The Climate and Community Committee (CCC) brings our department's students, faculty, and staff together to discuss how to improve our work and social climate. The committee makes recommendations for changes in all aspects of department life, from curriculum to social events. It first convened in Spring of 2020 and met remotely through the 2020-2021 academic year.

All members of the community should feel free to contact a representative of the CCC at any time. The current committee members are:

  • Students: Cailin Plunket and Lena Treiber: co-chairs. Michael Ambrosius, Alex DelFranco, Lillia Hammond, Julia Woodward, Vietta Kuntz, Nat Edmonds
  • Faculty & Staff: Ashley Carter, Kannan Jagannathan, Jarrett Moyer, Rachael Dunphy 

How to join the CCC:

  1. Respond to an e-mail sent to Physics & Astronomy majors at the beginning of the year from the Academic Department Coordinator
  2. Respond to the announcement at the first Physic and Astronomy Department Seminar meeting in September
  3. E-mail the Academic Department Coordinator
  4. Respond to the official Workday posting JR493 Climate & Community Committee

Read the informal minutes of the CCC (restricted to the Amherst College community).

Committee Charge

The Climate and Community Committee (CCC) consists of student (as defined below), faculty, and staff representatives from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The charge of the committee is to discuss issues of equity, inclusion, climate, and community within the department, and to provide accountability for change. In particular, the committee will advise on and develop programming and policies to help improve: retention of majors, recruitment of prospective majors, academic support of students enrolled in physics classes, a sense of community within the department, inclusive pedagogies, and communication between students, faculty, and staff. All students enrolled in physics and astronomy courses and all declared majors are considered part of the CCC constituency and may propose topics for discussion. These may be brought to any member of the CCC or submitted to the departmental ‘comment box’.

Department Comment Box

Please submit comments here.