Advice for navigating male dominated fields from women in STEM for women in STEM

By Rhia Henderson, Environmental Biology, MS ‘26

At the Women in STEM virtual event Director of ESF Alumni Relations, Debbie Caviness, interviewed four successful ESF alumni who have established themselves in STEM fields about their advice and challenges they’ve faced as women in STEM. This conversation took place on March 6, 2025, with Billie Holecek ’20, Valerie Wiehl ’16, Emily Booth ’21, and Ally Berry ’19.

During this conversation Caviness presented the alumnae with a variety of questions with a focus on the challenges that have overcome as women in male dominated STEM fields. Berry encouraged listeners to “make space for themselves and find mentorship” which the other speakers agreed with wholeheartedly. Another point of discussion was what the speakers would give as advice to women thinking of pursuing STEM field and what classes they had during their time at ESF that has supported them throughout their careers, to which each speaker gave complete and powerful responses from each of their varied perspectives. The classes highlighted by each speaker were individual to each of their majors, and included Energy Markets and Policy, Remote Sensing, Python Coding, and Mycology to state a few that the speakers noted as key classes that changed their perspectives. A common theme for advice across the speakers was to find allies in each space, maintain mentorship and networks, and to stand up for yourself (especially during negotiations).

Billie Holecek graduated from ESF in 2020 with a bachelor's in Sustainable Energy Management and a minor in Applied Statistics and Energy and Environmental Policy. She currently works for the Berkeley Lab as an Energy and Environmental Policy Researcher while completing her masters in Energy and Environmental Policy at University of Delaware.

Valerie Wiehl graduated from ESF in 2016 with a bachelor’s in Environmental Resources and Engineering where she was interested in engineering focused on water dynamics. In her professor career she had landed in robotics and now works as a Customer Success Engineering Lead for Nightingale Security, using drones that respond to calls under emergency circumstances.

Emily Booth graduated from ESF in 2021 with a bachelor’s in Forest Health where she worked with Dr. Dylan Parry on projects surrounding biological control methods. She now works for the city of Rochester as a Forestry Technician where she manages 1/3 of the 65,000 trees in the city.

Ally Berry entered ESF as a transfer student from Onondaga Community College and graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s in Environmental Science with a specialization in watershed science. She now works as an Environmental Project Manager for LG Sonic US to monitor and mitigate harmful algal blooms around the US.

This discussion was part of the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions (WiSE Professions) Speaker series as a special installment for Women’s History Month. It was presented jointly by the Alumni Association, Career Services, Admissions, and ESF Women’s Caucus.

As part of the requirements for FOR 797, Perspective on Career and Gender students share responsibility of reporting on a subset of class discussions, including those that are part of the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series (WiSE Professions).

Fire can heal you!

Nisogaabokwe Melonee Montano,a graduate student at University of Minnesota, who works as a TEK Outreach Specialist and for the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, spoke at ESF about collaborating the natural and technical world's resources in order to save the land.

Montano discussed the connections between knowledge, cultures, climate change, and fire which can result in revitalization and healing. Montano illustrated the importance of and approach taken to weaving together Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Western Science for Climate Change focused work at Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission. This work led to a similar approach being used when analyzing fire research on cultural lands of the Ojibwe people, and the unexpected outcomes.

Montano believes it is important to balance all aspects of life, and her work symbolizes the importance of being open minded when problem solving and looking for solutions.

About the speaker: Nisogaabokwe – Melonee Montano, is a mother, grandmother, and an enrolled member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Outreach Specialist for Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) where she helps assess climate change impacts on treaty resources and potential threats to Ojibwe culture and lifeways. She is also a Grad Student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in the Natural Resources Science & Management Program under the Forestry Department. Prior to GLIFWC she was Red Cliff’s Environmental Programs Manager where she has also served on various committees including EPA’s Regional Tribal Operations Committee, Alliance for Sustainability, Treaty Natural Resources, the Integrated Resources Management Plan, and is currently serving on the Great Lakes Compact Commission. She holds a B.S. degree in Healthcare Administration with a Native American and Environmental Studies emphasis. Lastly and most importantly, she is a lifelong student of her cultural ways.

The presentation was jointly presented by the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, the Adaptive Peaks Seminar Series (sponsored by the Department of Forest Biology), and the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series (sponsored by the ESF Women's Caucus).

As part of the requirements for FOR 797, Perspective on Career and Gender students share  responsibility of reporting on a subset of class discussions, including those that are part of the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series (WiSE Professions). The preceding was prepared by Liv Grogan, Ph.D. student in environmental chemistry.

Decolonizing and Indigenizing Environmental Justice

Dina Gilio-Whitaker, journalist and columnist who lectures at California State University San Marcos, studies American Indian justice and environmental policy issues. She discussed Indigenizing environmental justice at ESF on Wednesday April 26, 2023.

