Sims Speaks on Title IX and Campus Safety

By Amberlyn Guzman, Forest Management, B.S. ‘28

Toyia Sims, interim Title IX Coordinator, led a powerful and informative discussion on Title IX and its role in preventing sexual harassment at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) on April 8, 2025, as part of the college's Perspectives of Career and Gender course in-class conversation section available to other student and faculty. The discussion was solely led by Sims.

Sims’s presentation offered a clear overview of Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. She explained how ESF implements Title IX policies to create a safe and inclusive learning and working environment. Through a combination of legal explanation, real-world examples, and discussion-based engagement, Sims highlighted the pathways available for students, faculty, and staff to report concerns, seek resources, and access support services confidentially.

The discussion emphasized the preventative aspects of Title IX compliance, including mandatory training, awareness campaigns, and responsive institutional processes that protect the rights and well-being of all campus members, while also allowing room for students to verbalize their questions and concerns about how Title IX operates.

The discussion ended with questions from Sims that highlighted the things we learned during the conversation of not just about Title IX, but also harassment and discomfort in professional settings, and how to identify, seek support, and take steps toward resolution and healing within a safe and respectful campus environment.

Toyia Sims earned a BA from Columbia College in 2002. She has been Senior Personnel Associate within ESF's Human Resources office since 2023.

For more information about, ESF's Title IX process, please visit https://www.esf.edu/administration/titleix. For upcoming public events, visit https://www.esf.edu/calendar/

As part of the requirements for FOR 797, Perspective on Career and Gender students share responsibility of reporting on a subset of class discussions.

 

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).

Intersectionality 2.0: Public session with Choose Action Network

Chris Kosakowski delivered a compelling presentation during a session of SUNY ESF’s seminar FOR 797: Perspectives on Career and Gender that took place on April 2, 2024. The discussion centered on feminism and environmental justice, with a particular focus on how intersecting identities can compound marginalization.  

The presentation generated conversation among attendees about the complexities of engaging with environmental activism.  One particularly compelling topic of discussion revolved around how it is often easier to focus on the negative consequences of marginalization and injustice, rather than their solutions. During the conversation, attendees discussed the reasons for this. One student expressed how this is a matter of logistics, in that it is often necessary to diagnose a problem before one can address it. Michael Mikulewicz, a co-instructor of the class, observed that people who offer solutions then need to be accountable for the consequences of those solutions, which is an immense responsibility. Ultimately, the severity of environmental degradation may feel unapproachable to address at the individual level, which poses a significant barrier toward making meaningful change through environmental activism.

The conversation also centered on how the consequences of environmental injustice are not born evenly across identity categories. Socioeconomic status is the primary driving force determining one’s vulnerability to environmental injustice, and marginalized identity categories across gender, sexuality, disability-status, citizenship status, and race can compound such vulnerabilities. Chris Kosakowski insisted that individuals in positions of relative privilege have a duty to advocate on behalf of those who are the most marginalized.

Lia Figurelli, a campus educator and advocate, also provided an overview of the resources available to students through Vera House.   

 Chris Kosakowski earned a Master of Social Work from Syracuse University. He presently serves as the Coordinator of Student Inclusion Initiatives and is the Project Director for ESF's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Grant. For more information about his work, please visit https://www.esf.edu/student-affairs/index.php. Follow esf.edu/calendar to stay updated on all public programs.

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 this public session with the Choose Action Network. The preceding was prepared by Taylor Wegner, MS student in the Department of Sustainable Resource Management

A New View on Interviews, ESF’s Dr. John Turbeville Gives Advice

Dr. John Turbeville, the assistant dean of Student Affairs and director of Career Services and Corporate Engagement at SUNY ESF, met with ESF’s Perspectives on Career and Gender class to discuss interview statistics and provide advice on interviewing. Dr. Turbeville also discussed the resources offered by the Office of Career Services, and an overview of the career services offered at ESF.

Coaching students on careers and coaching men’s golf, Dr. Turbeville helps drive ESF students to success in the job market and the green. Dr. Turbeville, Meredith Chase, and the Peer Career Ambassadors provide a variety of services to ESF students, helping with resume building, Linkedin profile development, job search strategies, graduate school applications, internship fairs, networking with employers, and a broad range of other programs and resources. 

75% of employers ask Behavioral Based interview questions, which focus on how a candidate responds to situations that highlight skills related to the position. These questions can ask about past experiences, such as when you faced a difficult situation with a colleague, or what you did when a project didn’t work out well. When faced with a behavioral based interview question, Dr. Turbeville suggests describing the situation and context, what your goal was in that situation, what you did to achieve that goal, and the result of the situation. 

