This values statement was written collaboratively as a lab in 2023 to emphasize what our lab group stands for and strives to be. These values guide our work, research, and interactions with each other as we come together to support each other on our individual and shared goals. 

 

Kindness

We value kindness because it can boost feelings of happiness, confidence, and optimism. It is one of the foundations of friendship and allows us to connect more closely with our fellow lab members. 

 

Health

We believe that health comes first, taking priority over productivity when needed. We provide understanding and support throughout each other’s health concerns, including those related to mental and chronic illness. We stay home even with a cold, as we value the health of our labmates, and rest is an important component of healing. We take necessary safety precautions in our lab practices and fieldwork, so as not to put ourselves and labmates at risk. 

 

Collaboration

Collaboration is essential to our laboratory’s success and is a key component of our lab culture. We strive to create a successful and rewarding environment where everyone is encouraged to work together and share their ideas and insights. We recognize that collaboration leads to increased innovation, better problem-solving, and improved efficiency, and we are committed to fostering a collaborative atmosphere where everyone feels respected and valued.

 

Personal Lives

We value and respect everyone’s personal lives. We understand that while your work is important, it should not consume every aspect of who you are. We are mindful that everyone’s personal lives are private and what anyone chooses to share or not share is up to them, and them alone.

 

Fun

As a lab we are always quite busy, but that shouldn’t mean that it always has to be boring or stressful. We strive to create a fun and lighthearted atmosphere to foster a sense of community, comfortable work environment, and improve morale. 

 

Integrity and Trust

Our lab operates on a foundation of trust. We value honesty and transparency in our work. Taking responsibility for our actions and making ethical decisions is important for good science and maintaining a positive lab environment. Any form of plagiarism, intellectual theft, or data manipulation is not tolerated in the lab. 

 

Support

We recognize that everyone needs help sometimes to achieve their goals, and we value a culture of mutual emotional and practical support. We trust that when something needs to get done, lab members can be relied upon to help out and work together.

 

Inclusiveness

We value the growth that comes from opportunity, and strive to extend that benefit to as many, and as many kinds of, people, as we can. We’re mindful of the ways in which people can be made to feel excluded from science. We are committed to continually learning how to prevent exclusion and to be more welcoming. 

 

We also value birds… but who doesn’t?