Fieldwork is a Vital but Often Traumatizing Part of Academic Career Advancement

• Fieldwork can significantly bolster skills, widen inclusivity, and build community, which are crucial for improving retention (Beltran et al., 2020; Race et al., 2021; Whipple et al., 2021).

• Some groups are disproportionately likely to experience traumatic events in the field, impacting their career paths (Viglione, 2020; Demery & Pipkin, 2021).

• Academia has one of the highest rates of sexual harassment, with fieldwork showing even higher rates (National Academies, 2018; Clancy et al., 2014).

• Sexual harassment is prevalent across disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, geology, ecology, and oceanography (Clancey et al., 2014; Voss, 2021a, 2021b; Mattheis et al., 2022; Ecological Society of America, 2021; Johannesen et al., 2022; Kelly et al., 2021).

• However, there is a lack of data on traumatic events beyond sexual and gender-based abuse, and a lack of inclusion of other scientific fields in these studies. 

So, We Need to Address Gaps in Data and the Need for Comprehensive Safety Plans

• Lack of Comprehensive Incident Data: Beyond harassment, other serious incidents like vehicular incidents, environmental conditions, and mental health crises remain largely undocumented (Cantine, 2021; Nadkarni, 2017).

• Challenges in Safety Planning: The absence of robust data hampers the creation of effective safety plans, crucial for reducing incidents and protecting field researchers (Building a Better Fieldwork Future, 2021).

Join Us in Pioneering Field Safety Research!

To meet this need, SAFER will run from 2023-2026, and collect comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data on incidents across various disciplines of field research. This crucial data will inform the development of targeted, inclusive safety protocols and effective post-incident support systems. By joining us on this journey, you're contributing to a safer, more welcoming environment for scientists everywhere. Together, we can pave the way for groundbreaking discoveries in safer settings!