live content.

Using the Socio event management platform in combination with the Wander virtual networking platform, attendees and presenters alike will be able to engage in interactive conversations at any time.

Recordings

 
 

One of the great benefits of a virtual event is the flexibility of consuming content when it’s convenient for you. To give you the best possible experience, we pre-record all Solo Talks and make them available one week before the official start of the event.

We also record most live sessions, and, after some editing and formatting, we will make them available online too. Initially the recorded content will only be available to paying attendees, but about three months after DIRC21, all content will be opened to the general public.

The opportunities to learn will continue long after the conclusion of the 3-day, live portion of DIRC21.

Most of the content will be available to all attendees for three months after the event, and will then be made available to the general public. Hence you will continue to be able to enjoy DIRC21 content indefinitely.

Every attendee, whether participating as an individual or as part of an organization, will be able to enjoy an invaluable experience that matches their interests and their level of familiarity with D&I.

Organizations who wish to demonstrate their support for D&I, can take advantage of a full range of sponsorships and bulk ticketing opportunities to leverage DIRC21 to give their employees, members and partners, access to a rich set of experiences. For a small fraction of the cost of a traditional, one-size-fits-all D&I training exercise, DIRC21 offers value for companies and organizations of any size in any sector.

Explore the interactive DIRC21 Agenda!