UW Dermatology Team Gathers for Annual Division Retreat

The UW Division of Dermatology kicked off the new academic year with its annual division retreat on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, gathering at the University of Washington’s wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ “Intellectual House,” a longhouse-style gathering space on campus.

The strategic working retreat invited all faculty, staff and trainees to come together, meet new team members, celebrate achievements over the last year and work on division-wide initiatives for next year and beyond. This year's retreat was particularly exciting as it marked our division's first in-person gathering since February 2020!

Thank you to the Volunteer Committee for helping coordinate a food drive to support the UW Food Pantry at this year's retreat. Together, we collected over 255 lbs of food and personal hygiene products for huskies in need!

Dr. Paul Nghiem, Professor and Head of the UW Division of Dermatology, began the retreat with a reintroduction of the division’s mission statement and values, along with updates on the status of the division including growth and revenue over the past year.

New team members to the division were then introduced. This year UW Dermatology welcomed five new residents, two fellows, five faculty members (including four former residents), four administrative staff members, and six new lab members and researchers who support the Nghiem and Kawasumi Labs.

Members of the EDI Committee then discussed the division’s continued work toward becoming a more equitable and diverse learning and working environment, as well as a recommitment to the Culture of Inclusion Agreement. Later in the day, Drs. Markus Boos and Miriam Alam led an activity focused on recognizing and confronting gender-based microaggressions. Attendees were given real examples of microaggressions UW Dermatology staff and faculty have faced in the workplace to discuss in groups.

A major focus of the retreat was the future growth and development of the division. Attendees were asked to break into groups and brainstorm ideas to transform the division over the next ten years. Staff, faculty and trainees were also asked to compile ideas for new collaborative projects to streamline processes and better serve patients.

Dr. Andrea Kalus, Associate Professor, wrapped-up the retreat with a fun printmaking activity. Attendees got to tap into their creative side by drawing their own unique designs, which were then transferred to rubber printing blocks for carving using special cutting tools. Prints were then rolled with ink and pressed into paper, allowing each attendee to bring home their own block print. See photos of the activity below. 

Special thank you to Junghyun Lee, PhD, Research Fellow, for providing these great photos from the retreat.