Philosophy

The FAST lab aims to provide a safe, inclusive, and harassment-free environment to foster an engaging environment for students and researchers with interests in water quality, aquatic biogeochemistry, greenhouse gases and climate change. We strive to ensure that all members have a positive, educational experience unhindered by unnecessary challenges caused by non-inclusive behavior. All students will be included in weekly lab meetings, allowing students to gain broad perspectives on water quality research ongoing at the University of Regina and, ideally, contribute to a sense of belonging. We are particularly motivated to support new and/or anxious collaborators, people who are looking to learn and develop their skills, and anyone who has experienced discrimination in the past, while respecting personal boundaries.

We value the participation of every member of our community and want to ensure an that every lab member feels like a welcome and valued contributor. Accordingly, everyone who participates in any FAST lab project is expected to show respect and courtesy to other community members at all times.

Code of conduct

The FAST lab is committed to the principles of inclusive, supportive and respectful interactions between all members. By participating in any FAST lab activities, including independent research studies, field work, or laboratory analyses you agree to:

Be kind to yourself. Be mindful of your limits, and do not exhaust yourself.
Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other contributors.
Respect and value the contribution of participants with different lived experience and perspectives.
Provide space and work to actively include others, recognizing that the onus is on people who find it easy to claim such space to be the first to relinquish it.
Arrive with the assumption that all lab members have good intentions.
Never, ever, ever, engage in harassing or discriminatory behaviour and understand that such behaviour may lead to your removal from the program.
Behave professionally. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate.
All communication—online and in person—should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual or discriminatory language and imagery is not appropriate at any time.
Be aware that your actions can be hurtful to others or contribute to a negative environment even if you had no intent of harm. Listen. Offer a genuine apology. Commit to learning and doing better.
NOTE: lab members are expected to abide by these policies at all lab-related work events, such as conferences, workshops, etc.

Enforcement and Reporting Mechanisms

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 or discriminatory behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If you have any concerns about potential violations, please contact Kerri immediately. If Kerri is the cause of your concern (or you are uncomfortable talking to her directly for any reason), Heather Haig (contact information available in the lab) is a good informal point of contact; she does not work for us or the University of Regina, and her career path does not rely on Kerri in any way. She has agreed to mediate and discuss issues confidentially if desired. Concerns can also be directed to the U of R Human Resources office.

If inappropriate behavior persists, the issue will be escalated according to U of R policies; for more information please see the Respectful University Services at the U of R (https://www.uregina.ca/hr/respectful-university-services/index.html).

Flexible working hours for graduate students, PDFs

The hours that members of the lab choose to work is up to them. We are each welcome to send work-related emails or messages over the weekend or late at night, but no lab members are required to reply to them outside of their typical work hours.

Lab members are welcome to work flexibly for any reason; this includes working remotely. All lab members are encouraged to attend our weekly lab meeting (which can be done remotely) and to participate to any lab activities. It is the expectation that every member is already self-motivated and may choose to deviate from a traditional 9 to 5 day in order to meet our collective goals.

Expected working hours for field work (all lab members)

Field work requires strong team dynamics and clear communication among members. The hours that the field team is anticipated to work is typically Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm, but deviations from this standard workweek are common, as early morning departures can be beneficial in the high heat of summer, some field sites require long drives resulting in late returns or overnight trips, and weekend lab work is sometimes required for sample processing. Field crew members can expect at least one-week notice for any expectations of work outside of the M-F 8am-4pm standard hours. Long field days can be compensated for by taking some extra time off within the week but cannot be banked for holidays later in the season.

We will do our best to make and meet accommodations for members of the field team with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or other concerns. Please contact Kerri to discuss any issues or needs. Sick days and emergencies happen – please provide as much advance notice as possible if you are unable to attend work and consider finding a replacement if you are scheduled to work in the field that day. Any vacation time must be declared at the beginning of the field season and must be coordinated with other members of the lab to ensure continuous sampling through the season.

Your safety is the number one priority. You will never be expected to work alone, or prioritize the collection of samples above your well-being. If conditions in the field are unsafe for any reason (e.g. bad weather, faulty equipment, lack of available emergency communication, or threatening environment), you have the right to refuse to work. Specific safety protocols will be reviewed at the beginning of, and regularly throughout, the field season.

All aspects of the lab code of conduct apply in the field.

This document was inspired and influenced by CoC's from the Weecology lab, and the Poisot Lab