Environmental Education: Holding Space for Queerness

By Henry McKenna, Environmental Studies '25.

Environmental education has long provided spaces for personal growth and identity exploration, particularly in residential summer camps. On February 25, 2025, Alexandra Walls and Dr. Michael Mikulewicz presented ‘Queering Camp’ during a combined Science Corps Workshop and Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series event. This presentation explored the role of summer camps and outdoor learning programs in supporting queer youth and fostering inclusive environmental education spaces.

"I prefer to be a realist," said Walls, in reference to the current administration that is enforcing dangerous policies for the LGBTQ+ community. A former camper turned camp educator, Walls pointed out the lack of understanding on queerness in environmental education overnight camps. Walls gave an enlightening perspective on how to “queer
” your thinking, by changing things like housing in order to provide a more comforting experience for students and campers. 

Mikulewicz, an assistant professor of Environmental Studies at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), uses queer theory and critical geography to examine the inequalities embedded in climate impacts and responses. Together, they challenged traditional frameworks in environmental education and advocated for spaces where all identities are affirmed. Mikulewicz defined gender and queerness brilliantly, while providing a digestible definitions to complex ideas.  He explained that the term “Queering” started “with heteronormism being questioned by theorists, scholars, activists, etcetera” but has come to mean “decentering anything from the norm” or the binaries upon which society is built. 

The concept of queer eco pedagogies involves questioning underlying assumptions in environmental education, overcoming harmful binaries, and being attentive to intersectionality.  Walls and Mikulewicz argue that these ideas and values are not at all limited to queer learners or teachers, but rather are universally applicable.

For more information on upcoming public ESF events, visit www.esf.edu.   

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).

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.

Making Space for Marginalized Voices, Women's Empowerment Brunch 2021

ESF's 6th Women's Empowerment Brunch invited participants, panelists, and keynote to consider ways to Make (or Reclaim) Space.

Emcee Emily Li (EnvStudies 2022) introduced Dr. Emily Stewart, Senior Director of Education & Curation, at Syracuse's Museum of Science and Technology  who discussed the ways the MOST has become more accessible for a variety of community members, including sensory friendly exhibits; reduced admission for veterans and active military, and EBT users; as well as supporting community science educators and youth science competitions.  (Families with middle schoolers:  check out their partnership with TACNY, called  Jr Cafe, which provides a free program with continental breakfast and free museum admission, generally 3rd Saturdays during the academic year.)  Panelists Alice Olom and Martikah Williams, co-founders of Black Artist Collective; Dr. Marcelle Haddix, Distinguished Dean's Professor of Literacy, Race and Justice in the Reading and Language Arts department in Syracuse University's School of Education; and ESF students Sachi Segan (EnvStudies 2022) and Isabella Fiorese (EnvScience 2023) answered questions about finding space, allyship, and ways of moving forward.

Panelists shared the necessity of resting, setting boundaries, and surrounding themselves with supporting people, and the challenge and exhaustion: 

of "having to act white" and the overwork of silent labor.  Women and other marginalized identities have to always be ready to respond to emails, even while on vacation.  One panelists who hails from a "collectivist, family-centered background" and being told by elder family members "Don't be too loud, Black and proud" for fear of risking citizenship process.

When asked how allies can make space for marginalized identities:  show up and speak up!  Challenge authority and speak for those who cannot.   Panelists countered with "are you educating yourself? Going where you are uncomfortable so others can be more so?  Thinking about and learning the details taught in Title IX training?"  They also noted that the question is upsetting because folks SHOULD know what an ally is by now, and label "ally" is used performatively, without active  engagement or demonstrative effort. Are so-called allies giving something up? Shifting power dynamics, leaving positions of privilege?  Its an intersectional question with many layers.  Fighting for Black people, Black LGBTQIA+, Black Muslims, fighting for and with.   Are allies standing up for these, even when they are not in the room?

