Long‐term studies should provide structure for inclusive education and professional development
2024

Long-term studies and inclusive education

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Max F. Czapanskiy, Lina M. Arcila Hernández, Cara Munro, Isabella Garfield, Adrien Bastidas, Allison R. Payne, Kelli Ong, Natalie A. Storm, Taiki Adachi, Conner M. Hale, Astarte Brown, Patrick W. Robinson, Madeleine Stewart, Salma T. Abdel‐Raheem, Erika Zavaleta, Roxanne S. Beltran

Primary Institution: UC Santa Cruz, Institute for Marine Sciences

Hypothesis

Long-term studies could be better leveraged to promote inclusive education and professional development in ecology.

Conclusion

Long-term studies can create more inclusive and equitable training opportunities for future ecologists.

Supporting Evidence

  • Long-term studies provide unique insights into ecological systems.
  • They can support trainees in developing their science identity and confidence.
  • Long-term studies often have extensive professional networks that can connect students to mentorship.

Takeaway

Long-term studies help train new scientists and can be made more inclusive by providing better support and resources.

Methodology

The authors used their experiences and surveys from community members to propose improvements for inclusive education in ecology.

Potential Biases

Racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression exist in long-term studies, potentially excluding underrepresented minorities.

Limitations

Unpaid labor and unclear expectations limit the utility of resources for diversifying ecology.

Participant Demographics

The study discusses the inclusion of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1111/ele.14482

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