Our lab culture is centered on creating a safe, caring and supportive environment where everyone can thrive in their own way. Below we outline our core values that shape how we work together as a group, and our approach to setting mutual agreements for mentoring for each individual lab member. These are living documents, and as we grow and change, so may these!

Core Values

At the EQUAL Lab, our research culture is firmly rooted in six core values: interdisciplinarity, inclusiveness, justice, integrity, humility, and supportiveness. Each of these values plays a pivotal role in shaping our lab’s ethos and guiding our day-to-day actions. Through collective effort, we thrive and succeed as a EQUAL community, and we invite all current and potential lab members to join us in upholding these principles.

• Interdisciplinarity: At the heart of our success lies our fundamental commitment to interdisciplinarity. This core value signifies our approach to achieving common goals by assimilating diverse ideas, incorporating a spectrum of perspectives into our research projects, and fostering a collaborative environment that supports the exchange of knowledge. It acknowledges the limitation of any single research field to answer every question and underscores the necessity of innovative collaboration with different disciplines to address complex scientific challenges.
• Inclusiveness: Inclusiveness is foundational to our mission, requiring us to engage all stakeholders within our lab and during fieldwork. This value demands that we not only value and consider diverse opinions but also understand the unique needs of individuals. Inclusiveness goes hand-in-hand with interdisciplinarity, emphasizing the importance of welcoming new people and ideas, embracing diverse identities and cultures, and ensuring that every voice is heard. This commitment fosters a culture where inclusiveness is not just a concept but a practice that makes our lab a welcoming and diverse space, celebrating cultural and lived differences.
• Justice: Justice is a guiding principle that extends inward to our lab community and outward to our interactions with global partners. It encompasses equity, inclusion, and diversity, advocating for equality and the recognition of every individual’s rights. Our commitment to justice is reflected in our internal conduct, where we acknowledge and fairly recognize each member’s contributions, ensuring diversity and equal access to opportunities. Externally, we act as ambassadors of equality, co-defining research objectives with partners, and ensuring a fair allocation of resources in collaborative efforts.
• Integrity: Integrity is our commitment to upholding the principles of trustworthiness, respect, and ethical behavior. It signifies our dedication to behaving ethically in all aspects of our work, including the generation, analysis, and communication of data. We emphasize the importance of respecting cultural contexts, acting appropriately, and being honest and respectful in our interactions. This commitment extends to implementing the FAIR and CARE principles in data governance, ensuring our work is conducted with transparency, accountability, and ethical responsibility.
• Humility: Humility embodies essential qualities such as active listening, recognizing everyone’s unique background, acknowledging the value that each individual brings, and creating space for diverse ideas. We actively encourage and demonstrate humility by welcoming constructive criticism, practicing reflection before response, and promoting an environment where everyone, regardless of position or background, feels valued and heard. By fostering humility, we cultivate an atmosphere of understanding, accommodation, and openness to diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Supportiveness: In our lab, supportiveness is integral to our collective success. This core value manifests in our willingness to offer assistance, provide emotional support, and regularly check in on one another both personally and professionally. This support extends to mentorship, ensuring knowledge and guidance are generously shared. To promote and uphold this value, we actively encourage sensitive communication and supportive actions. We aim to create a space where everyone feels comfortable asking for help, whether related to research, mentorship, or personal matters. This commitment to supportiveness ensures that our lab remains a collaborative, nurturing environment where every member can thrive and succeed.

Mutual Agreements

We use the Cornell University Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (FAIM) resources to set core mutual agreements that are personalized to each lab member. These are reviewed annually, or as needed to adapt and adjust to changing needs and to accommodate for what life throws our way.