Fieldwork and field courses are often a core part of herpetology. Before taking teams into the field, team leaders should identify ways to mitigate potential challenges, risks, and barriers that could arise, understanding that they must account for a diversity of identities because identity can play a strong role in the challenges, risks, and barriers that an individual might face during time in the field. Active management and advance planning can help ensure a safe, rewarding, and productive time for all members of the field team.
In recognition of the importance of safety and accessibility during fieldwork, in 2022 the National Science Foundation updated their Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) to require a new supplemental document entitled, “Plan for Safe and Inclusive Field/Vessel/Aircraft Research” as a requirement for proposals involving field work.
The SSAR DEI Committee has compiled the following list of resources to aid in the creation of plans for safe, inclusive, and accessible field research and field courses.
If you know of additional resources that aren’t yet listed on this page, feel free to let us know via the SSAR contact form: https://ssarherps.org/about-ssar/contact/. When writing your message, please specify that it is intended for the DEI committee and relates to this web page.
Toolkits, templates, practical guides, etc.
Field Inclusive, Inc. https://www.fieldinclusive.org/resources/
ADVANCEGeo Partnership. Codes of Conduct. https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/codes_conduct.html
Davies B. and B. McCerery. 2022. Menstruation in the field. AntarcticGlaciers.org. https://www.antarcticglaciers.org/2022/09/menstruation-in-the-field/
FIELD Project: Fieldwork Inspiring Expanded Leadership and Diversity. https://field.berkeley.edu/
Greene S., K. Ashley, E. Dunne, K. Edgar, S. Giles, and E. Hanson. 2020. Toilet stops in the field: An educational primer and recommended best practices for field-based teaching. OSF Preprints. https://osf.io/gnhj2/
MacKnight M. Introduction to Field Safety: A Right to Know guide. https://sites.psu.edu/mgm5568/field-safety/introduction-to-rtk/
______Resources for building your own Right to Know document. https://sites.psu.edu/mgm5568/field-safety/resources-for-building-your-own/
______Building empowering experiences. https://sites.psu.edu/mgm5568/field-safety/what-is-needed-for-a-positive-experience-in-the-field/
UC Berkeley. Field Research. Office of Environment, Health & Safety. https://ehs.berkeley.edu/field-research
UC Office of the President. n.d. Field Operations Safety Manual. Field Research Safety Center of Excellence. https://www.ucop.edu/safety-and-loss-prevention/environmental/program-resources/field-research-safety/index.html
Blog posts and other online resources
ADVANCEGeo Partnership. In the Field. Resources. https://serc.carleton.edu/advancegeo/resources/field_work.html
Anadu J., H. Ali, and C. Jackson. 2020. Ten Steps to Protect BIPOC Scholars in the Field. Eos. https://eos.org/opinions/ten-steps-to-protect-bipoc-scholars-in-the-field
Auerbach J., C. Trisos, and M. Katti. 2021. Five shifts to decolonise ecological science – or any field of knowledge. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/five-shifts-to-decolonise-ecological-science-or-any-field-of-knowledge-161750
Duncombe J. 2019. Creating Spaces for Geoscientists with Disabilities to Thrive. Eos. http://eos.org/opinions/creating-spaces-for-geoscientists-with-disabilities-to-thrive
Graham L. 2018. We’re here. You just don’t see us. Outside. https://www.outsideonline.com/2296351/were-here-you-just-dont-see-us
Haelewaters D. and A. Romero-Olivares. 2019. In fieldwork, other humans pose as much risk to LGBTQIA+ people as the elements. Massive Science. https://massivesci.com/notes/diversity-fieldwork-field-work/
Marks G.S. 2017. It’s time to stop excluding people with disabilities from science. Massive Science. https://massivesci.com/articles/disability-science-career-stem-field/
Newsome C. and K. Langin. 2020. ‘I can’t even enjoy this.’ #BlackBirdersWeek organizer shares her struggles as a black scientist. Science Careers. https://www.science.org/content/article/i-cant-even-enjoy-blackbirdersweek-organizer-shares-her-struggles-black-scientist
