Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Baum Lab Principles
The Baum Lab supports and celebrates each member as individuals as well as scientists.
We recognize that everyone has a unique background and our experiences may differ. We are committed to fostering and maintaining an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment, regardless of gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion, nationality, immigration status, parenthood status, age or socio-economic background.
We have zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind.
We will support individuals concerned with or experiencing discrimination or harassment by providing an open and supportive atmosphere, speaking up on their behalf when appropriate, and guiding them to the support and resources that they need.
We acknowledge that we have work ahead of us to diversify our lab (although we have always had gender diversity, we have been, and continue to be a mostly white lab, and this is not okay).
We will harness our collective privilege, skills, knowledge, and networks to increase equity and diversity in STEM, and to promote the wellness of systemically marginalized groups. We commit to promoting equity and anti-racism in the lab, department, university, and society through continual education and action.
Current EDI Actions
Every lab member has committed to the above principles and it is a required to participate in anti-oppression education, EDI, and indigenous cultural acumen trainings offered here at UVIC. In additions, some lab members have also done bystander intervention trainings.
Julia continues to serve on the departmental EDI committee for the 2023-2024 academic year.
We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land and waters continue to this day. We encourage us all to learn about the first peoples where you live and work (discover the traditional indigenous peoples in your area here) and to reflect on what it means to be a visitor in someone else’s home.
EDI Publications
In collaboration with a phenomenal team of women, led by UVic Impact Chair Amanda Bates, Sarah Davies and Hollie Putnam, Julia published 'Promoting inclusive metrics of success and impact to dismantle a discriminatory reward system in science’ in PLoS Biology, advocating for a paradigm shift in scientific values towards justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Read the UVic coverage of it here., June 2021
Fig 1. Science is suffering from observational bias in our value system.
This bias is analogous to the streetlight effect where (A) citations are valued because that is where we look, despite the fact that they perpetuate gender and racial biases as metrics of success. We advocate for (B), an expanded view of success and impact that is multifaceted and includes critical areas of mentorship, inclusion, and diversity.
In 2018, in response to a paper listing 100 fundamental papers for ecologists to read that listed almost exclusively work by white men, Julia and Tara Martin published the Commentary 'It is time to overcome unconscious bias in ecology' in Nature Ecology and Evolution. Julia also spoke with Gregor Craigie on CBC Radio's 'On the Island' about the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and unconscious bias in academia, and how we may be at a turning point.
Past EDI Actions
Principles statement modified, with thanks, from Sarah Davies (Boston U.) and Randall Hughes (Northeastern U.)
During the 2022-2023 academic year, Julia and Kristina B. served on the departmental committee for EDI. Julia, Lia, Brittnie and Tannin served on the Department of Biology’s Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee for the 2021-2022 academic year. Julia also served on UVic’s Academic Advisory Committee on Equity and Diversity (AACED).
Julia participated in a panel hosted by UVic’s Faculty of Science following a screening of “Picture a Scientist”, February 2021
Brittnie and Rebecca's (former undergrads in the lab) diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative is covered in the Martlet, August 2020
Julia has delivered talks on gender bias at the University of Queensland (2018), Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station (2018; thanks to Larry Crowder for the invitation), University of New Brunswick (2019), and to graduate students in UVic’s School of Environmental Studies (2018, 2019).
Julia participated in the CIFAR/GYA Co-hosted 'Global Women in Science Leadership Workshop' at the Banff Centre, October 2016
“I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab-bag candy game.’”
— Toni Morrison