Dr. Turbeville’s advice for a successful interview is to “Take any opportunity to make your skills tangible and connected to the position”, and to remember that interviews are a two-way street, where you are interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you. “The interview starts the moment you send in your resume” he adds, citing that 79% of HR professionals have denied candidates due to social media content, making it important to keep your online presence moderated. For more interview and career advice, the Office of Career Services provides print career guides outside of their office in 105 Bray Hall, as well as online resources on Handshake, Big Interview, CareerShift, GoinGlobal, and on the ESF career services website. Appointments with career services staff can also be scheduled through Handshake at https://esf.joinhandshake.com/edu using your esf.edu email and password. 

As part of the requirements for FOR 797, Perspective on Career andGender, students share the responsibility of reporting on some of the in-class discussions. The preceding was prepared by Jacob Olichney, Ph.D. student in the Department of Sustainable Resource Management

Find Financial Freedom with John McGraw

Guest lecturer, John McGraw, provided a lively and informative talk on fiscal responsibility entitled “Getting Your Finances in Order” for the Perspectives on Career and Gender class at ESF’s Bray Hall on April 18th, 2023. 

Mr. McGraw states that good financial health is easily obtained by following a few basic rules. Mr. McGraw's tips for financial success are, establish a relationship with a bank, prepare and stick to a budget, create an emergency savings fund, insure the things you care about, save for retirement now, and don't rack up credit debt. Mr. McGraw’s straightforward and relatable lecture made it clear that active participation in financial health will ensure a comfortable life in the years to come. 

Mr. McGraw is an Accounting and Personal Finance visiting instructor at SUNY ESF. Mr. McGraw also serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors at The Landmark Theater.

As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share  responsibility of reporting on class discussions as well as on the speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Leanne Hughes, a MS student in Environmental Biology.

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).

Take our Kids to Work Day returns

 

After a two year hiatus, Take our Kids to Work Day returned to ESF on April 28. Kids 8-11 years old with an adult that works or studies at ESF explored ESF fostered-careers through their own class day:

• ESF Sustainability: Which uses the least energy? A laptop, fan, or LED desk lamp? ESF’s new Energy Manager (and alum) Michael Amadori measured the electricity required to use all these household items.  Kids also played Wasketball, sorting common household waste into trash and recycling and used (with supervision!) solar power as a campfire starter.  They also had a sneek peak at our in-house power station.
• Color changing chemistry! Chemistry’s Kate Bailie (and graduate student assistants) helped students with simple acid-base reactions; use salt water, aluminum foil, and a complete circuit to create a temporary “ink”, and assembled teeny temperature sensitive LCDs
• All about Maple.  Which maples for syrup? (Any, but sugar has the best yield) What do the buds look like? The inside of a tree? With alumna Jill Rahn of ESF Forest Properties. 
• Something's Fishy: tracing mercury.  Details are important in science! What can we measure? Kids received instructions, and then helped Environmental Biology faculty member, Environmental Toxicologist Dr. Roxanne Razavi and grad students Abby Webster and Mike Ackland with record keeping, measured length and weight of whole yellow perch and (with careful supervision) retrieved otoliths (tiny ear bones that can be used to age the fish, much like rings in a tree), eye lenses, and a piece of dorsal fin.  These fish are part of an ongoing study, Project Breathless.  The samples, along with many others, will be assessed by grad students and faculty to help trace mercury through the sample population’s habitat.  Kids and volunteers thought yellow wasn’t an apt description, and that they should be called apricot perch.  A few Kids thought this the grossest of the activities, but others really enjoyed being part of active research!
• In the Lego® Bridge Challenge, Kids were tasked with planning (on paper) and then building (with Lego®) wide enough for Thomas the Tank Engine™ (or friend) to use, and allow 2 matchbox™ car wide lanes beneath. How much weight can it support? How few bricks can you use? (More bricks=higher materials and labor cost). With ESF Environmental Resources Engineering’s Karen Karker (planning support by Lindi Quackenbush).
• Building an Urban Ecosystem.  What are the components of a park (or community garden)? Kids working on the park explain their choices to ESF grad student and Open Academy staff members Dan Collins and Maura Harling Stefl. Through this, they realized park spaces will be hot. So they added a snack shack, water stations and shade. These introduce a new challenge: how to deal with the trash?
• Chemistry students David Spector and John Pezzulo ended the day with a Super Cool “Cooking” Demo, emphasizing safe handling of liquid nitrogen. While Kids (and volunteers) enjoyed some of the best strawberry and vanilla ice cream (served in low-waste waffle cone bowls) ever, John shared a secret:  that if really like what you are learning, and work hard, colleges might pay them to continue learning about that field through graduate school stipends and tuition waivers, and work in support of teaching and/or research.  

