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Cronin MR, Beltran RS, Zavaleta ES. Beyond reporting: proactive strategies for safer scientific fieldwork. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:213-216. [PMID: 38320928 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Fieldwork is crucial for science but poses heightened risks of gender-based harassment and assault. Current practices prioritize post-incident reporting, despite the demonstrated potential of preventive approaches. We recommend proactive practices, training strategies, and systemic policy changes to build safe and inclusive fieldwork settings from the outset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R Cronin
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz; 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Roxanne S Beltran
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz; 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Erika S Zavaleta
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz; 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Cronin MR, Zavaleta ES, Beltran RS, Esparza M, Payne AR, Termini V, Thompson J, Jones MS. Testing the effectiveness of interactive training on sexual harassment and assault in field science. Sci Rep 2024; 14:523. [PMID: 38191560 PMCID: PMC10774269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49203-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Fieldwork is a critical tool for scientific research, particularly in applied disciplines. Yet fieldwork is often unsafe, especially for members of historically marginalized groups and people whose presence in scientific spaces threatens traditional hierarchies of power, authority, and legitimacy. Research is needed to identify interventions that prevent sexual harassment and assault from occurring in the first place. We conducted a quasi-experiment assessing the impacts of a 90-min interactive training on field-based staff in a United States state government agency. We hypothesized that the knowledge-based interventions, social modeling, and mastery experiences included in the training would increase participants' sexual harassment and assault prevention knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and behaviour after the training compared to a control group of their peers. Treatment-control and pre-post training survey data indicate that the training increased participants' sexual harassment and assault prevention knowledge and prevention self-efficacy, and, to a lesser extent, behavioural intention. These increases persisted several months after the training for knowledge and self-efficacy. While we did not detect differences in the effect of the training for different groups, interestingly, post-hoc tests indicated that women and members of underrepresented racial groups generally scored lower compared to male and white respondents, suggesting that these groups self-assess their own capabilities differently. Finally, participants' likelihood to report incidents increased after the training but institutional reports remained low, emphasizing the importance of efforts to transform reporting systems and develop better methods to measure bystander actions. These results support the utility of a peer-led interactive intervention for improving workplace culture and safety in scientific fieldwork settings. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: "The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on August 24, 2022. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21770165 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R Cronin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Erika S Zavaleta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne S Beltran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Melanie Esparza
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Allison R Payne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Valerie Termini
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Thompson
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan S Jones
- U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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Cronin MR, Alonzo SH, Adamczak SK, Baker DN, Beltran RS, Borker AL, Favilla AB, Gatins R, Goetz LC, Hack N, Harenčár JG, Howard EA, Kustra MC, Maguiña R, Martinez-Estevez L, Mehta RS, Parker IM, Reid K, Roberts MB, Shirazi SB, Tatom-Naecker TAM, Voss KM, Willis-Norton E, Vadakan B, Valenzuela-Toro AM, Zavaleta ES. Anti-racist interventions to transform ecology, evolution and conservation biology departments. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:1213-1223. [PMID: 34373620 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01522-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Racial and ethnic discrimination persist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, including ecology, evolution and conservation biology (EECB) and related disciplines. Marginalization and oppression as a result of institutional and structural racism continue to create barriers to inclusion for Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour (BIPOC), and remnants of historic racist policies and pseudoscientific theories continue to plague these fields. Many academic EECB departments seek concrete ways to improve the climate and implement anti-racist policies in their teaching, training and research activities. We present a toolkit of evidence-based interventions for academic EECB departments to foster anti-racism in three areas: in the classroom; within research laboratories; and department wide. To spark restorative discussion and action in these areas, we summarize EECB's racist and ethnocentric histories, as well as current systemic problems that marginalize non-white groups. Finally, we present ways that EECB departments can collectively address shortcomings in equity and inclusion by implementing anti-racism, and provide a positive model for other departments and disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R Cronin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Suzanne H Alonzo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie K Adamczak
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - D Nevé Baker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne S Beltran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Abraham L Borker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Arina B Favilla
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Remy Gatins
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Laura C Goetz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nicole Hack
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Julia G Harenčár
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Howard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Matthew C Kustra
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Rossana Maguiña
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Lourdes Martinez-Estevez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Rita S Mehta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Ingrid M Parker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Kyle Reid
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - May B Roberts
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Sabrina B Shirazi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Kelley M Voss
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Ellen Willis-Norton
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Bee Vadakan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Ana M Valenzuela-Toro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Erika S Zavaleta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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