During Field work campaign for my undergraduate research, my ecologists colleagues and I spent an exhausting day observing birds in the forest and collecting precious data when a shocking incident occurred. That evening, I headed for the toilet in the house on the altered field where we stayed and discovered a hidden camera. I reported this to my team leader, who immediately degenerated the incident, but I had to continue to interact with the culprit that we had identified until the police arrived.
A few years later, I was harassed verbally in another campsite remote by an older male colleague for my so-called terrible kitchen. As the only first cycle of the team, I was discouraged to report the incident by those I had to count to get advice. Without cellular service, I went to the nearest restaurant to access Wi-Fi and I informed my main investigator of the incident. That night, I closely secured the zippers of the door of my tent with a lock.
Many researchers in the field have faced similar experiences, where inadequate support and validation are so common that such incidents feel like another part of the work. But it is only an excuse to escape the improvement of the cultivation of the field. Science faces growth challenge With regard to financing and employment, and the work in the field remains vital for research and for the training of scientists at the start of their career by offering experience to collect data from the real world such as the sampling of soils, the survey of insects or the monitoring of birds. But such environments can exacerbate power imbalances and increase vulnerability to sexual fault.
Field work is often physically and emotionally exhausting, with limited support systems that highlight the urgent need for better mental health resources. Many roles are underpaid and require prolonged isolation in unknown, often distant environments With unreliable Wi-Fi and poor cellular service, conditions that can have an impact on emotional well-being.
Positive work experiences in the field can be transformative, but negative or even traumatic experiences can lead to individuals leave The field of sciences. “I think it was certainly something that work on the field is this test, and you have to take the test if you are going to enter the club,” said Alix Contosta, associate research professor at the University of New Hampshire, in a recent interview. Anna le, biologist of the peaches and founder of The Consultancy Grayling Education, said to me: “This is exactly what I have to pass like everyone else to get a seat at the table.” Now she considers this state of mind as a means of excuse systemic problems rather than solving them.
In my current role, I work directly with researchers in the field as a specialist in community relations of the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation and shares the conviction that the creation of a favorable work environment is essential.
Positive field work experiences can be transformative, but negative or even traumatic experiences can lead individuals to completely leave the field of science.
Jerika Loren Heinze, consultant in field security and founder of the Field work initiative The network explained that the field campaigns were historically reserved for heteronormative and white cis men from elite and designed to be under-strengthened to prove that workers could manage the struggle. She described that people in these privileged positions exercise this Bootstrap ideology, similar to a hazing practice. It also added that people from marginalized or under-represented communities are often faced with additional stressors: “being a woman of color in these very rural places, I felt a lot of hypervigilance.” To access sites in the field, it sometimes had to enter a private property (with permission) but also encountered signs saying “do not cross, otherwise we shoot you,” said the.
Mental health among scientists is often largely neglected and recent cuts scientific funding can further reduce to adequate mental health resources, Increased stress And worsen inequalities. Contosta underlined the distinction between a difficult field experience and exceeded your point of physical, emotional and mental rupture. A global mental health in progress crisis – with the rise of ecological sorrowanxiety, and Climate doomism – Makes the integration of mental health support in critical field campaigns. When mental health is more openly spoken in the field teams, “these teams seem to be more successful and more productive,” said Molly Phillips, mentoring and development coordinator of the long-term ecological research network.
My two negative work experiences hampered my science. Moving culture will require building a support system preventive, attenuation and guidance resources. Such actions could include the establishment of conduct, Offer training workshopsproviding Professional consulting and mediation servicesAnd conceive of an organization chart to guide individuals through the steps in how to seek support.
Mental health among scientists is often largely neglected, and recent reductions in scientific financing can further reduce access to adequate mental health resources, an increase in stress and an aggravation of inequality.
But having resources alone is not enough. It is essential that these strategies are properly executed. The National Science Foundation has made progress by introducing New guidelines In recent years, to ensure safe and inclusive work environments, forcing team leaders in the field to develop strategies to combat hostile behavior, say steps to promote belonging and establish clear communication protocols. And to guarantee their effectiveness and the active implementation of these strategies, strong responsibility measures and surveillance are necessary.
Beyond the protection of people and the guarantee of the quality of science, promoting an environment that highlights mental health is broader. It serves as a shape of resistance By preventing professional exhaustion and contesting a culture that values over-work to the detriment of personal well-being. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to have these available resources. Take care of mental health and well-being in high stress environments and encouraging others to do the same, promotes a stronger feeling of security. Providing this security allows people to allocate more efforts and passion to their vital work that can be threatened. It creates an environment in the field in which everyone has the opportunity to thrive, rather than simply surviving.
DAYNA DE LA CRUZ is the specialist in young voices of community sciences and relations at the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, an environmental non -profit organization promoting the understanding and management of forest ecosystems through research and scientific monitoring, awareness of policies and education.