Kids Day is one of the earliest, and most enduring, programs of ESF's Women's Caucus. For a photo journey of the day, visit https://www.facebook.com/ESFKidsDay/; for information about past programs, please visit https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/kids.htm.  

Acknowledgments:  A huge Thank you to presentation teams for their time and supplies, and the many others who set up spaces, background checked and provided training to volunteers; Allison Oakes, John Turbeville, Brad Fierke, Linda McGuigan, Kathy Lang and Kelly Berger who got everyone where they needed to be; Diane Jaramillo for hep at registration; Danielle Gerhart, Nichole Doherty and Steve Waldron who helped serve lunch and chaperoned restroom trips; and Doherty for checking kids back to their adults. Thanks are also due to James  Zappola, Gentry Battaglia and Ilsa Dohner of the Trailhead Café for their lunch preparations, and to the Provost’s Office and the Women’s Caucus for covering these expenses and snacks. Gratitude to the Bookstore and Centennial Hall for day end gifts to Kids.

YWCA’s Girls’ Summit held at ESF

72 5th-10th grade participants descended on campus to learn about a few STEM based careers during the YWCA Girls’ Summit on April 2.  Local alumnae, students and staff featured prominently in the hands-on portion of the day:

Dr. Kim Cargill (EFB 2004) with assistance of veterinary technician Carrie Curry (EFB 2014), and veterinary assistants/current ESF students Sarah Hoffman and Savannah Rutt,led participants through  Teddy Bear Surgery and Pet First Aid. 

Current ESF students Katherine Gannon; Julia Frank; Kathryn Resanovich,  Alexandria  Kirkpatrick of the Student Environmental Education Coalition (SEEC) led concurrent workshops on Building Urban Ecosystems

Chemical Engineering Staff E. Kelly Watson-Collins, Sean Hohm (PBE 2017-I think), and George Westby (Chemistry 2001, MS 2006), and students Autumn Elniski (PSE 2015, MS 2017, PhD Candidate), Will Contento, Nicole Byrnes, and Serena Brandt led perennial favorite Paper Making and Testing.

ESF students Shawna Mulvihil and Winnie Ne and staff members Heather Engelman (Dual 92, MS 1995), Maura Harling Stefl, Kelly Berger joined other community general volunteers and Group Guides that offered ice breakers, supervised small groups, and helped in other capacities during the day.  Engelman, Harling Stefl, Berger, Dr. Malika Carter and Dr. Lizette Rivera (representing ESF Women's Caucus, ESF in the High School and the Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) collaborated with YWCA staff and colleagues at Syracuse University and LeMoyne College to plan the program.  

The mission of the program was to empower, motivate, educate, and change the perception of girls and women in STEAM.  The program was open to everyone, regardless of sex, gender or gender identity. 

Kids Day returns! registration now open! Volunteers needed!

After a two year hiatus, registration has opened for ESF’s Take our Kids to Work Day, Thursday, April 28, 2022!   Kids 8-11 years old with an adult that works or studies at ESF are invited to explore ESF fostered-careers through their own class day, starting and ending the day in the Gateway Center.  

Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.  FAQs and Registration Forms (due 4/21) are available at https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/kids.htm.  Past adults have requested information to share with schools to request the absence be excused; a form is available at that same page to facilitate that conversation and (if necessary) to coordinate makeup or alternate assignments. 

We are also seeking volunteers to chaperone groups: https://forms.gle/nYXVQYtnZYAadE7x5.  

Kids Day is one of the earliest, and most enduring, programs of ESF's Women's Caucus. The group is pleased to return to an in-person option, as well as to continue to share photos and materials via https://www.facebook.com/ESFKidsDay/.

Questions about the program, accommodations, or volunteering, please contact Heather Engelman,  engelman@esf.edu, 315-470-4752. 

Interviewing? John Turbeville shares tips

Dr. Turbeville, Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Director of Career Services at SUNY-ESF shared interviewing tips on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, as part of ESF's Perspectives on Career and Gender Spring Seminar Series.