In what ways can we move forward and make space?  Be honest that every day is a new challenge and that women have to fight all the time, especially Black women.  Acknowledge that its OK to "just be" for a minute.  Work with Cafe Sankofa and Women's Health, taking up brick and mortar with the 15th ward, understand what's happening with the I-81 project.  Land acknowledgements are empty; how do they lead to reconciliation of the violence that led to the use of these spaces?  BAC's mission is to interrupt, disrupt, break down barriers and speak to what's happening in our community, at any or multiple scales.  

Questions from the audience:  How do you physically create boundaries?  Takes practice, be specific.  Acknowledge what's causing you harm.  Understand what YOU need to be fully present.  May need to intentionality pause to figure out what your balance looks like.

When confronted with the phrases "Just take care of yourself" or "you should have said something", flip the script "I am struggling to establish boundaries, but I need them." Start small--it takes 21 days to create a habit.  One panelists had to unlearn "yes" because was working self to sickness.    For black women in particular, stories that are empowering but overwhelming, the protagonist is always strong.  Can we be fragile or vulnerable?

If boss does not respect need for rest, it's time to go.  A tip:  Review your job description.  If what you are asked to do is not listed, use that to negotiation.  Review other people's job descriptions, and call folks out when they aren't doing their jobs.  "You are director of _____; that's your job (and not _____'s).  

Suggestions:  Read White Fragility and How to be an AntiRacist, all of it!  More POC on boards, front money and invest in people and businesses that do the work. PAY for the Training, go in with other organizations to cover the costs.  1-3 POC out of 500 is not enough. 

Panelists love Gen Z, who are open and forward and use social media to call out, build up, and hold accountable.  

Last thoughts:  SU (academia?) has to come down from The Hill.  College has a utopian aspect, and college community should be more involved in community organizations like Black Cuse pride, BAC. which are small organizations that are constantly doing the work.  Bring elements back to ESF and SU.  

Be a good person, be more thoughtful, leave it better than you found it.  

  

The 2021 WEB was presented by the Baobab Society and the ESF Women's Caucus, in collaboration with The Writing Resource Center, Poetry Society, ESF Bookstore, Green Campus Initiative, and the Environmental Studies Student Organization,  with support of the Undergraduate Student Association, Counseling Center, Vera House,  and the Sustainability Office.  Organizers particulary wish to thank Chris from Vera House and Ruth from Counseling Services for being available for anyone in need of support, Christopher from ITSmedia for sound system set up (and providing student support during the event itself), as well as Bliss Bakehouse, Fat Cat Baking, Mello Velo, Recess Coffee for working with our budgets and guidance to deliciously meet dietary and low-waste constraints. 

To learn more about all WEB events, beginning May 2016, please visit the summaries compiled at:  http://esfwomen.blogspot.com/search?q=empowerment+brunch.

For questions about the 2021 program, contact thebaobabsociety@gmail.com and follow @thebaobabsociety on Instagram.  

Race, class and gender in the workplace: a conversation with Dr. Lizette Rivera

Dr. Lizette Rivera facilitated a conversation on the topic of diverse perspectives on gender and science at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) via ZOOM on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 as part of SUNY ESF’s seminar of “Perspectives on Career and Gender”. 

                Dr. Rivera discussed a variety of topics including but not limited to cycle of socialization, "decolonizing the minds", racism and "white fragility."

In particular two videos were presented and comprehensively discussed in the session. In the first video, a woman of color was asking a white male to respect her title and he refuses. Furthermore, Dr Rivera said “that has happened to me at least five-six times at ESF.” Students then shared their personal experiences and thoughts and tied the issue to socialization. The second video was focused on “mansplaining”, or the practice when a (generally male) person  explains (often in a condescending manner) to another (usually a woman) about a subject on which the latter is more knowledgeable."  The video presented a suggested cure for the practice, much as would be presented in a pharmaceutical advertisement. Discussion continued on making the treatment widely available, as well as introducing the related phenoma “hepeating” and "bropriating" (a term used when ideas are not well received until repeated by a male voice, who is often then credited with the idea. Additionally, other examples of socialization were also discussed. The example of anti-bias training was expressed to make the points very clear for students.  Dr. Rivera also shared instances of using such training to interrupt and address a variety of statements that "are not OK."