Gilio-Whitaker analyzed environmental injustice through the lens of American Indians, explaining that the package of  "Environmental racism" centers on "racism", which has not been broad enough for Indigenous communities.  She explained:  "Native People are people as nations with a relationship to the United States... not ethnic groups, we're people with political status, with this government to government relationship."  She stressed that settler colonialism set the stage for deeming Indigenous Nations as inferior, which still has implications to Native Peoples to this day. Gilio-Whitaker broke down the role of white supremacy in driving the environmental movement,  and how history has led to the lack in accountability, human displacement, and ecocide.  She continued: “American narratives of ‘progress’ and ‘modernity’ are experiences of death for American Indians.” She strives to raise awareness on decolonizing environmental justice by recognizing Indigenous relationships to land and incorporating Tradition Ecological Knowledge through co-management practices with Native Peoples.  

 Dina Gilio-Whitaker, Colville Confederated Tribes, is co-author of "All the Real Indians Died Off": And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans (Myths Made in America) with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and author of As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock. She is an independent consultant and educator of Indigenous policy and environmental justice related issues and is a lecturer at California State University San Marcos on American Indian Studies.

A recording is available https://video.syr.edu/media/t/1_1wbw2ama.   This event was sponsored by the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, in partnership with Adaptive Peaks Seminar Series, sponsored by the Department of Environmental Biology, and the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series,  sponsored by the SUNY ESF and the ESF Women's Caucus.  This event concluded the 2023 AP and WiSE Professions Series.

Information on the WiSE Speaker Series can be found at http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus. Upcoming events and lectures at SUNY ESF can be found on the college’s calendar: https://www.esf.edu/calendar/ 

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Alyssa Colasanti, BS 2023,  Environmental Biology.

Limnology Underdogs: the local and global importance of pond ecosystems

Dr. Meredith Holgerson spoke at ESF about "Limnology Underdogs: the local and global importance of pond ecosystems" during a joint presentation of ESF's Adaptive Peaks Seminar Series  and the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series on April 6.

Ponds are studied far less than larger water bodies, but they are globally abundant.  They are often viewed as smaller versions of lakes, but as Holgerson demonstrates, they are ecological hotspots with unique rates of interception and retention of nutrients and sediments, methane emission, and carbon storage, resulting in different functionality.

Dr. Holgerson is a freshwater ecologist and Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University.  She holds a BS from Denison University, MS from ESF (EFB; MP James Gibbs), and a PhD from Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She was previously an Assistant professor at St. Olaf Univeristy and completed a David H. Smith Conservation Research Postdoctoral Fellowship

A recording is available 
https://video.syr.edu/media/t/1_wsb6ivan.   This event was sponsored by the Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY ESF and the ESF Women's Caucus.  

Information on the WiSE Speaker Series can be found at http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus. Upcoming events and lectures at SUNY ESF can be found on the college’s calendar: https://www.esf.edu/calendar/ 

ESF Alumni Provide Career Advice for Women in STEM

With diverse careers and unique backgrounds, ESF alumni provided advice and inspiration in a virtual panel focused on women working in STEM fields. The 2023 Women in STEM Careers Alumni Panel, a virtual event held on Thursday March 2, 2023, featured four outstanding female graduates of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Dr. Danielle Berry, Senior Research Specialist with Dow Performance Silicones; Jocelyn Gan, Energy and Sustainability Specialist with NYU Langone Health; Meghan Hazer Álvarez, City Planner at the Baltimore City Department of Public Works; and Dr. Kerry Ryan, Attending Veterinarian at ViaGen Pets. The event was hosted by the ESF Office of Alumni Relations in honor of Womens’ History Month; Debbie Caviness, Director of Alumni Relations, moderated.  This event opened the 2023 Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series, with additional support of the Offices of Career Services and Admissions and the ESF Women’s Caucus.    

The discussion centered on experiences the alumni had at ESF that set them up for their current careers, as well as advice they could share for current college students, especially women looking to enter traditionally male-dominated STEM fields. All of the
panelists mentioned the importance of communication in their roles, speaki
ng up against stereotypes that scientists tend to be “lab rats” with “limited social skills.”  “A lot of times in my job, I am talking to people who don’t really speak my language, my jargon,” Berry said. “Being able to be a translator for science is very rewarding.” The women also noted that networks have been an especially rewarding and vital part of their careers, and discussed the importance of support systems in building their confidence within fields where they might be the only woman or person of color in the room. “Finding your voice is really important,” said Ryan, “and then once you’ve found it, it’s about helping others find theirs.” The alumni credited some of their confidence to the hands-on, real-world problems they were able to work on while at ESF, as well as to the open-minded community they found while in school there. “There’s no ego at ESF,” said Hazer Álvarez, “Everyone’s just focused on what we can do to move the world forward in a better way.” This mission was echoed by the other panelists, who noted that they’ve enjoyed seeing the world of science evolve over their time in the industry, and that they look forward to being some of the next-generation leaders who will continue to create space for future women, people of color, and other minorities in STEM careers.