Olcott A.N. and M.R. Downen. 2020. The Challenges of Fieldwork for LGBTQ+ Geoscientists. Eos. https://eos.org/features/the-challenges-of-fieldwork-for-lgbtq-geoscientists
Pickrell J. 2020. Scientists push against barriers to diversity in the field sciences. Science Careers. https://www.science.org/content/article/scientists-push-against-barriers-diversity-field-sciences
Pierre S. 2017. Environmental Experiences Have Racial Roots. Free Radicals. https://freerads.org/2017/06/15/environmental-experiences-have-racial-roots/
Treseder K. 2015. Equity in field work: Reducing the risk of sexual assault and harassment. Treseder Lab, UC Irvine. https://faculty.sites.uci.edu/tresederlab/equity-in-field-work-reducing-the-risk-of-sexual-assault-and-harassment/
UC Riverside. 2021 Fieldwork Toolkit Leadership Training Series. Risk & Safety Training. https://training.ucr.edu/fieldworkleadership
Institutional guides and reports
Abderrahim M. and K. Travis. 2022. Pathways to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in California’s Coastal and Ocean Sciences. California Ocean Science Trust, Sacramento, CA, USA. https://www.oceansciencetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Pathways-to-Advance-DEI-in-CA-Coastal-and-Ocean-Sciences-2022_rev.pdf
Consortium for Ocean Leadership and California State University Desert Studies. 2021. Report of the Workshop to Promote Safety in Field Sciences. https://zenodo.org/record/5604956#.ZF6kDXbMI2w
Journal articles
Amon D.J., Z. Filander, L. Harris, and H. Harden-Davies. 2022. Safe working environments are key to improving inclusion in open-ocean, deep-ocean, and high-seas science. Marine Policy 137:104947. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X21005583
Beltran R.S., E. Marnocha, A. Race, D.A. Croll, G.H. Dayton, and E.S. Zavaleta. 2020. Field courses narrow demographic achievement gaps in ecology and evolutionary biology. Ecol Evol ece3.6300. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.6300
Bowser G. and C.R. Cid. 2023. Knowing your field community: Elevating the human dimension in ecological research and teaching. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:128–135. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/128/7172858
Caviedes-Solis I.W. 2021. The importance of fieldwork. Herpetological Review 52:693–695. https://www.dropbox.com/s/aavcqk23hbktnw4/HR_Sept_2021_150dp_AboutOurCoverEtc.pdf?dl=0
Carlin B., T. Sikka, P. Hopkins, L. Braunholtz, L. Mair, and Z. Pattison. 2023. Identifying the barriers to inclusion in field-based environmental sciences research. Studies in Higher Education 1–14. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03075079.2023.2274378
Clancy K.B.H., R.G. Nelson, J.N. Rutherford, and K. Hinde. 2014. Survey of academic field experiences (SAFE): Trainees report harassment and assault. PLoS ONE 9:e102172. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102172
Coon J.J., N.B. Alexander, E.M. Smith, M. Spellman, I.M. Klimasmith, L.T. Allen‐Custodio, T.E. Clarkberg, et al. 2023. Best practices for LGBTQ + inclusion during ecological fieldwork: Considering safety, cis/heteronormativity and structural barriers. Journal of Applied Ecology 1365-2664.14339. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14339
Copenheaver C.A., S.L. van de Gevel, A.K. Downing, and T.A. Coates. 2023. Reducing the risk of sexual misconduct during field research with students. Natural Areas Journal 43. https://bioone.org/journals/natural-areas-journal/volume-43/issue-2/0885-8608-43.2.117/Reducing-the-Risk-of-Sexual-Misconduct-during-Field-Research-with/10.3375/0885-8608-43.2.117.short
Demery A.-J.C. and M.A. Pipkin. 2021. Safe fieldwork strategies for at-risk individuals, their supervisors and institutions. Nat Ecol Evol 5:5–9. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-01328-5
Devitz A.-C. 2023. Equipment Repositories for Accessibility: A Model for Improving Access in Field Science. Integrative and Comparative Biology icad024. https://academic.oup.com/icb/advance-article/doi/10.1093/icb/icad024/7158687
