The Isaacs Lab strives to be an inclusive and welcoming environment for all lab members. We are committed to broadening the diversity of entomology by being intentional about our lab group. Our lab climate is enriched by individuals with a variety of values, perspectives, and experiences. In addition to the inherent value of diverse backgrounds and ideas, this also expands our innovation, creativity, and productivity to tackle problems we are passionate about as an applied research lab. Through these diverse perspectives, we can better serve our research, extension, and outreach communities. 

We recognize that inclusion must be at the forefront of our lab initiatives as we continue to diversify the lab through access to equitable opportunities, resources, and support that enhance peoples’ growth and development. We are committed to fostering an environment of reflection and openness, continually improving our goals and standards. Our efforts in equity and inclusion will be approached in a manner that is respectful and accommodating. We also appreciate and celebrate the mixture of identities that exist. 

We are responsible for meeting our goals in improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Isaacs Lab, and have created accountability mechanisms to continue this work for years to come. To inspire introspection and education as lab members, we will continue to dedicate one lab meeting a month to topics regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Topics may include, but are not limited to, honest conversations about biases and how to combat them, promoting and reading diverse voices in our field(s) of study, and planning actionable measures that uplift underrepresented communities. 

To diversify our lab, we will focus recruitment efforts and advertisements to reach audiences from diverse and marginalized backgrounds. This will include sharing job openings with on-campus social organizations that support these students, and bridging connections to those who have been historically excluded from access to these opportunities. We will expand our outreach and extension services in our communities, with a greater focus on groups from marginalized backgrounds. This may include volunteering for outreach demonstrations in low-income school districts or expanding extension programming for urban farming communities. We will continue to amplify all voices in the field of entomology by prioritizing diverse speakers in department symposia to broaden our perspectives in science and as people. 

We recognize that DEI is a lifelong learning practice and should always be at the foundation of all work done in and outside the lab. This DEI statement will serve as a living document to be discussed and updated annually. It will be accessible to prospective lab members and provided to new lab members during the hiring process. We will continue to evaluate if, and how, we are meeting our goals and identify where there is room for growth. We aim to foster an empathetic environment where all members feel comfortable expressing concerns and ideas for improvement and envision this statement as our commitment to a safe, welcoming, and supportive lab culture that is constantly evolving.