Ethics and Ecology

Recently, I've been presented two opportunities to discuss my thoughts on ethics, ecology, and statistics with a wider audience. First, I was invited to give a talk in October to Cornell's Department of Natural Resources and the Environment seminar this coming October, with a specific request that "your research - and your reflexive critique of research ethics (on your webpage) - is of direct interest." This is my first real chance to step out of "self-work" and into a broader discussion with my peers on the things I care deeply about -- ethics in ecology and statistics, how we as scientists can address the history of our field in a productive way, and how to be in relationship with the Earth and other humans.

Second, I have also been nominated as a candidate for Secretary of the ESA Statistical Ecology section*. I thought a lot about how I would answer the question "Why are you interested in this role?", and landed on this as the end of my answer:

Statistics and statistical ecology cannot be divorced from our role as scientific leaders and thinkers, and as Secretary I hope to bring human and ethical elements to discussion offerings for our section.  

As someone from a purely mathematical background, I was late to learn how the growth of statistics came largely from a desire to support the project of eugenics with a logical, rational underpinning. I really want to use my positions and platforms to address this history. Mathematics and statistics are not, and cannot, be divorced from their use to prop up racist, sexist, and classist conclusions convenient to those in power.

This is not relegated to a historical viewpoint, either. I am tired of seeing statistics and biology used as "truth" to push transphobic, queerphobic, and other -phobic agendas. Statistics is not truth, but our best attempt at an approximation. We cannot, as scientists, simply let our research speak for itself. How we present our findings, and how these findings and expression of them might be used for social harm -- these are things that I see mathematicians and statisticians sometimes balk at addressing.

I'm definitely going to spend a long time thinking about how I could use a Secretary role to encourage more discussion of these issues, and how to craft my talk in October to include research ethics and decolonization. A part of me shies away from this work -- I'm just one person, a cis white woman, who has so little experience in things like community science. I haven't set up a research program, most of my work is on the computer, and I am pretty new to ecology as a field. But the key question to be asked is: "Can I do more harm or more good by stepping into these roles?"

I think I can do more good, but this won't be my last time self-reflecting. That's the core piece that separates real work from performative work, I think. Am I checking in, am I reshaping my approach, am I listening to feedback from others? Am I accepting roles (or nominations) because I want to be seen teaching about these topics, or because I want to be part of a conversation, and, well, someone needs to open space for that to happen?

For now, my goal is still to facilitate spaces of discussion and learning, so I'll continue to do so.

***

* If you're here because of that announcement, hello and welcome! You can read more about my viewpoints at this landing page.