In this recorded session from SAGE’s Breaking Silos 2025 Conference, Dr Kumudika De Silva discusses overcoming diversity data hesitancy.

There are numerous dimensions of diversity that can be collected in surveys and research, yet there is often a tendency to default to broad and seemingly innocuous categories such as ‘Country of birth’ and ‘First language.’

These categories, while useful, can sometimes obscure the nuanced and multifaceted nature of individual identities. In this short discussion, Dr De Silva will share her experiences of incorporating a question on self-identification of Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CARM) identity in a staff survey.

The inclusion of this question aimed to capture a more accurate and comprehensive picture of the diverse identities within her organization. By allowing staff members to self-identify their CARM status, they sought to acknowledge and validate their unique experiences and perspectives. This approach not only enhances the richness of the data collected but also fosters a more inclusive and supportive environment.

During the discussion, she will delve into the rationale behind this decision, the challenges encountered, and the insights gained from the responses. She will also highlight the importance of moving beyond traditional categories to embrace a more holistic understanding of diversity.

Through this experience, they aim to encourage other organizations to consider similar approaches in their diversity and inclusion efforts, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and representative workplace.

About the speaker

Dr Kumudika De Silva,
Gender Equity Programs Manager
University of Technology Sydney
She/her

Dr Kumi de Silva’s commitment to drive and influence inclusion and belonging has led her from a career as an immunologist with an interest in infectious diseases and developing vaccines to her current role as the Gender Equity Programs Manager at UTS.

Having lived as an international student and a migrant woman in science on precarious employment continues to influence her work. In addition to current projects supporting equitable practices during policy implementation and managing staff careers at UTS as part of UTS Athena Swan programs, Kumi advocates for equity with a focus beyond gender alone. Collaborating with UTS Women in Engineering and IT, she led UTS’s successful applications for two SAGE Athena Swan Cygnet Awards in 2024 focused on supporting women and girls into engineering and IT studies.

She is a Core Committee member of UTS’s Multicultural Women’s Network. Prior to joining UTS she co-founded Mosaic, a network to support multicultural staff at the University of Sydney and was a member of the successful application for the Science in Australia Gender Equity (Athena Swan) Bronze Award there. Kumi is a Dr John Yu Fellow for Cultural Diversity Leadership.

Kumi’s prior research focused on developing vaccines and characterising immunological biomarkers for early identification of disease in livestock. This was made possible while on a rolling series of fixed-term employment contracts by collaborating to secure large industry grants which supported high-performing teams. Other research encompassed immune responses during noninfectious injury including burns and atherosclerotic heart disease.

Watch the full session below.