Dr. Rivera has bachelor’s degree in Sociology, master's degree in Public Administration and doctorate degree in Community College Leadership. Her research is on research on transfer program between 2 years and 4 years school. She serves as the Director of Student Inclusion Initiatives and Special Assistant to the Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY ESF.

For more information about this and similar topics on inclusion, diversity, and equity, please visit www.esf.edu/ide. For upcoming lectures, please visit ESF’s College Calendar at http://www.esf.edu/calendar. Any questions or concerns can be addressed to Dr. Rivera at lrivera@esf.edu.  

As part of the requirements of FOR 797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students take turns summarizing class discussions, for more information, visit: https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/Seminar.htm.   The above was prepared by  Shayan Mirzabeigi, a PhD student in the Department of Sustainable Resources Management.  For more information about this graduate seminar, ple

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

Kids Day honors ESF Women through their Stories

Women's History Month has celebrated some of the contributions of women faculty, staff, trustees, administrators and students for their contributions to campus and community. For more than a century, ESF women have made their mark on the ESF campus, for the betterment of all that work and study here.

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay with the support of ESF Diversity commend SUNY-ESF women contributing to...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Tuesday, March 30, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay, along with ESF Diversity are recognizing SUNY-ESF women contributing to...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Monday, March 29, 2021

#WomensHerStoryMonth continues with SUNY-ESF ESF DiversityESF's First female valedictorian was Theresa B Young, who...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Friday, March 26, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay with the support of ESF Diversity remember SUNY-ESF women contributing to...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Thursday, March 25, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay with the support of ESF Diversity remember SUNY-ESF women contributing to...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, March 24, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay with the support of @ESFDiversity remember @SUNY-ESF women and SUNY ESF...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Tuesday, March 23, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay with the support of @ESFDiversity remember @SUNY-ESF women contributing to...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Tuesday, March 23, 2021

@ESFKidsDay and @ESFdiversity join Clean Water Action in acknowledging ESF PhD student Kaira Fuentes. In addition to...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Monday, March 22, 2021

SUNY-ESF ESF Diversity is participating in @artforce5’s #WEdraft and honoring one of Syracuse ‘s many New Americans, GraceJones. OIDE Diversity Fellow Bobbetta Davis is representing ESF!

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Sunday, March 21, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay, along with ESF Diversity are recognizing the SUNY-ESF women contributing...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Friday, March 19, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay, along with ESF Diversity, are recognizing the SUNY-ESF Women contributing...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, March 17, 2021

In honor of #WomensHerStoryMonth @ESFKidsDay, along with ESF Diversity are recognizing the SUNY-ESF Women contributing...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Tuesday, March 16, 2021

In honor of Women's History Month @ESFKidsDay, along with ESF Diversity are recognizing the SUNY-ESF women (including...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Monday, March 15, 2021

In honor of Women's History Month @ESFKidsDay, along with ESF Diversity are recognizing the SUNY-ESF Women contributing...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Thursday, March 11, 2021

In honor of Women's HerStory Month, we asked folks to share how ESF Women contribute to history or campus, community and...

Posted by ESF Take our Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, March 10, 2021

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.  

ESF’s bathroom signage and menstrual product initiatives shared at SUNY Spectrum conference

“You saved my life: Restroom Stories of Safety and Survival - Messaging, Hygiene Products & Prophylactics” was recorded during the 3^rd annual SUNY SPECTRUM Conference, August 26, 2020.  Staff at ESF (Sue Fassler, Jules Findlay, and Heather Engelman), SUNY Upstate (Cristina Pope and Mattie Cerio), or both (Dr. Malika Carter) discussed menstrual product distribution, signage in bathrooms, and single stall and ADA accessible restrooms, as well as the lactation rooms on both campus—and normalizing the conversations about all these things. Upstate staff shared information about wudu stations, their distribution of complimentary prophylactic products, and how all of these impact their clinical Health Equity Index rating while ESF folks spoke about the unique challenges of field work.  The presentation shares some data and photos compiled by members of the ESFWomen listserv, as well as work that moved forward because they kept asking questions. 

