Dear members of the Carney Institute Community,

Black lives matter.  

As the nation convulses at the inhumane killing of George Floyd, a black man  — one among so many needless deaths — many members of the Carney Institute community are hurting. As Brown University’s senior leaders conveyed May 30, racism, discrimination and violence cannot be accepted as “normal.” We abhor violence, abuse of power and injustice, and we reaffirm Brown’s statement.

As individuals we can help change our society, but we must also ask what we can do as a community. Scientists of color in Carney, in brain science and in academia are visibly underrepresented, and we lose as a research community and as a society. Our capacity to advance new knowledge depends on engaging all talented people. 

We in Carney must do better. 

Diane Lipscombe, Reliance Dhirubhai Ambani Director, Carney Institute for Brain Science

Christopher Moore, Associate Director, Carney Institute for Brain Science

R. John Davenport, Managing Director, Carney Institute for Brain Science