Each of the four speakers is a graduate of SUNY ESF who has gone on to use her education, skills and passion in a unique and rewarding career. Berry graduated from ESF with a B.S. in Chemistry in 2015, and later pursued her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas. After completing her Ph.D., she joined Dow Performance Silicones in the fall of 2020, where she now works as a Senior Research Specialist with a focus on application development for thermal management materials. Gan received an M.S. in Sustainability Management from Columbia University after graduating from ESF with a B.S. in Environmental Science in 2013, and now works as an Energy and Sustainability Specialist with NYU Langone, supporting its initiatives around sustainable food services, waste reduction, energy and resiliency management, and more. Hazer Álvarez received her B.A. in Landscape Architecture from ESF in 2006, and in 2013 received both an M.S. in Public Health from ESF and a Masters of Public Health from SUNY Upstate Medical University. She has worked on a variety of public and private projects relating to green infrastructure and public health and now serves as a City Planner for the city of Baltimore. Ryan graduated from ESF in 2006 with a degree in Environmental and Forest Biology before receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University, and she now works as an Attending Veterinarian with ViaGen Pets, the global leader in pet and endangered animal cloning.

Current students can avail themselves of the services of Career Services and networking and mentorship opportunities with the ESF Women’s Caucus, student chapters of professional societies and cultural-based clubs, as well as leadership and other trainings through Student Affairs, Choose Action Network and the Office of Inclusion Diversity and Equity. Visit https://engage.esf.edu/events for upcoming student-centered programs. Prospective students can talk with advisors in Admissions or schedule a campus tour at https://www.esf.edu/admissions.

For more information about the ESF Alumni Association, please visit https://www.esf.edu/alumni. Information regarding upcoming public events within the ESF community can be found on ESF’s College Calendar, at https://www.esf.edu/calendar. 

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Sara Dreibelbis, M.S. student in Natural Resources Management, anticipated graduation May 2024.

To view the full recording, click below

Mentoring and networking continue!

Looking for life and career skills in about one hour a week?

Add Perspectives on Career and Gender! During this discussion-based 1-credit seminar,  learn about career paths, interviewing, mentorship, rights, negotiation, intersectionality, balancing work & life, #MeToo and more!  Gain skills in group facilitation, literature review, peer mentoring, and networking.  Tuesdays, 3:30-4:25 PM, Bray 324; during the weeks when WiSE Professions meets, those events will substitute for class.  Employees and un-enrolled students may also sit in.  Direct questions to Diane Kuehn (dmkuehn@esf.edu) and Heather Engelman (engelman@esf.edu).

Coffee Breaks!

Take a breather and give or gain insight into work or life challenges, while helping others.   Comparing notes can help us identify issues, share strategies and possible paths forward (or around).

Join in person in 110 Moon or online/phone in (register at https://syracuseuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMsd-Ggrz4rGNQkzp59XyKkzUM6GeHnFH2l) from wherever you happen to be on (mostly) 1st Fridays (2/3, 3/3, 4/14, 5/5) during the 11:40-12:35 class block, or 3rd Thursdays (2/16, 3/23, 4/20, 5/18),9:30-10:30am.   

WiSE Professions speaker series returns, with a combination of virtual and in person sessions:

• Women in STEM Alumnae Career Panel, with Alumni Association, Career Services, and others. Thursday, March 2, 7pm, virtual.
• Dr. Meredith Holgerson, EFB MS 2011, Assistant Professor, Ecology and Evolution, Cornell U, title TBD, with Adaptive Peaks,  Thursday, April 6, 3:45pm, 5 Illick
• Dr. Gina Dilio-Whitaker, on Indigenous Environmental Justice, with Center for Native Peoples and the Environment and others, Wednesday, April 26, 5pm, Gateway

 Pre-college Pipeline programs:

• Take our Kids to Work Day, Thursday, April 27, STEM exploration for 8-11 year olds with an adult that works or studies at ESF, regardless of the child’s gender or relationship to their adult.  Kids, grandkids, godkids, niblings, siblings, neighbors, and other connections are all welcome (on a space limited basis—this is a class day, so we are working in between other users of classrooms and labspaces, and presenters’ ongoing obligations).
• Girls’ Summit, Saturday May 20. Kids’ Day’s ‘big sister’, expanding STEAM exploration to 5^th-10^th graders in the community.  If you are looking for a program for a class you sponsor, youth group or scout troop, this is the program for your group! Annual collaboration of the YWCA of Onondaga County, C/STEP, and multiple on-campus partners (Open Academy, OIDE, Women’s Caucus).