One of the most important commitments we can make in supporting a culture of belonging on our campuses is to provide safe restrooms. Join us as we share our successes and failures with leadership buy-in, messaging, restroom renovations, signage, and complimentary hygiene and prophylactic products.

Learning Objectives:

• Practical knowledge of project planning steps in creating ALL Gender restrooms
• Practical knowledge on communicating and celebrating successes
• Learn how to implement a complimentary hygiene product service
• Learn how to implement a complimentary prophylactic service

Convener:

• Karren Bee-Donohoe  (She, Her, Hers), Associate Vice Chancellor, SUNY Office for Capital Facilities

Speakers:

• Malika Carter (She, Her, Hers), Chief Diversity Officer, Environmental Science and Forestry and Interim Chief Diversity Officer, Upstate Medical University
• Mattie Cerio (She, Her, Hers), Medical Social Worker & LGBT Program Manager, Upstate Medical University
• Heather Engelman (She, Her, Hers), Instructional Support Technician, Environmental Science and Forestry
• Sue Fassler (She, Her, Hers), Sustainable Facilities Manager, SUNY ESF 
• Jules Findlay, Coordinator of Education Abroad, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• Rebecca Hoda-Kearse (She, Her, Hers), Title IX / Affirmative Action Officer, College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• Cristina Pope (She, Her, Hers), Director, Health Sciences Library Upstate Medical University
• Carl A. Thomas Jr (He, Him, His), Interim Affirmative Action Officer & Supplier Diversity Coordinator, SUNY Upstate Medical University 

FamilyResources now live!

Childcare and eldercare issues are universal concerns, unbounded by title, gender, sexuality or marital status.   So, after discussion with some others about how better to share resources with employees and students, inclusive of all family structures, and facilitate direct communication among interested parties, we launched:  FamilyResources!  Intended for any parent (or other person caring for, or supporting in any way, any family member, friend, or colleague--past, present, or future) to share resources, family friendly events on or off campus (including online!), and to request or offer advice.

To subscribe, email: listserv@listserv.syr.edu and leave the subject line blank, and message of:  SUBSCRIBE familyresources FirstName LastName

Please note:  this was hatched before the community was plunged into "social distancing" and indefinite landscape-level virtual work and study.  These factors actually increase the need for strong support, so please subscribe and stay connected.

Also, the Women's Caucus is seeking partners interested in co-owning this group.  To discuss, please Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu.

WiSE Professionals resumes with Co-Creating Indigenous Futures, March 4, 4pm

Co-Creating Indigenous Futures: Finding My Place as a Haudenosaunee Woman in Academia, Land Sovereignty, and Healing Justice, March 4, 4pm, Gateway Event Center

Abstract: Stephanie Morningstar, Oneida (Turtle Clan), discusses the evolution of her work as a student, activist, earth-worker, herbalist, and Indigenous Knowledge Mobilizer within her community, the academy, and institutions to advance land, food, water, and non-human sovereignty as a step toward decolonization. We will explore the intersections and legacy of settler colonialism through stories of how intergenerational trauma, racialization, and systemic racism compound health disparities; and how land and access to land is directly implicated in the extractive economies and ideologies that have led to the current climate crisis. This brief glimpse into the life of one singular story in a greater constellation of climate activists, front-line land and water defenders, medicine makers, researchers, farmers, healers, and emergent strategists is intended to activate and share a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary approach to building community-driven, meaningful, equitable solutions and adaptations to our current shared legacy of colonization and how we can collectively heal together toward a radically beautiful future.

