Our core tenets, illustrated above, are critical to creating a supportive and inclusive laboratory. We in the Brown Lab believe strongly in these simple, yet fundamental ideas, and strive to implement them to cultivate an environment in which all aspects of diversity are embraced – racial, cultural, religious, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental and physical ability, and others. We recognize that variation among people is a strength to be harnessed and celebrated, not degraded and shunned.
We value our lab members as individuals, not machines, and train our scientists to speak freely, advocate for their well-being, and uphold our core values both in and out of the lab. We incorporate discussions regarding privilege and disrupting discrimination into our group meetings to encourage our members to critically examine their environments. While these efforts are important, we also recognize that science and research, as institutions, have impacted and continue to impact underrepresented groups in negative ways. It is critical to remain aware of this issue and consider our social responsibilities while conducting research.
We are always striving to further enrich our lab environment, and we welcome prospective members to share their thoughts on how we can continue to improve our efforts to support all forms of diversity in the Brown Lab.
Acknowledgement of Land
As a lab at The Pennsylvania State University, we would like to acknowledge that we conduct our research at an educational institution with campuses on the original homelands of indigenous peoples who were the first stewards and scientists of Pennsylvania. These peoples are:
- The Erie Nation
- The Haudenosaunee Nations: Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora
- The Lenape Nations: Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe, Stockbridge-Munsee
- The Shawnee Nations: Absentee, Eastern, and Oklahoma
- The Susquehannock Nation
- The Wahzhazhe (Osage) Nation
We strive to honor the traditional caretakers of these lands and understand and model their responsible stewardship and innovation. We also acknowledge and seek to learn more about the longer history of these lands and our place in that history. For more information about the native lands your home is located on, we encourage you to visit Native-Land.ca!
– Inspired by the Crowley Lab (PSU) and the Kaye Biogeochemistry Lab (PSU)