Science is hard, and the work of making sure science isn't harder than it needs to be is on all of us. We create our culture, and in the Beckman Research Group, our culture is inclusive.
We value the participation of every member of our community and want to ensure that every contributor has an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Accordingly, everyone who participates in any Beckman Research Group project is expected to show respect and courtesy to other community members at all times.
Dr. Noelle Beckman, as head of the Beckman Research Group, and all group members, are dedicated to a harassment-free experience for everyone. Discrimination or harassment based on racial or ethnic background, citizenship status, religion (or lack thereof), political affiliation, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, dis/ability status, age, appearance or body size will not be tolerated. We do not tolerate harassment, of any form, by our community members or of our community members.
We are particularly motivated to support new or anxious collaborators, people who are looking to learn and develop their skills, and anyone who has experienced discrimination in the past.
To make clear what is expected, we ask all members of our community to conform to the following Code of Conduct.
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All communication - online or in person - should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate at any time.
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Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other contributors. Note, we are an interdisciplinary group that have different epistemeologies, approaches, expectations, goals, etc which can lead to miscommunication and tension. Please be mindful of these differences in communication and frequently check-in on each other's assumptions. "Curiosity over assumptions"- Sarah C. Bogen.
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Behave professionally. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate, but even more generally, treat others with respect. Give colleagues your attention and courtesy.
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Please make an effort to create an inclusive environment for everyone. Give everyone a chance to talk and an opportunity to contribute.
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Watch out for microaggressions [1, 2]. Be aware that your actions can be hurtful to others and contribute to a negative environment even if you had no intent of harm. Listen. Offer a genuine apology. Commit to learning and doing better.
Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to: offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of discussions, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior or discriminatory behavior are expected to comply immediately.
Members of the community who violate these rules - no matter how much they have contributed to the Beckman Research Group, or how specialised their skill set - will be approached by Noelle Beckman. If inappropriate behaviour persists then the issue will be escalated according to procedures in Utah State's policy on Title IX/Affirmative Action
To report an issue please contact Noelle Beckman. All communication will be treated as confidential. Note, as a USU employee, I am required to report information regarding sexual misconduct to the USU Title IX Coordinator.
The material in this code of conduct is derived from "Whitaker Lab Project Management" by Dr. Kirstie Whitaker and the Whitaker Lab team, used under CC BY 4.0, and subsequently derived from the "Bahlai Lab Code of conduct" by Dr. Christie Bahlai used under CC BY 4.0. The Beckman Research Group Code of Conduct is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by Dr. Noelle G. Beckman.