Bio: Stephanie Morningstar (OnΛyota'a:ka – Oneida, Turtle clan, Haudenosaunee Confederacy) is an Herbalist, soil and seed steward, scholar, student, and Earth Worker dedicated to decolonizing and liberating minds, hearts, and land- one plant, person, ecosystem, and non-human being at a time. Stephanie grows medicines and food for front line activists and communities of color at Sky World Apothecary & Farm. She serves as a Leadership Council member for the New England Women’s Herbal Conference and the International Herb Symposium where she has collectively worked to decolonize learning spaces for her community. She is the Co-Coordinator of the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust where she works to liberate land and resituate Indigenous and Diasporic peoples’ roles, responsibilities, and covenants to the land as a direct response to land dispossession, health disparities, and the ongoing climate crisis. Stephanie is also an Indigenous Knowledge Mobilization Specialist for Global Water Futures, where she helps Indigenous-led projects to advance the understanding of traditional knowledge and western knowledge indicators by working together to research and aid in water governance, food security, sediment restoration, water security, climate change and human and ecosystem health in Indigenous communities. She is in love with a beautiful human named Noel, who she has shared her life with for over 10 years. They currently live on Dish With One Spoon Wampum Agreement territory, also known as Niagara, Ontario. 

This program is cross-listed with the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.

For more information about the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series, contact Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu or 315-470-4752

Information on menstrual products in more ESF restrooms

Shared via "CampusNews"

Dear ESF Campus Community,

Over winter break, the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Committee worked with the Facilities Department to provide free menstrual products in every restroom on campus. These products have previously been available in women’s restrooms, but have now been placed in men’s and all-gender restrooms as well. A list of locations of women’s, all-gender, single-occupant, and accessible restrooms is available from the ESF Women’s Caucus: https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/documents/bathrooms.pdf.

The reasoning behind placing menstrual products in all restrooms is simple: there are people on our campus who find themselves in need of these products, and they should have easy access to them. The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) states that all restrooms may be used by any person regardless of gender identity or expression. Women are not the only people who menstruate, and people of all genders should be able to access menstrual health products in any restroom they enter.  The products are in small bins with lids, and can be easily avoided by those who are not in need of them.

One question that has been posed to the Committee is whether these products should be limited to the all-gender restrooms on campus. All-gender restrooms are very limited on campus; some buildings don’t have any, or lack quickly navigable paths to those in other buildings.  Timing access to these products when needed for ¼ of each month can be a challenge.  If any period is extra heavy, or a person also has a mobility challenge or an extra time constrained schedule, the difficulty to reach an all-gender restroom would be far greater. Many folks who menstruate have preferred products and will only be using what’s in the baskets when they don’t have time or funds to get what works best for them. Lacking access to these products can negatively impact access to education and to work.

The IDE Committee is proud to be part of this initiative to promote equitable access to necessary health products for our entire campus community.

For more information on this and other inclusion, diversity, and equity initiatives, please visit www.esf.edu/ide. Additional information and resources regarding GENDA can be found via the New York Transgender Advocacy Group website at https://www.nytag.org/genda. Any questions, concerns, or ideas can be addressed to [revised contact: Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu]. 

Best,

Jules Findlay (they/them)

Coordinator of Education Abroad

Office of International Education

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

9 Old Greenhouse · 1 Forestry Drive · Syracuse, NY 13210

https://www.esf.edu/studyabroad/

Coffee Break rescheduled 12/9, 11am, 408 Baker

Coffee Break, Monday, 12/9, 11am-12:15 or so in 408 Baker, rescheduled in conjunction with Ladies Against Social Stigmas over an extended Diversity 24|7|365!   

Break?!

You might be thinking “I (or my students) don’t have time to lounge during finals week! ”  Of course not!  But short breaks help individuals regroup and gain fresh perspectives, and diversity of thought is beneficial for problem solving.  Networking and group mentoring are recommended to remove power differentials, and makes for some rich discussions.    And don’t forget about the research  that stress responses in women are moderated by social supports (tend and befriend vs fight or flight).  Or that while sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attention may have waned, gender harassment is pervasive (and campuses that let that fly tend to have higher rates of those more egregious issues).  And with racial and religious bias coming out in the local community in recent weeks, a supportive environment is more important than ever.  Not to mention that exam period is just plain stressful; everyone benefits when others root for their success!

So take a break with us; it’s good for you (and business, too).