ESF alumnae talk about their experiences in STEM careers

In recognition and celebration of Women’s History Month, four alumnae discussed their unique experiences in pursuing STEM careers in a panel facilitated by Debbie Caviness, Director of SUNY ESF Alumni Relations, on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. The panel addressed many topics, such as the stereotypes women face in STEM careers, negotiating salaries, networking, and what the female experience of working in male-dominated STEM fields was like. The ESF Alumni Association, Office of Admissions, Office of Career Services, and ESF Women’s Caucus jointly sponsored this panel. 

To view recording, click image

Christina Chan ’10, spoke about her experiences as both a female and a person of color as the owner and farmer of the Choy Division, a diversified 1-acre urban farm with a focus on east Asian crops and herbs. As a farmer in a field that is predominantly comprised of older white men, Chan felt insecurities due to being both a person of color and female. Starting out in her field, Chan braced for the worst and felt she needed to prove herself to other farmers, but over time began to realize that other people’s expectations don’t dictate an individual’s self-worth. Optimistically, Chan notes younger generations of farmers are becoming more diverse compared to their older generation counterparts. 

Kelley Corbine ’15, M'17, a forester with the US Forest Service (USFS) and wildland firefighter, faced similar experiences to Chan. In her work as a USFS forester, Corbine observes about 95% of the time in her work, she is the only female in the room. Like Chan, Corbine also felt the need to prove herself to male counterparts. As Corbine continued working, she realized she needed to treat herself kindly and reaffirm to herself that she deserved to be working with the USFS.

Keelin Gangwish ’19, a Pulp & Power Front Line Leader at the paper mill company Sylvamo, had a different challenge, as she works with people of diverse academic and social backgrounds. As a result of this, it was difficult for her to gain basic respect from her coworkers as a female worker. Gangwish recommends individuals to stand their ground, and to know their audience when it comes to addressing female stereotypes in the workplace. She also suggests to subtly guide other male coworkers to a desired outcome if they do not listen to advice. 

Gina Hale ’04, the Senior Director of Operations & Safety at Tufts Medical Center, advised others to ask questions and remain headstrong in topics individuals are confident in. Hale recounted a story of how she had to ask about flow dynamics to ensure the safety of a facility, demonstrating how it is acceptable to not know the answers to everything. In terms of salary negotiation, Hale advises others to not be afraid to ask how much other people make, and to use social networks to determine how much an individual should be making. 

Christina Chan received her B.S. in Environmental Science (focus on Health & the Environment) from SUNY ESF in 2010, and her M.S. in Conservation Science from the Imperial College London in 2013. Kelley Corbine received her B.S. in Natural Resource Management in 2015 and her M.S. in Forest and Natural Resources Management in 2017 from SUNY ESF. Keelin Gangwish received her B.A.Sc. in Paper Engineering in 2019 from SUNY ESF. Gina Hale received her B.S. in Chemistry in 2004.

For more information about the WiSE Professions Series, please visit http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus.  For upcoming events, please visit ESF’s College Calendar at http://www.esf.edu/calendar.   

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Scott Dai, MS student, Sustainable Resources Management, Forest Natural Resources Management.

Nutrient Cycling, Storm water runoff, and Communicating Science to the Public, a conversation with Dr. Claudia Benitez-Nelson

Dr. Claudia Benitez-Nelson, professor in the Department of Earth Ocean and the Environment, University of South Carolina, presented Nutrient Cycling, Storm water runoff, and Communicating Science to the Public on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 via Zoom as part of SUNY ESF’s Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Spring Seminar Series. This seminar was sponsored by ESF Women’s Caucus.

Dr. Claudia Benitez Nelson. Click for video.

Dr. Benitez-Nelson research focuses on the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus and carbon, largely in marine environments, and how these elements are influenced by natural and anthropogenic processes. During the seminar she discussed her most recent research on inland and coastal nutrient cycling in relation to planning for stormwater surges.

Benitez-Nelson's team sought to establish the rate of sediment accumulation in stormwater ponds, determine the role these ponds play in the regional cycling of carbon and nutrients, and to identify the sources of organic matter to pond sediments in different growing urban areas in the Waccamaw watershed. “This was for us a real opportunity to truly connect more closely with the communities that we were working in” said Benitez-Nelson when explaining how their findings would benefit the homeowners close to the ponds. Her findings suggest that Particulate Organic Matter (POM) is a better proxy for liability than Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) and may control Biological Organic Matter (BOD) loads. Her lab continues research on different topics related to aquatic organic matter.

Benitez-Nelson is often asked how she “starts to have these conversations about not just pollution, urbanization, sustainability, but talking about climate and how climate change is influencing where people are living their lives.” She shared that she is part of Science Moms, a non-partisan group of climate scientists, who also happen to be mothers, that “really talk about climate, the need collective action” as well as mitigation efforts, particularly in conversation with other mothers, for the benefit of all their children. 

Dr. Benitez-Nelson received B.S. in chemistry and oceanography from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in oceanography from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program. She has an extensive publication record which includes lead authored pieces in both Science and Nature. Dr. Benitez-Nelson also serves as Associate Dean, for Instruction, Community Engagement and Research.

