PLANS FOR ENHANCING DIVERSITY: ABSTRACT Scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems. A diverse scientific workforce fosters scientific innovation, enhances global competitiveness, contributes to robust learning environments, improves the quality of the research, and advances the likelihood that underserved or health disparity populations participate in, and benefit from health research, while enhancing the public trust. A commitment to these core assumptions underlies the Stephenson Cancer Center’s (SCC) focus on enhancing workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The SCC’s priority commitment to enhancing DEI helps the center capitalize on innovative ideas and unique and diverse perspectives. To this end, SCC leadership has taken several steps to elevate the promotion of DEI as a strategic priority for the SCC. This begins with formally incorporating DEI into the SCC’s evolving strategic plan, which was done in 2020 with the inclusion of a new core strategic priority (#7 Enhancing the presence of women, minorities and others from groups historically underrepresented in research). To provide senior-level planning, the SCC director established a new Associate Director position for DEI and appointed Joan Walker, MD (CPC) as the inaugural AD for this important role. Dr. Walker subsequently appointed Adam Alexander, PhD (CPC), an early-stage Black/African American investigator who focuses on health equity in the Black/AA community, as Assistant Director for DEI. Efforts are currently underway to develop a formal core resource to assist the center, programs, and members with activities related to DEI / PED specific aims. A comprehensive PED will be developed in 2022 in coordination with the SCC’s overall strategic planning process. Over the past five years (2017-21), the SCC has implemented multiple initiatives to enhance the presence of women, minority and other groups historically underrepresented in research in the cancer center workforce (including SCC membership, leadership, and staffing) as well as in education pipeline programs. The success of this strategic focus can be seen in recruitment. Of the 31 new faculty externally recruited during the reporting period, 16 (52%) are women, five (16%) are underrepresented minority (URM) persons, and 19 (61%) are either women or URM individuals. Intentional engagement with and mentoring of URM members has resulted in several peer-reviewed and other career enhancement grants.