Fleischner T.L., R.E. Espinoza, G.A. Gerrish, H.W. Greene, R.W. Kimmerer, E.A. Lacey, S. Pace, et al. 2017. Teaching biology in the field: Importance, challenges, and solutions. BioScience 67:558–567. https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/67/6/558/3798229
Giles S., C. Jackson, and N. Stephen. 2020. Barriers to fieldwork in undergraduate geoscience degrees. Nat Rev Earth Environ 1:77–78. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-020-0022-5
Jensen A.J., S.P. Bombaci, L.C. Gigliotti, S.N. Harris, C.J. Marneweck, M.S. Muthersbaugh, B.A. Newman, et al. 2021. Attracting diverse students to field experiences requires adequate pay, flexibility, and inclusion. BioScience 71:757–770. https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/71/7/757/6213241
John C.M. and S.B. Khan. 2018. Mental health in the field. Nature Geosci 11:618–620. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-018-0219-0
Kamran M. and K. Jennings. 2023. Fieldwork and LGBTQ+ Identities: Queering the Outdoors. Integrative and Comparative Biology: icad038. https://academic.oup.com/icb/advance-article/doi/10.1093/icb/icad038/7185822
Matsuda S.B. 2023. Centering transgender and gender non-conforming experience, access, & safety in ecological fieldwork. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:86–97. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/86/7147574
McDermott V., L.D. Roketenetz, P. Jekielek, and R. Struminger. 2023. IDEA+ and OBFS: Using transdisciplinary strategies to create more inclusive spaces. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:136–144. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/136/7158684
Mendelson III J.R. 2022. What happens when a field biologist becomes disabled? Herpetological Review 53:64–66. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359636148_What_happens_when_a_field_biologist_becomes_disabled
Morales N. and D. Reano. 2023. Critically assessing undergraduate field experiences: understanding conceptualizations and opportunities for building inclusive programs. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:66–78. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/66/7070715
Ramírez-Castañeda V., E.P. Westeen, J. Frederick, S. Amini, D.R. Wait, A.S. Achmadi, N. Andayani, et al. 2022. A set of principles and practical suggestions for equitable fieldwork in biology. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 119:e2122667119. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2122667119
Rudzki E.N. and K.D. Kohl. 2023. Deficits in accessibility across field research stations for scientists with disabilities and/or chronic illness, and proposed solutions. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:114–127. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/114/7157106
Rudzki E.N., S.E. Kuebbing, D.R. Clark, B. Gharaibeh, M.J. Janecka, R. Kramp, K.D. Kohl, et al. 2022. A guide for developing a field research safety manual that explicitly considers risks for marginalized identities in the sciences. Methods Ecol Evol 13:2318–2330. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/2041-210X.13970
Treibergs K.A., D. Esparza, J.A. Yamazaki, M. Goebel, and M.K. Smith. 2022. How do introductory field biology students feel? Journal reflections provide insight into student affect. Ecology and Evolution 12. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.9454
Troutman A. 2023. Remaining safe conducting field work while Black (BWB), and tips for PIs, universities, and employers of Black individuals. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:108–113. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/108/7193374
Verble R.M., C.L. Richards-Zawacki, and V.K.H. Young. 2023. Beyond a vision for the future: Tangible steps to engage diverse participants in inclusive field experiences. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:59–65. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/59/7197433
Yarincik K., A. Kelly, T. McGlynn, and R.M. Verble. 2023. Best practices to promote field science safety. Integrative And Comparative Biology 63:145–161. https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/63/1/145/7127697