Dr. Turbeville presented the services provided by Career Service at ESF along with interviewing statistics. I was amazed to find out that 90% of employers find social media important when evaluating candidates and 79% of HR professionals have denied a job to a candidate due to inappropriate content on social media. He also shared some common questions asked during an interview and ways to obtain success in an interview.

Dr. Turbeville completed his M.S. and Ph.D. from Syracuse University. He has more than fifteen years of higher education experience in the areas of academic support services, career services, educational programming, judicial affairs, and crisis management.

For more information about the Perspective on Career and Gender Seminar Series, please visit
http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus and http://esfwomen.blogspot.com/search/label/Speakers. For upcoming public events and 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 class discussions as well as on the speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.  The preceding was prepared by Poonam Joshi, Department of Sustainable Forest Management, studying Master of Science in Natural Resources Management.

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.

Girls’ Summit returns to ESF—recruiting volunteers and participants

Girls’ Inc is seeking adults for a variety of volunteer roles for the annual Girls’ Summit on Saturday, April 2 on the ESF and SU campuses.  In particular, they hope to recruit a solid cohort of volunteers familiar with the campuses to serve as “group guides”, accompanying a walking group through the program, assuring they find their scheduled workshops, and sharing their own excitement about STEAM. A perfect role for students and local alumni!  They need folks to sign up quickly to assure time for background checks. For more information or for help with registration, contact Wenona Timmons at 315-424-0040 or wtimmons@ywca-syracuse.org. 

Registration is also open for 5^th-10^th graders who wish to participate in the Girls’ Summit Hands-on STEAM Career Exploration Day on Saturday, April 2, 8:30-3:45pm. Drop off and pick up at ESF’s Gateway Center.  $5, pre-register at https://www.ywca-syracuse.org/what-were-doing/youth-development/girls-summit/.  For more information, contact Caitlyn Copfer, ccopfer@ywca-syracuse.org, or 315-424-0040.

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.  

Women's Empowerment Brunch Returns

After a pandemic-related hiatus, ESF's 6th Women's Empowerment Brunch will take place Sunday, November 7, 11am-2pm, in Gateway Center.  With a theme of Making Space, the program will feature a panel discussion and literary pieces and art centered around outer space and physical space.  Poems, short stories, essays and image can be submitted by members of the campus community at https://linktr.ee/TheBaobabSociety.  

Submit literary works or art and/or register at https://linktr.ee/TheBaobabSociety  

Online registration is now open. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase in the two weeks prior to the event, M-F 10-2, in Gateway Center.  Prizes have been generously donated by campus groups; all proceeds will be donated to organizations that empower women and girls.  Registration will enable planners to finalize orders and accommodation requests, but walk-ins are welcome (space permitting). Raffle tickets will also be available for purchase onsite.

As has become tradition for this event, the dress code is for participants to wear what makes them feel empowered.                                                          

The 2021 WEB is 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 and the Sustainability Office.  

To learn more about past events dating to 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.  

Connections and coffee, fall 2021

 "Find a peer group of women to provide professional support" suggest the authors of Ten simple rules for women principal investigators during a pandemic.  Research has shown that women generally benefit from networking and group mentoring.  Further, women's stress can be moderated by social supports.  Its also not a surprise that short breaks help individuals regroup and look at challenges through a refreshed lens.  So, take a BYO snack or meal break on First Mondays (Register for Mondays) at noon, and/or  Third Thursdays (Register for Thursdays) at 8am.  Sessions are hosted by the ESF Women's Caucus and are open to employees, students, and alumnae.

All sessions are online, with a phone in option, so that folks can participate from  on campus (main or satellite) or off.  217 Bray Hall is also reserved during each session for those without a workspace conducive to participation.

You can ask questions or share resources anytime by subscribing to:

·    ESFWomen is configured as a discussion forum, but is used most frequently to share event reminders and registration links! 

·    FamilyResources.  Child- and elder-care impact a number of students and employees regardless of gender/gender identity  By spinning off those discussions, we hope to make them more accessible to parents and other caregivers who need them (ATM or for the future), unclutter the inboxes of those who don’t, and underscore “balancing work and family” as universal workplace concerns.

REGISTRATION:

1st Mondays, noon-1pm: Register for Mondays

3rd  Thursdays, 8am-9am: Register for Thursdays

For more information about the ESF Women's Caucus, or our formal or informal mentoring programs, please visit: https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus or contact the program coordinator, 

Heather Engelman engelman@esf.edu or 315-470-4752

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.