Engage Meeting CODE OF CONDUCT

ENGAGE is meant to create an environment where people can build new collaborations, present ideas, start new projects, and in general perform research in an ethically-sound manner. We value the participation of each member and want all attendees to have an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Accordingly, all attendees are expected to show respect and courtesy to others throughout the workshop, and share our commitment to create a safe environment that values diversity and inclusion and therefore is free from harassment. All attendees and organizers are required to conform to the following Code of Conduct, which the Organizing Committee will enforce throughout the event.

1. The Organizing Committee considers harassment to include offensive comments, gestures and behaviour related to sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome intrusions of personal space or sexual attention. Conduct can be harassment even if it was not intended to violate the recipient’s dignity, if it had that effect. A single incident may amount to harassment if it is sufficiently serious. Conduct normally becomes harassment if it persists once it has been made clear that the behaviour is regarded as offensive. Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.

2. Please be aware that sexist, racist, and other exclusionary jokes can be offensive to those around you. Offensive jokes and excessive swearing will not be tolerated in this workshop. If a participant engages in behaviour that violates this Code of Conduct, the Organizing Committee may take any action they deem appropriate, from warning the offender up to expulsion from the meeting.

3. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the Organizing Committee. The list of Organizing Committee members with their email addresses can be found in the dedicated section. More information on how to deal with incidents can be found in the “Attendee procedure for incident handling” section below.

4. Please make sure that you have explicit speaker’s permission if you wish to share photos or videos of the speaker on social media. 

5. Ideally, projects discussed and initiated during the meeting would be led by ENGAGE attendees. Before discussing any project ideas raised during the meeting with members of the community outside, participants are requested to ask explicit consent to the speaker or person initiating that idea.

ATTENDEE PROCEDURE FOR INCIDENT HANDLING

If you experience or witness behaviour that breaches this Code of Conduct, we strongly recommend reporting it to the Organizing Committee as soon as possible. Resolving issues early and informally is usually preferable for everyone concerned. Often, people are unaware that their behaviour is perceived as harassment, discrimination or bullying, and in these cases taking prompt informal action can be particularly effective.

Report any harassment incident (preferably in writing) to a member of the Organizing Committee. Please do not disclose public information about the incident until the Organizing Committee has had sufficient time in which to address the situation. This is for the safety and protection of those affected. When reporting the event, try to recall as much information as possible about the incident.

Note: Incidents that violate the Code of Conduct are extremely damaging to the community, and they will not be tolerated. The Organizing Committee requests that they be your first resource when reporting an ENGAGE-related incident, so that they may enforce the Code of Conduct and take quick action toward a resolution. Awareness and reporting of these incidents present a chance for the offenders, and the community at large, to grow, learn, and become better.

A list of the  members of the organizing committee can be found here.

We thank you for helping us make the ENGAGE meeting a welcoming, respectful, and interesting workshop for all.

Attribution: This Code of Conduct was adapted from the DEX, NAM 2019, and ESA datalabs 2022 Code of Conducts.