BioCAT Diversity Statement and Code of Conduct

Diversity Statement

The Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (BioCAT) is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in our facility, as well as in all BioCAT activities, events and services. Scientific innovation requires bringing together both diverse ideas and people from varied backgrounds who may have different world views and ways of solving problems. BioCAT seeks to include scientists across age, gender identity and expression, race, nationality, ethnicity, physical ability, marital status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, military or veteran status, or any other facet of social diversity in the use of our facility and in our staff.

Code of Conduct Policy

[Wording of this policy based on that of the American Crystallographic Association]

The Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (BioCAT) is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all facility users and BioCAT staff. Everyone, including, but not limited to, facility users, BioCAT staff and service providers (e.g. vendors/contractors) are expected to abide by the BioCAT Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct applies to all BioCAT experiments, including remote and mail-in, and hosted events, including those sponsored by organizations other than BioCAT but held at BioCAT (e.g. tours).

Expected Behavior

  • All facility users, BioCAT staff and service providers should treat each other with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity of views and opinions.
  • They should be considerate, respectful, and collaborative with others.
  • They should communicate openly with respect for others, critiquing ideas rather than individuals.
  • They should avoid personal attacks directed toward other facility users, BioCAT staff and service providers.
  • They should be mindful of their surroundings and their fellow facility users. BioCAT staff should be alerted if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.
  • They should respect the rules and policies of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) and Argonne National Lab (ANL).

Unacceptable Behavior

  • Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form will not be tolerated.
  • Physical or verbal abuse of any facility user, BioCAT staff member, service provider, or other APS user or staff will not be tolerated.
  • Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to: verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin; inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in facility spaces; or threatening or stalking facility user, BioCAT staff member, service provider, or other APS user or staff.
  • Violation of any APS or ANL rules will not be tolerated.

Consequences

  • Anyone requested to cease unacceptable behavior will be expected to comply immediately.
  • BioCAT staff (or their designee), APS staff such as floor coordinators, or ANL security may take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the facility without warning.
  • BioCAT reserves the right to prohibit anyone violating this code of conduct from any future use of the facility.
  • BioCAT reserves the right to report anyone violating this code of conduct to the APS, which may result in loss of access to other APS/Argonne facilities in the future.

Reporting Unacceptable Behavior

  • If you are the subject of unacceptable behavior or have witnessed any such behavior, please immediately notify a BioCAT staff member.
  • Notification should be done by either:
    • Contacting a BioCAT staff person on site.
    • Emailing your concerns to BioCAT Deputy Director Jesse Hopkins at jhopkins1@iit.edu, BioCAT Director Tom Irving at irving@iit.edu and/or CSRRI (BioCAT’s parent organization) Director Carlo Segre at segre@iit.edu.
  • Anyone experiencing or witnessing behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety is advised to contact Argonne’s onsite emergency services by calling 911 on a landline phone or 630-252-1991 on a cell phone.

Additional guidance

BioCAT’s Code of Conduct is complementary to that of its parent institution Illinois Tech, and that of its host intuition the APS. These policies, including reporting mechanisms for the broader institutions, can be found here: