Hutch United (HU) is a grassroots organization that was founded in 2013 by researchers here at Fred Hutch — a community built by scientists, for scientists. Our mission is to foster a supportive and inclusive community to promote the success of underrepresented and self-identified minority scientists at the Hutch. We aim to increase the completion of self-defined career goals and learning objectives of underrepresented students, postdocs, and faculty.
Keys to Fostering Diversity
- Facilitate mentoring interactions between faculty, postdocs, graduate students and other staff
- Provide networking opportunities within the Fred Hutch and with external contacts
- Identify and develop solutions for diversity-related challenges
- Celebrate successful landmarks
- Engage the entire Hutch community in our activities and mission
Attending the Seattle Pride Day parade
An after work beer chat
Mixer event at Fred Hutch
Attending the Seattle Pride Day parade
An after work beer chat
Mixer event at Fred Hutch
Who Can Join
- Graduate students, postdocs, fellows, staff scientists, technicians, and faculty are eligible.
- HU is an inclusive group and supports the Fred Hutch diversity statement developed by the Diversity Council: “[We] are committed to diversity in the broadest sense, including all races/ethnicities, genders, ages, national origins, physical abilities, sexual orientations and other personal characteristics, approaches, beliefs and backgrounds”.
What does it mean to be a Hutch United Member?
- HU members have access to our dedicated mentors in the HU Mentoring Network (HUMN) and can request to be paired with a mentor for career advice.
- Our members can gain leadership experience by volunteering for organizing committees to plan and run various Hutch United events.
Hutch United Mentoring Network (HUMN): HUMN is a mentoring program featuring formal, professional one-on-one mentoring partnerships between faculty, postdocs, students, and other scientists. HUMN provides a searchable database of mentors and holds various events throughout the year: Large-scale biannual Mentoring Mixer Events, Mentoring Over Coffee, and Peer Mentoring discussions.
Seminars: HU holds annual Scientific and Diversity-related Seminars by speakers, selected and invited by our members, who not only serve as role models for HU members, but also help to identify problems and develop solutions for our community.
Community Building Events: Book Club (HU members meet to discuss books that cover a variety of important topics), the Holiday Kind Words Exchange [HU members send each other letters during the holiday season], Seattle Pride Parade and event participation, monthly Tea Time and monthly General Meetings.
Outreach: HU fosters community both within Fred Hutch and the greater Seattle community. We organize visits from community groups and educational organizations focused on increasing diversity in the STEM fields (grade school through community college). We also have an extensive collaboration with the Fred Hutch High School Internship Program. In 2021, Hutch United Outreach created the Art Lab program with a local high school to highlight “art” in the S.T.E.A.M. fields, pairing students with Hutch scientists to recreate a scientific image in the student's chosen art medium.
Hutch United aims to exist as an integrated entity at the Hutch. Here are our partner organizations:
- All Hutch Scientific Divisions
- Student-Postdoc Advisory Committee (SPAC)
- Community of Employees for Racial Equity (formerly Diversity Council)
- SCHARPS Diversity Group
- Human Resources
- Chromosome Metabolism and Cancer Training Grant
- Seattle AWIS
Student/Postdoc Advisory Committee (SPAC)
The Student/Postdoc Advisory Committee (SPAC) represents the interests of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and medical fellows at the Hutch in obtaining the best education possible for their future careers.
Conferences and Organizations
SACNAS is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science.
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)
ABRCMS is the largest, professional conference for minority students to pursue advanced training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).