For more information about the WiSE Professions Series, please visit http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus.  For upcoming lectures, please visit ESF’s College Calendar at http://www.esf.edu/calendar.

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Natasha M. Torres Ríos, MSc student, Sustainable Resources Management Department.

WiSE Profession Speaker Series continues virtually in Spring 2022

Oceanographer Dr. Claudia Benitez-Nelson, on Nutrient cycling, storm water runoff, and communicating science to the public, on Tuesday, March 1, 3:30 – 4:30pm

Registration closed.

Dr. Claudia Benitez-Nelson is an Associate Dean and Carolina Distinguished Professor in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on understanding the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and carbon and they are influenced by climate change. Honors include: Early Career Award in Oceanography from the American Geophysical Union (AGU); Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. Dr. Benitez-Nelson is passionate about teaching and mentoring and is active in many efforts to increase diversity in the sciences.   

Women in STEM Alumnae Panel, in conjunction with Career Services, Admissions, and the Alumni Association, on Wednesday, March 23.

Since 1999, the ESF Women's Caucus has invited Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions to campus to share their work, and meet folks on campus. 

BBFF: Creating a foundation for safer and more equitable fieldwork

Click to view recording

 Building a Better Fieldwork Future (BBFF) trainer Dr. Amanda Adams lead workshop participants through some sobering statistics (64% of field participants reported experiencing sexual harassment while in field, 22% reported physical harassment or assault, with women, racially marginalized groups, LGBTQIA+ people more likely to experience those in the field), and also shared easily implementable tools to prevent and respond to harassment and assault.

“Organizational climate is the single most important factor in determining whether sexual harassment is likely to happen in a work setting.” according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dr. Adams continues "Degrading jokes are really the most common form of harassment reported in the field, and there's been a rise in the level of harassment." When this continues to be repeated, and the severity increases, it can have a huge impact on not just the target, but on the whole group.   "One of least harmful [types of harassment] but because it so common, can have the biggest impact."

What makes field sites such a high risk environment for harassment and assault? Factors include:

• Sites can be isolated, with limited outside communication or ways to leave
• Graduate field training is loaded with power asymmetries and dependencies on leaders.
• Long hours, close working and sleeping quarters, blurry boundaries

The BBFF Workshop aims to prevent instances of harassment and assault through positive organizational climate, early training, comprehensive and accessible community agreements and field safety plans to facilitate conversations, have a clear course of action when problems arise, and empower team members to respond.   Participants worked through 4 scenarios, determining what when wrong, brainstorming ways to intervene or respond, and also considering what steps could have been put in place earlier to prevent the incident from happening or escalating. 

Safety plans should include communication plans, how to access copies of fleet keys and maps so that team members aren't reliant on a single individual for resources, and list whom to contact in the event of an emergency. At least two people should be designated to receive reports.  Documents should be accessible, not just on someone's hard drive or back on campus. If someone is incapacitated, at least two people should accompany them.   Daily group check-ins cultivate a culture of open, honest communication so that everyone feels its safe to communicate.

Make use of a Community Agreement, a collaboratively created agreement that includes items such as task sharing, privacy, roommate assignments, alcohol and drug use, and how to change work partners or sleeping quarters. Community Agreements ensure everyone is on the same page.  It can be verbally discussed and shared on a board, or through an electronic document.  It should be accessible by everyone, and regularly revisited. Regularly checking in on the community agreement with the entire group reminds folks of its existence without calling out any specific bad behaviors, and furthers normalization of conversation so that when issues do arise, team members are more prepared to address.

Participants were also briefed on the "5 Ds" of bystander intervention:  Direct, Distract, Delegate, Document, and/or Delay. Look for more comprehensive workshops for more information and opportunities to practice.

Dr. Amanda Adams is the Conservation Research Program Manager, Bat Conservation International and Lecturer in Biology at Texas A&M University.  She is a member of the first cohort of certified BBFF trainers.  

This was a presentation of ESF's Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions (WiSE Professions) and a collaboration of the ESF Women's Caucus, ESF Choose Action Network, UC Santa Cruz, Risk & Safety Training University of California Center, and the Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-Based Opportunities (CAMINO)@USCS.  Earlier in this year's series, BBFF Coordinator Melissa Cronin discussed the origins and growth of this program to increase field work safety and planning, and to make programs more equitable and welcoming.   A summary of "Scenario-Based Bystander Training to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Assault in Field Settings" written by PhD student Jenna Zukswert is available at http://esfwomen.blogspot.com/2021/04/building-better-fieldwork-future.html and includes a link to a full recording. For more information about WiSE Professions, please visit https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/speakers.htm, or contact Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu.  

Improving access through transit infrastructure: Conversation with Veronica O. Davis PE

As Director of Transportation and Drainage Operations for the City of Houston, Veronica O. Davis is responsible for maintaining and improving infrastructure across 671 square miles. She chatted with ESF on Earth Day about challenges in designing roadways for equitable transit through her lens as a civil engineer passionate about transportation and community development.

