In October, 2017, Manu Platt, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, was honored and delivered the Biomedical Engineering Society’s (BMES) Diversity Award Lecture.

Platt’s lecture addressed the fear of waiting for the perfect time as a professor, graduate student, or undergraduate student to be impactful in promoting diversity and inclusion at your institution. Sage professional mentors and family elders may advise “going along to get along” and “not making waves ” to be successful. Platt challenged this assumption of the “safe” path to success . “Often, if you are the first or the only of a particular demographic category, the path is neither well paved, nor well lit,” said Platt. In this recorded lecture, he discusses the power and the payoff of being unapologetic about identity, the importance of intersectionality, and being intentional in diversifying the workforce. Now.

In this video, the long, enthusiastic, supportive applause from faculty and students attending the annual BMES conference at the conclusion of the lecture was edited out by the video creators for space considerations.

View Dr. Manu Platt’s moving, impactful lecture here on YouTube.