About the partners:

LASS is an affinity group for underrepresented women students, which along with the forerunner of the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) began in 2015, following the successful launch of the Kings Court Mentoring Program. Diversity@ESF 24|7|365 is a weekly or biweekly forum open to faculty, staff and students for concurrent student support and allyship development through facilitated discussions within a “brave space.” It developed in consultation with campus entities following the departure of a staff-level Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. Intended as a “stopgap” until that office re-filled, with support of Baobab Society, CSTEP, Student Affairs, ESF Women’s Caucus, EOP, Graduate Student Association, International Education Office, King’s Court Mentoring Program, Ladies Against Social Stigma (LASS), Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, Professionals of Color, Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) and the Undergraduate Student Association (USA). ESF Women’s Caucus may be the first of ESF’s affinity groups, providing support across departments and titles since 1994. It followed on the heels of the the campus' internal and 3rd party assessments of the climate for women students, soon after the successful launch of the Baobab Society.  This student club was founded by students (ca 1991) under the advisement of Admissions Counselor Mrs. Eva Williams, about the same time that the college began actively recruiting domestic students of color, “to ensure the multicultural outreach and enlightenment of the college and Syracuse communities. [It] host several events throughout the academic year to celebrate the many different cultures represented at the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry.”

Coffee/Tea Breaks for Networking/brainstorming/Open Discussion resumes 10/28

Block out Oct 28, Nov 11, and Dec 2, all 12:45-2:15 (pop in, or stay, as your schedule permits).  324 Bray for Oct and Dec dates, 314 for November. 

Discuss issues facing women in your field, role, or intersection with any other identity.   Which populations are on solid footing?  Which need more support?

Some (all?) of you might be thinking “I (or my students) don’t have time to lounge mid-day.”  Of course not!  But short breaks help individuals regroup and gain fresh perspectives, and diversity of thought is beneficial for problem solving.  Networking and group mentoring are recommended to remove power differentials, and makes for some rich discussions.    And don’t forget about the research  that stress responses in women are moderated by social supports (tend and befriend vs fight or flight).  Or that while sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attention may have waned, gender harassment is pervasive (and campuses that let that fly tend to have higher rates of those more egregious issues).

So take a break with us; it’s good for you (and business, too).

2019 Women's Empowerment Brunch announced

The Baobab Society would like to formally invite the campus to the Women's Empowerment Brunch. It is an annual event meant to celebrate women from any background and encourage ally-ship and support from around campus and the community. 

The event will take place on Saturday, November 9th from 11:00am-2:00pm in the Gateway Center. Admission is free and open for all to come, so invite friends and family!  In addition to serving free brunch, we will be hosting a panel and group discussion about women in the workforce, in STEM, and representation across all levels and groups. 

We'd love to have you for this event! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact thebaobabsociety@gmail.com or Emily Li at eli107@syr.edu and we'd be happy to answer them. 

Record attendance for 2019 Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day

In lieu of school on April 25, ESF employees and students brought 44 8–11 yr olds from 30 area schools to try their hands at a variety of ESF-fostered careers during the college's 26th annual Take our Kids to Work Day program (AKA Kids' Day).

Over the course of the day, kids built terrariums with Linda McGuigan, Allison Oakes and Hannah Pilkey, who work on the Chestnut Project.  They explored a few chemical reactions on paper prior to activating self-inflating balloons with Chemistry’s Kate Bailie.  They developed storyboards with Sarah Grabman of the new Digital Storytelling Studio.    

Teams, each given the same materials and coached by a member of either Engineering for a Sustainable Society or Engineers without Borders, competed to most effectively remove particulates through Water Filtration (staff support provided by Karen Karker, Instructional Support Specialist, Environmental Resources Engineering).  Following a quick lesson on bird anatomy and habit, EFB graduate students Laine McCall and Ravyn Neville took advantage of the beautiful afternoon and lead a Bird Walk across campus and into Oakwood Cemetary.  Because life is more than work, we also featured an art session!  Kids upcycled materials that Maura Stefl, Office of Experiential Learning and Outreach, waylaid from the wastestreams from campus (curtains and cardboard), homes (fence posts), and a small business (mitten scraps) into a succulent plantscape.  Cool lessons:  art flowers don’t need to look like any that exist in real life!  Take inspiration from the colors and textures of the materials, and add dimension. (Thank you: Mark Poupore for cutting fenceposts to size; Lauren Gibbs, Laura Crandall, Julie Fishman, Brad Fierke, for their help with glue guns.) The day concluded with Heather Engelman, Forest and Natural Resource Management and We All Need Trees, a rapid examination of a number of household products and foods that make use of tree products for strength, flavor, and texture, and some ties to ESF’s programs of study.