Veronica O. Davis.  Click for video

Houston is the 4th largest city. Its physically large, but is not contiguous because of its growth through annexation.  Houston's road system and bike lane are used to channel rainwater to prevent property drainage.  Both are swept to prevent debris blocking drains.  

Houston is seeking not just infrastructure, but "really good infrastructure" through better public transit and measures "to live with water.  Houston's highest point is only 100' above sea level.  So, biking is easy, but drainage is difficult."  The city has a big goal of 25 miles/yr of "High Comfort Bike Lanes" plus 50 miles of sidewalk.  These lanes are also called "protective bike lanes", which are bide, protected from traffic by a buffer, and have dedicated travel lanes.  Her office benefits from an "enterprise fund" from a drainage fee on water bills, sales tax on Metro, rather than on the general budget.  She also notes that they benefit from dedicated crews, working to expand their capacity.  Botanists are consulted to choose plants suitable for the ebbs and flows along drainage paths.

Half of roadways are concreate, rather than asphalt, which is cooler.  The city also uses cool pavements, which are gray and permeable, which helps with both heat retention and drainage. Other ways to make biking safer include reducing instances of speeding through better designed roads.   Coupling bike lanes with better public transit also improves bikability, as it helps address "what happens if I need to go far?"

For students nearing graduation, Davis notes that there are lots of opportunities in Houston. 

Ms Davis has 20 years of experience in engineering and transportation planning.  She co-founded Nspiregreen in Washington DC, which manages Community, Multimodal Transportation, and Environmental planning and consulting.  While at Nspiregreen, she led the Vision Zero Action Plans for Washington, DC and the City of Alexandria.  She also co-founded Black Women Bike, an organization and movement that builds community and interest in biking among black women.  She was named a Champion of Change  by the White House (2012) for these accomplishments and advocacy. Davis  earned a Bachelor of Science from University of Maryland College Park and a Master of Engineering and a Master of Regional and Urban Planning, Land Use and Environmental Planning from Cornell University.

This presentation was part of ESF's Earth Week Celebration, and an installment in the College's annual WiSE Professions Speaker Series.

Building a Better Fieldwork Future: Origins of a Program to Increase Safety in Science

Melissa Cronin

Despite field work being a longstanding practice in the sciences, concerns about sexual harassment and assault in field work has only entered the scientific community dialogue recently, spurred by studies showing that most field participants experience harassment as well as highly publicized cases in the media. This exposure has increased concern and communication around sexual harassment and assault in field-based science—which is second only to the U.S. military in terms of harassment prevalence—and consequently action to better respond to and prevent this phenomenon to make science safer and more inclusive. Melissa Cronin is one of three women who came together to address the latter appraoch and develop a program to prevent harassment. She recently spoke to an audience of faculty, staff, and students at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) via Zoom as part of the Women in Scientific & Environmental Professions (WiSE Professions) speaker series on March 31, 2021.

            Cronin began by addressing the unique challenges presented by field work, including limited outside communication and ways to leave, close quarters, power asymmetry, and interactions with non-group members, among others. After addressing the recently acknowledged prevalence of harassment and assault in field work, Cronin explained that an effective way to prevent these instances from occurring is to address the “organizational climate”, or the shared collective norms and values of an organization or setting. This motivation, to change organizational climate, drives the program she co-developed with Drs. Roxane Beltran and Erika Zavaleta called Building a Better Field work Future: Preventing & Managing Sexual Harassment & Assault in Field Science, or BBFF for short.

click image to view video

            BBFF is a 90-minute, highly interactive workshop that has now been conducted for over 800 participants across many institutions, including some in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria. This program provides examples of tangible policies that institutions can adopt relating to harassment prevention, intervention, and response, such a developing a code of conduct or community agreement (prevention), hosting bystander intervention training (intervention), or implementing zero-tolerance policies (response). This workshop then leads participants through four scenarios increasing in severity and encourages participants to “think out loud” and discuss solutions to these scenarios, keeping in mind that there may be no “right answer.” With an intentionally positive and empowering tone, this workshop helps participants prepare for their field season and become aware of issues and experiences they were not aware of before.

            The popularity of BBFF has grown considerably, and assessments indicate that the highly rated workshop is increasing participants’ knowledge and confidence in these issues. BBFF has become so popular and in high demand that they have implemented a new “Train the Trainers Facilitator Program”, which trainers other individuals, who so far have come from a wide range of disciplines and career stages, to host these BBFF workshops elsewhere. Cronin and her colleagues have also made resources widely available and hope to contribute to a more inclusive cultural shift that values prevention of these issues.

            Melissa Cronin is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz, where she studies mapping and mitigating marine fisheries bycatch as a member of the Conservation Action Lab. Prior to her graduate studies, Cronin worked as an environmental journalist covering climate, politics, and wildlife crime, with stories appearing in The New York Times and Popular Science, among other outlets.

