The following statements are representative of our professional and personal values as a lab community:
Commitment to research
The MOSAIC lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is guided by values of inclusion, equity, and diversity. We embrace and celebrate diversity in all forms and we believe that it is an essential strength that enriches our research and science more broadly. In our work, we are committed to centering and highlighting the experiences and voices of groups who have been historically marginalized and excluded. We aim for our research to validate these experiences and ultimately serve these communities.
Human behavior and experience is complex and multifaceted and conducting good science is hard; thus, we aim to create an academic culture that encourages respect, accountability, and transparency, allowing for conversations that challenge and push our research forward. We pledge our long-term commitment to this work as we continue to learn, listen, and grow.
Commitment to the lab community
The MOSAIC lab aspires to foster a space where each individual feels welcomed, heard, and valued for who they genuinely are. The lab consists of individuals from various backgrounds, allowing for more unique perspectives and ideas to further understand, address and resolve complex social issues and also better our science.
Diversity in the lab setting leads to empowered collaboration, as each member is valued for their unique contribution, fostering a sense of belonging and commitment within the lab. Every member is encouraged to speak out in this safe space. Therefore, we have zero tolerance for all forms of bigotry including racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, xenophobia, transphobia, ageism and ableism.
Furthermore, the lab provides support for all members through mentorship and research practices. This, in turn, gives members from numerous backgrounds the opportunity to make the most out of their experience in the MOSAIC lab.
Land Acknowledgment
This lab sits on the lands of the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Piankashaw, Wea, Miami, Mascoutin, Odawa, Sauk, Mesquaki, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Chickasaw Nations. These lands were the traditional territory of these Native Nations prior to their forced removal. As such, these lands continue to carry the stories of these Nations and their struggles for survival and identity and we acknowledge, recognize, and honor these groups.
“As a land-grant institution, the University of Illinois has a particular responsibility to acknowledge the peoples of these lands, as well as the histories of dispossession that have allowed for the growth of this institution for the past 150 years. We are also obligated to reflect on and actively address these histories and the role that this university has played in shaping them. This acknowledgement and the centering of Native peoples is a start as we move forward for the next 150 years.” UIUC Land Acknowledgment