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ABC Principles of Engagement¶

As members of the ABC community, we agree to maintain an environment where every participant feels welcome to be their true self and speak from the heart.

To this end, we agree as individuals and as a group to:

  • Listen to understand. When one person talks, others listen.
  • Speak to be understood. We use lay terms and are patient with people who are not experts in our specific field. We are all learning, no matter who we are.
  • Embrace “Yes and…” Focus on possibilities instead of obstacles. Be inclusive of other people’s ideas. Honor divergence.
  • Take space / make space. Those who tend to talk a lot are intentional about letting others talk first, while those who tend to hold back are intentional about contributing.
  • Beware of blind spots. We do not know what we do not know. We are vigilant for differences among our experiences and positions.
  • Respect time. When a session is over, we need to move on. There is designated time for in-depth follow up and continuing conversations.
  • Care for each other. We bring our full selves to the community, and we look out for each other wholeheartedly.

AI use policy (borrowed from CRA):

  • Allowable use of AI tools requires that the tools do not share or use the data for training.
  • Requires permission if recording others. Language to use when requesting permission:

“We would like to use <insert tool name here> during this discussion to assist with note-taking. <insert tool name here> records and transcribes audio and can produce a summary of the discussion. The audio and transcription will only be saved and used internally. Please let us know if you object to the use of <insert tool name here>.”

We abide by these principles in all ABC spaces, including but not limited to digital and in-person meetings, formal and informal gatherings, online discussion forums and chat spaces, and field and lab work.

Acts of Misconduct¶

It is the responsibility of all members of the ABC Global Center community to eliminate any form of misconduct in science and to build a community that allows all individuals to thrive, learn, and grow. Misconduct includes:

  • Abuse of any person, including, but not limited to, harassment, stalking, bullying, or hazing of any kind, whether the behavior is carried out verbally, physically, electronically, or in written form;
  • Conduct that is unwelcome, offensive, indecent, obscene, or disorderly;

Those who experience or witness misconduct in an ABC Center-related on- or off-site work environment are advised to take these steps:

  1. Document the incident;
  2. Report the incident to field leaders and/or ABC Center Management who will offer to connect them to resources (i.e. medical care, police, counseling, etc.) and provide validation of their experience.

ABC Center Management will investigate all reports of misconduct. Those found to engage in misconduct will be subject to dismissal from the project and further actions as directed by the guidelines of the employers, place of incidence, and relevant federal policies.

Points of contact:

  • Diane Boghrat, ABC Managing Director