Faculty Diversity Award

For advancing diversity at the University

This award recognizes distinctive and outstanding teaching, research, or creative work and/or service/outreach that advances diversity at Washington State University.

Diversity includes the cultures, world views, values, and personal experiences that may result from differences in race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, geographic region, and more. 

Tarah S. Sullivan

Associate Professor, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Tarah Sullivan is an Associate Professor of Soil Microbiology and serves as an Affiliate Faculty in the Center for Native American Research, where she works extensively in collaboration with indigenous communities. In collaboration with the Nez Perce and Coeur d’Alene tribes, Sullivan was able to help secure a grant to fund BioRISE, an initiative that partners WSU and University of Idaho students and mentors with native tribes to promote sustainable stewardship of local ecosystems. BioRISE is also responsible for an internship program within the tribes to promote ecosystem and climate change research. The program trains 8-10 interns per year, developing research programs that will benefit the tribes’ future.

Sullivan is committed to promoting diversity and belonging at WSU, serving on both the DEI and Women in Science committees, conducting the department’s first climate survey, and organizing DEI training. She has also developed curriculums and demonstrations for tribal youth programs, exemplifying her ongoing commitment to supporting and empowering tribal communities.