            BBFF is coming to SUNY ESF on April 15^th from 7:00-8:30 pm, for those who are interested in experiencing this interactive workshop. This workshop, the next installment in the WiSE Professions speaker series, will be led by Dr. Amanda Adams, Conservation Research Program Manager, Bat Conservation International and Lecturer, Biology, Texas A&M University. Space is still available; sign up at bit.ly/WiSEProfessions.

Perspectives on Career and Gender/WiSE Professions

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on speakers, both in class and in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared byJenna Zukswert, graduate research assistant and PhD student, SUNY-ESF Department of Sustainable Forest Resources.

Today! Building a Better Training Program for Field-Based Studies

WiSE Professions will feature Building a Better Fieldwork Future, in two independent but related sessions.   “Fieldwork is an essential component of training and research in many scientific disciplines. However, the imbalanced power structure of academia coupled with the remote and informal nature of field sites heightens risks of sexual harassment and assault during fieldwork, especially for women and other at-risk groups. Limited existing research suggests that incidents are widespread and insufficiently addressed by protocols developed for office and classroom settings.” 

Scenario-Based Bystander Training to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Assault in Field Settings. On March 31, 3:45-4:45 pm EST in conjunction with the Perspectives on Career and Gender graduate seminar, Melissa Cronin, University of California, Santa Cruz, will discuss the development, evolution and assessment of the 90-minute  workshop she, Roxanne Beltran and Erika Zavaleta  developed with support of the Thoreau Foundation and Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-based Opportunities (CAMINO).  The program has expanded to include 28 trainers at 8 other institutions.  

Workshop:  Building a Better Fieldwork Future: Preventing & Managing Sexual Harassment & Assault in the Field Science. On April 15, 7-8:30 pm EST (some seats still available),  certified trainer Dr. Amanda Adams, Conservation Research Program Manager, Bat Conservation International and Lecturer, Biology, Texas A&M University, will introduce “the unique risks posed by fieldwork and offer a suite of evidence-based tools to prevent, intervene in, and respond to sexual harassment and assault. A series of practical intervention scenarios, the workshop guides participants on how to be an active and engaged bystander, report incidents, and plan field settings to minimize risk. Armed with these tools, participants can play a role in ensuring that field settings are safer, more equitable, and more welcoming for the next generation of field scientists.“ 

 Full abstracts and Registration links for both are available at:  bit.ly/WiSEProfessions

Title IX Coordinator Rebecca Hoda-Kearse Speaks on Harassment and Whistle-Blowing

Rebecca Hoda-Kearse

    Whistle-blowing and gender-based harassment issues face virtually every institution, and SUNY-ESF is no different. Rebecca Hoda-Kearse knows this intimately due to her role as the Title IX Coordinator at ESF where she oversees campus-wide reports of harassment. She met with the graduate student seminar “Perspectives on Career and Gender” last Wednesday, March 17 to kick off  series of in-class guest speakers and facilitate a conversation about gender discrimination. Hoda-Kearse spoke about Title IX legislation in place to prevent against gender discrimination, which states that no person shall be discriminated against or excluded from any educational program “on the basis of sex.” She went on to introduce the problem of structural power differences between men and other genders, and explained how unequal power relationships can become fertile ground for harassment (such as quid pro quo). Students then shared many personal experiences with discrimination, harassment, and assault. Unsurprisingly, everyone in the conversation had either experienced or knew someone personally who had experienced harassment. It was noted that men are rarely named as the most common perpetrators of violence and harassment - instead,  actions are often referred to passively, i.e. “violence against women.”

    At SUNY-ESF, students and employees have many options for reporting Title IX violations, including directly to Hoda-Kearse or through the “Resilient Oaks App." Reporters can choose to remain anonymous.

    

    Hoda-Kearse is the Title IX Coordinator and Affirmative Action Officer at SUNY-ESF, working closely with the Offices of Student Life, Human Resources, and Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. She oversees Title IX issues and reporting for the campus and manages discrimination-related complaints including sexual harassment.

Next up!

Next in the speaker series hosted by the Gender and Career seminar will be an installment of the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions (WiSE Professions) Speaker Sereis.   Melissa Cronin from UC-Santa Cruz will be discussing an innovative, interactive fieldwork bystander intervention training titled “Building A Better Fieldwork Future” she developed in collaboration with Dr. Roxanne Beltran and Dr. Erika Zavaleta of UCSC. All those who plan or participate in fieldwork, or are interested in fieldwork are encouraged to attend - registration is available at bit.ly/WiSEProfessions.

Perspectives on Career and Gender/WiSE Professions

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on speakers, both in class and in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Leah Prudent, graduate research assistant and PhD student, SUNY-ESF Department of Sustainable Forest Resources.

