EEB and racism
During fall 2020 we will discuss racism as it relates to the field of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Graduate students are encouraged to participate in any way that works for them. Discussions are intended to be informal and are designed to help us all learn about racism in our field's history, about its role today, and - most importantly - to help us identify things we can all do to make our work more accessible and welcoming to all.
Students can sign up for course credit if they would like to, but our discussions are not designed to be something that people will be graded for. If you do sign up for credit, you will receive an S (satisfactory) grade as long as you attend a majority of meetings and lead the discussion at least once.
For more information, or to be added to the group's email list, contact Chris Elphick.
Week of: | Topic | Discussion lead | Readings, etc. |
---|---|---|---|
31 Aug | All | Organization | |
7 Sep | -- | NO MEETING | |
14 Sep | History: Darwin & slavery | Chris | Desmond and Moore, pp xxi, 1-7, 18-26, 32-44. |
21 Sep | History: Mismeasure of Men | Chris | Gould, pp. 19-72; investigate the controversy |
28 Sep | History: Ecology | Austin and Kevin | Environmental/Ecological History [1] [2], Contemporary Racism in Ecology/Environmental Science [3] [4] |
5 Oct | History: Conservation | Franco | History of Racism in Conservation [5] [6], Contemporary Racism in Conservation [7], OPTIONAL: How can we be more inclusive? [8] |
12 Oct | Scientific colonialism: in the past and now | Swapna (& Georgia?) | Science Still Bears the Fingerprints of Colonialism[9]
Read the paper I emailed out that Georgia kindly translated for us! Watch this video AND read the comments! Science Must Fall |
19 Oct | Species naming issues | Sam |
Read (1) the statement here (quite short); also look at some of the embedded linked articles including the new 2019 guidelines. |
26 Oct | Field work | Eliza & Jess | Racism and harassment are common in field research — scientists are speaking up[10]
Demery & Pipkin (2020)[11] Skim this Saltmarsh Safety SOP[12], we will be using it as a template to come up with field safety guidance for research in Connecticut |
2 Nov | Society, conferences, and codes of conduct | Liz and Val | Required: "Grieving and frustrated: Black scientists call out racism in the wake of police killings" [13]
Homework: look up a society you are a part of (see email) Optional: (1) "A medical school tradition comes under fire for racism" [14] (2) Cultivating institutional transformation and sustainable STEM diversity in higher education through integrative faculty development [15] |
9 Nov | Multi-cultural education: Teaching | Cindy and Kara | Videos: (1) (2) (3) Podcast And pages 19 and 20 of this article (Tables 1 and 2) Optional: especially the topic "Engagement with Community Issues and Problems" |
16 Nov | Multi-cultural education: Mentoring | Andrew | |
23 Nov | -- | NO MEETING | |
30 Nov | Wrap-up part 1: what will we do? | We've talked a lot, now we need to compile a list of things we can collectively do, assign jobs, and make a timeline. Bring ideas, but also think about what role you plan to take. | |
7 Dec | Wrap-up part 2: how do we keep momentum going |
Resources:
Project biodiversify (teaching tools to promote diversity and inclusivity)
DiversifyEEB (illustrating diversity among those who study EEB)
UConn's chapter of Ecological Society of America's SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability) program
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans (SACNAS)
GEM consortium
Biomedical Conference for Minority Students(ABRCMS)