BES Journal Blogs Round Up: March 2019

March was a busy month across the British Ecological Society blogs. Methods in Ecology and Evolution and Journal of Animal Ecology launched an open call for submissions for a joint Special Feature on Animal Social Network Analysis. People and Nature published their first every issue with a whistle stop tour of every paper in picture form and Journal of Ecology brought us some stunning photos from … Continue reading BES Journal Blogs Round Up: March 2019

The Umwelt Approach

Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, Ben Whittaker discusses mental health from the perspective of the umwelt. Cognitive philosophers use the term umwelt to describe the epicentre of being. Your umwelt is your own personal environment, a foundation on which to build your self-centred world view. As you encounter new experiences your umwelt evolves with you, changing not only the way your mind interacts with the world … Continue reading The Umwelt Approach

Should I tell my colleagues I am gay?

Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, Conor Ryan discusses his experiences of judging whether to be ‘out’ to colleagues and crew members during boat-based fieldwork. A congenital ecologist, Conor’s career began in the late 1980s, where he developed a keen interest in intertidal ecology, undertaking almost daily field trips to the seashore across from his home in Cobh, Ireland. Though he logged significant hours searching beneath barnacle-studded rocks … Continue reading Should I tell my colleagues I am gay?

Soft-minded or suffering? The wellbeing taboo of PhD students

Sometimes asking for help feels like an impossible task. Especially if you fear being judged or dismissed as weak for needing help in the first place. Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, PhD student Chloe Robinson is back to help break the wellbeing taboo and share some resources that are available for those in need of help. ‘It will all be worth it in the end’. If I had a … Continue reading Soft-minded or suffering? The wellbeing taboo of PhD students

Being 100% of Yourself

Nobody should have to hide who they are. Unfortunately, many people in the LGBT+ community feel too shy or nervous to come out in the workplace. Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, in this blog post PhD student Chloe Robinson tells us what initiative she has been recently involved with that aim to support students, help tackle any issues of discrimination or unfair treatment in the workplace due to … Continue reading Being 100% of Yourself

Looking for people like me

Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, this blog talks about diversity in role models and the challenges of finding ‘someone like me’ provide scientific mentoring from the perspective of Jordan Ellison, an undergraduate student at the Colorado College. If anyone feels like they are in a position to provide mentoring for Jordan, please Contact Us! When people talk about diversity in the sciences, it seems to me as if … Continue reading Looking for people like me

Diversity in Peer review – the perspective of Journal of Animal Ecology Associate Editors

Fitting with our theme of #DiversityinEcology the theme of peer review week 2018 is diversity in peer review. To celebrate we decided to ask the people at the coalface of delivering the peer review process, our Associate Editors, why diversity in peer review is so important. At JAE our committed team of Associate Editors are responsible for selecting and inviting reviewers and subsequently evaluating the … Continue reading Diversity in Peer review – the perspective of Journal of Animal Ecology Associate Editors

Becoming Dr Daddy: The concerns of a PhD parent

Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, this blog talks about the challenges of academic parenthood from the perspective of Andy Seaton, a PhD student at the University of St Andrews. I am just coming to the end of my first year as a PhD candidate in ecological statistics.  I am also a father to a 3 year-old boy and partner to a recent PhD graduate (Dr Mummy) who has … Continue reading Becoming Dr Daddy: The concerns of a PhD parent

Did they choose my brain, my gender, or my race?

Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, this blog post talks about having (and overcoming!) imposter syndrome. Isabel Rojas-Ferrer is a cognitive ecologist who was recently invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with the Minister of Science of Canada. Learn how this experience changed her reasoning about imposter syndome. During my second year of my master’s degree I started feeling undeserving of my position as a graduate student. At … Continue reading Did they choose my brain, my gender, or my race?

Who Cares?

Following our #DiversityInEcology theme, this blog post talks about balancing childcare with a career in academia. Isabel Smallegange is an Associate Professor of population biology at the University of Amsterdam. She regularly blogs about the topics of work-life balance and gender balance from the perspective of an academic, parent and partner over on her personal site. Isabel would be curious to hear how others copes with similar … Continue reading Who Cares?