Arlene Modeste Knowles

Arlene Modeste Knowles is the Project Manager and primary driver for the AIP TEAM-UP Project and TEAM-UP Together. As a lifelong advocate for diversity in STEM, Arlene has dedicated herself to building a science community where people from marginalized communities can thrive. Over the course of three decades, she has developed, managed, and led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs at the American Physical Society, the American Institute of Physics, and in partnership with several other physical science societies.  

Arlene convened the AIP TEAM-UP Task Force and successfully guided the project in its study of the underrepresentation of African American physics and astronomy students in undergraduate programs. She also oversaw the project through its pilot implementation phase, supporting select departments in developing strategic action plans for departmental change based on TEAM-UP recommendations.

Arlene is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. She served as the 2020 Chair of the AAPT Committee on Diversity in Physics (CoDP), and in 2017, co-led the development of the AAAS STEMM Equity Achievement (SEA) Change Physics Project and Astronomy Departmental Awards.