After the formal program, kids reunited with their adults and headed to a few Earth Week programs, including perennial favorites Birds of Prey and Tie Dye.

We also thank:  

• Group Guides Brad Fierke, Julie Fishman, Laura Crandall, Amy McGuigan, Malika Carter, Jackie Whitehead, Lenny Leonard, and Linda McGuigan, with the assistance of Philippe Vidon, Erin Tochelli, Katherina Searing and Sarah Houck. 
• Lunch team: Mark Bremer, Linda McGuigan, Katherina Searing, Andy Marshall, Josh Arnold, Kathy Lang, Lena Randall.  
• Photographers: Heather Engelman and Julie Fishman.  
  
• Offices that contributed stuff for kids to carry out activities: 
• ALUMNI RELATIONS and the ESF CAMPUS BOOKSTORE, pencils and magnets; Communications, sunglasses; 
• SU BOOKSTORE, pencils; 
• PROVOST’s OFFICE and ESF WOMEN’S CAUCUS, lunch, snacks, color printing, notebooks, some terrarium supplies; 
•  CHESTNUT PROJECT, plants, potting media, distilled water, and other components for the terrariums; 
•  PHYSICAL PLANT and MORRISVILLE AUXILLIARY SERVICES, set & clean up;
• COPY CENTER, B/W printing.    
• Office of Research Programs, Janice O'Mara, and Tom LeRoy for their assistance with program compliance with SUNY’s Child Protection Policy

For more photos, please visit our album.

Women's only networking platforms? (DRAFT)

Conferences are awesome for technology transfer. And also for the networking that occur outside of those talks.  Every networking opportunity affords glimpses into all sorts of projects, potential to meet new collaborators, mentor students and young professionals, and catch up with old classmates on their professional and personal lives, and picking their brains for strategies for either sector.

But women (inadvertently more than not) can still be shut out of conversations and introductions. It hasn’t been that long (2012) since a double-blind study showed that women applying for lab manager positions were perceived as less competent and worth less mentoring and lower starting salaries than men with identical qualifications.  In a different study of online courses, where the gender of instructor could be masked, even perceived women instructors received worse ratings than perceived male counterparts teaching the same thing (see also). Women need to walk a tight rope and "prove it again" (and again). Strictly enforced gender rolls are also problematic for men (see pop culture take and that of the American Psychological Association).

We also know that it isn’t just early career folks that benefit from expanded networks; the higher women go in their respective fields, the fewer women there are, and the more isolated they may be.  And, unfortunately, male dominated fields are some of those at highest risk for gender harassment and sexual assault. And if women also happens to have other differences, she may be even further isolated--both from other women and from spheres of influence (citation needed).

One of the recommended ways to change work climates so that they are less conducive to all these behaviors is through mentoring network; supporting women also can improve everyone’s job satisfaction. Some professional societies build in tracks in support of this.  In this vein, a young professional breakout session has been part of the NYSAF winter meeting agenda for a while now and Diversity (and now Diversity and Inclusion) Fellows have been part of the national program agenda for even longer.  A informal effort has also encouraged networking among women attendees of the national meeting, primarily through a meet-up off site one night of the convention. An advantage of this format is that the grassroots organizers retain control, and participants have space separate from possible antagonizers. Disadvantages: Some prospective participants might not get the memo; potential allies don't see that yes, even now, there is a need, and they need to change some of the way they do things so that women and other "others" aren't marginalized; and the sight of a gathering of women (or other marginalized identity) doesn't get normalized.

So, do we do it? Yes.