Docherty Lab
microbial ecology
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Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity in the Docherty Lab
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In our lab, we take pride in our actions and commitment to life-long learning about how to create an inclusive environment for everyone to learn, grow, and realize their goals.
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Specifically:
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1) Through reading, seminars, workshops, and conversations, we continually educate ourselves on how issues of racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination affect us all, particularly regarding STEM education and the field of ecology.
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2) We meet everyone in the group where they are in their educational process and take an individualized approach to mentoring.
e.g. See Graduate Student Expectations Document
e.g. See Undergraduate Student Expectations Document
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3) We are committed to reducing barriers to success and doing our part to eliminate systemic discrimination and inequity through open conversation and transparency.
e.g. See Demystifying the Graduate Application Process Document
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4) We are empowered to disrupt biased or discriminatory behavior when we see it and advocate for systemic change.
e.g. Kathryn and all grad students and postdocs have completed WMU's H.E.R.O.S Bystander Intervention training program and understand the concept of implicit bias and how best to avoid it.
5) We recruit students from historically excluded minorities in STEM to join our research group, particularly through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program at Kellogg Biological Station and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program at WMU. We celebrate different perspectives from different lived experiences by working in diverse and collaborative teams, and encourage equitable distribution of labor and recognition.
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6) We create safe, inclusive and equitable learning environments in the classroom, laboratory, and field. We admit if we make mistakes and are committed to learning from them.
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7) We have fun doing our best science by having a strong work ethic while prioritizing mental, physical, and emotional health of all lab group members.
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DEI-related Resources for Ecologists
We are always adding resources to this area, and many of these sites contain many more links to resources.
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Ecological Society of America Diversity Statement
Black Ecologists Section of ESA
Latin American and Caribbean ESA Chapter
500 Women Scientists
Association for Women Geoscientists
Project Biodiversify
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Some suggested articles to serve as conversation starters for creating more equitable research environments:
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Coon et al. Best practices for LGBTQ+ inclusion during ecological fieldwork: Considering safety, cis/heteronormativity and structural barriers https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14339
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Pena et al. Ten simple rules for successfully supporting first-generation/low-income (FLI) students in STEM doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010499.
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Chaudhary and Berhe. Ten simple rules for building an antiracist lab. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008210
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Demery and Pipkin. Safe fieldwork strategies for at-risk individuals, their supervisors and institutions https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01328-5
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Primack et al. Historically excluded groups in ecology are undervalued and poorly treated. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2613
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Tulloch. Improving sex and gender identity equity and inclusion at conservation and ecology conferences. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1255-x
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Reichenborn et al. Advice From the Field: Practical Skills, Challenges, and How to Support Early Career Ecologists. https://doi.org/10.1002/bes2.2127
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Matsuda. Centering Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Experience, Access, & Safety in Ecological Fieldwork. doi: 10.1093/icb/icad017
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