ESF Women in STEM Fields: panel discussion with recent alumnae

 On March 11,  ESF Women in STEM Fields, the ESF Alumni Association celebrated Women's History Month with a career path panel discussion featuring some of many recent alumnae working in STEM fields. Panelists Aislinn Brackman '13 (Paper Engineering), Change Agent/Continuous Improvement Specialist, von Drehle Corporation; Olivia Liu '15 (Landscape Architecture), Assistant Landscape Architect, New York City Parks; Hilary Niver-Johnson '11 (Environmental Science), Proprietor, Sustainable Viticulture Systems; Emily Thiel '14 (Environmental Communications), Education and Outreach Coordinator, WNY Prism.   

Debbie Caviness, Director of the Alumni Association asked panelist about their career paths, challenges, and the  surprising things about their current work.  They also shared frustration of the perception that they were less experienced than male counterparts, even when credentials demonstrate that they indeed are qualified.

This session is a collaboration of the Alumni Association, Career Services, Admissions, and ESF Women's Caucus, for current ESF students and employees as well as for prospective and incoming students. 

WiSE Professions in STEM fields, and in the field.

Explore career path, and the critical importance of empowered bystanders in field-based education and research through the 2021 Women in Scientific Professions Speaker Series.  

On March 11,  ESF Women in STEM Fields, the ESF Alumni Association will celebrate Women's History Month with a career path panel discussion (1-2 pm EST, Join Session) featuring some of many recent alumnae working in STEM fields. Panelists include Aislinn Brackman '13 (Paper Engineering), Change Agent/Continuous Improvement Specialist, von Drehle Corporation; Olivia Liu '15 (Landscape Architecture), Assistant Landscape Architect, New York City Parks; Hilary Niver-Johnson '11 (Environmental Science), Proprietor, Sustainable Viticulture Systems; Emily Thiel '14 (Environmental Communications), Education and Outreach Coordinator, WNY Prism.   This session is a collaboration of the Alumni Association, Career Services, Admissions, and ESF Women's Caucus, for current ESF students and employees as well as for prospective and incoming students. 

WiSE Professions will then shift focus to those planning, training, and conducting field research with Building a Better Fieldwork Future, in two independent but related sessions.   “Fieldwork is an essential component of training and research in many scientific disciplines. However, the imbalanced power structure of academia coupled with the remote and informal nature of field sites heightens risks of sexual harassment and assault during fieldwork, especially for women and other at-risk groups. Limited existing research suggests that incidents are widespread and insufficiently addressed by protocols developed for office and classroom settings.” 

·        Scenario-Based Bystander Training to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Assault in Field Settings. On March 31, 3:45-4:45 pm EST (PLEASE REGISTER HERE), in conjunction with the Perspectives on Career and Gender graduate seminar, Melissa Cronin, University of California, Santa Cruz, will discuss the development and assessment of the 90-minute  workshop she, Roxanne Beltran and Erika Zavaleta  developed with support of the Thoreau Foundation and Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-based Opportunities (CAMINO).  The program has expanded to include 28 trainers at 8 other institutions.  

·        Workshop:  Building a Better Fieldwork Future: Preventing & Managing Sexual Harassment & Assault in the Field Science. On April 15, 7-8:30 pm EST (Please Register here; note space is limited),  certified trainer Dr. Amanda Adams, Conservation Research Program Manager, Bat Conservation International and Lecturer, Biology, Texas A&M University, will introduce “the unique risks posed by fieldwork and offer a suite of evidence-based tools to prevent, intervene in, and respond to sexual harassment and assault. A series of practical intervention scenarios, the workshop guides participants on how to be an active and engaged bystander, report incidents, and plan field settings to minimize risk. Armed with these tools, participants can play a role in ensuring that field settings are safer, more equitable, and more welcoming for the next generation of field scientists.  

This workshop will bookend a series that launched during the winter break with a screening of  Picture a Scientist, in which “(b)iologist Nancy Hopkins, chemist Raychelle Burks, and geologist Jane Willenbring lead viewers on a journey deep into their own experiences in the sciences, ranging from brutal harassment to years of subtle slights. Along the way, from cramped laboratories to spectacular field stations, we encounter scientific luminaries - including social scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists - who provide new perspectives on how to make science itself more diverse, equitable, and open to all.” The screening culminated in a discussion January 21 with Dr. Mary Collins (Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies), Jennifer Keating (Project Coordinator, Choose Action Network); Nicole Williams '05 (Finance & Operations Director, Ocean Outcomes) and Rebecca Hoda-Kearse (Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer), moderated Dr. Malika Carter, Chief Diversity Officer.  Screening and panel were presented by the ESF Alumni Association in collaboration with the Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity; ESF Women's Caucus; and the Choose Action Network

The WiSE Professions Speaker Series is a program of the ESF Women’s Caucus, presented by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with the assistance of other groups and offices across campus.  For more information, contact Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu.