Equity – Dawn Y. Sumner

Equity is a critical component of science. I am passionate about helping build communities based on respect for individuals and appreciation of the diversity they bring to collaborative research. This page will grow through time. For now, here are several documents I’ve written to articulate how to build better communities and the benefits that they produce. Feel free to reuse any of this content to promote equity in your own communities.

As of June 2020, I am leading the Anti-Racism Action Committee for the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UC Davis.

Anti-Racism Statements

I wrote several letters to groups of people in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020:

A letter to my department expressing support for those experiencing racism due to COVID and the trauma associated with George Floyd’s murder. I would change some of my wording now that I have learned so much more, but I have not edited the letter.
A second letter to my department suggesting that we do not need to feel helpless in the face of racism.
A letter in support of ecology graduate students who were in a crisis over the behavior of a senior faculty member on an email list.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment Statement to My Department (when I was chair)
Sexual Comments Do Not Belong in Professional Environments – In this statement, I describe why such comments are harmful to both scientific outcomes and scientists.

Expectations for Professional Behavior

Expectations of Professional Conduct 2018 GEL109 (pdf)
Do vs Don’t Guide to Professional Behavior (pdf)
Department email list code of conduct (written by Mike Oskin, with edits from me)

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