Scientific excellence driven by diversity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The PROGENITER team represents a diverse mix of people from various backgrounds and career stages; 60% of our 14 principal investigators come from historically excluded or underrepresented groups. Our team includes six women, and five early-career researchers (ECRs). Our success will draw on this diversity: varied perspectives enable our team to be creative and to take on seemingly intractable problems.
For our diverse team to be successful in achieving its objectives, we also must recognize the nature of the work we are doing, and who it will impact. Pandemics disproportionately impact some communities due to social determinants of health, requiring, for example, the development and delivery of public health messages in different languages, and consideration of cultural factors that might impact behavior or enhance effective pandemic preparedness strategies.
Training
Members of our research team complete biennial training and education sessions to continually instill practices that ensure an inclusive work environment. PROGENITER staff complete at least one training activity offered by Simon Fraser University or The University of British Columbia in topics including creating inclusive and accessible work environments, anti-bullying and harassment, anti-racism, and cultural sensitivity.
Recruitment
All team members are cognizant of systemic barriers in health science research and commit to yearly-tracked equitable hiring. We write PROGENITER job descriptions using inclusive language and publicize open positions in spaces catering to underrepresented groups. All candidates must include an EDI statement in their application, and new personnel are provided with EDI resource guides to ensure a community of practice in equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Communication
Scientific language can be complex and inscrutable, and so we will issue plain language summaries of novel findings and work to ensure that knowledge generated through PROGENITER is disseminated in culturally appropriate ways using methods that are accessible to those without backgrounds in science, and those for whom English is not a first or primary language.
Environment
PROGENITER’s working model ensures accessibility for people with disabilities, neurodiverse people, and accounts for unique family and caregiving circumstances. Our inclusive work environment enables team members to work around their individual needs and commitments, with flexibility in working hours and location.