Here at NYU, we have an open door policy. So that means that anybody can really go into any lab to ask any questions or get help. So that really facilitates communication and collaboration.
No one person is doing very much cutting edge science alone. And we understand that, so we really work to collaborate with each other to be the best that we can be within this institution. And then also bringing in outside people when necessary. We have religious diversity, racial diversity, gender diversity, gender expression diversity, diversity of thought, diversity of what we want to study.
This open environment where inclusiveness for people's culture, people's background, people's sexual orientation, it just provides for a happier environment. I think in graduate school, it's imperative to have a very happy and an inclusive and well-oriented environment.
So two years ago, I was President of Student Council, and it's really amazing what we do, I think in terms of helping to see different programs. So I'm actually part of a underrepresented minority mentorship program. And that was an idea that stemmed from our student council wanting to give back more and wanting to have more of an influence in our community. And so we gave a small amount of money that was matched by the names and, then from there, we've grown out into a company that exists now.
