Denver Lab Values
The Denver lab is a dynamic academic atmosphere focused on providing novel fundamental insights into biological processes from diverse lenses. We cultivate the development of scholars, scientists, and citizens of the world. We offer a unique, transdisciplinary environment that integrates perspectives in genetics, evolutionary biology, symbiosis biology, philosophies of biology, STEM diversity, STEM education, and Buddhist philosophies and epistemologies. We study many life systems ranging from phage to bacteria to nematodes to slugs to trees. We examine life across scales ranging from molecules to organelles to cells to organisms to populations. We critically examine ourselves, and acknowledge the role of scientist identities in shaping science. Eight key values guide our activities:
Balance - We recognize the interdependence of professional and personal happiness, and prioritize wellness in lab team scientists and students.
Bravery - We value scholarly approaches that challenge prevailing perspectives and paradigms.
Communication - We understand the importance of active listening and proactive approaches in openly sharing the lab’s scholarly work with the world.
Compassion - We recognize the interdependence of wellness in ourselves and others, and value kindness. We value safety in the lab and prioritize physical and emotional wellbeing.
Discovery - We seek new forms of knowledge and ways of understanding the world around us, and appreciate the unexpected.
Diversity - We integrate different cultural, scholarly, social, and individual experiential lenses in our pursuit of knowledge and understanding. We take a proactive anti-racist approach in all phases of our work.
Flexibility - We recognize that an adaptable mindset is essential to understanding other viewpoints in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, and that varying approaches are often required to answer different questions.
Wisdom - We value understanding gained through experience, and respect those with life paths that differ from our own.
Note: this values statement was created through a collaborative lab team process during Spring 2021. Contributors included Dee Denver, Lex Anderson, Dana Howe, Subi Pal, and Sulochana Wasala.
Balance - We recognize the interdependence of professional and personal happiness, and prioritize wellness in lab team scientists and students.
Bravery - We value scholarly approaches that challenge prevailing perspectives and paradigms.
Communication - We understand the importance of active listening and proactive approaches in openly sharing the lab’s scholarly work with the world.
Compassion - We recognize the interdependence of wellness in ourselves and others, and value kindness. We value safety in the lab and prioritize physical and emotional wellbeing.
Discovery - We seek new forms of knowledge and ways of understanding the world around us, and appreciate the unexpected.
Diversity - We integrate different cultural, scholarly, social, and individual experiential lenses in our pursuit of knowledge and understanding. We take a proactive anti-racist approach in all phases of our work.
Flexibility - We recognize that an adaptable mindset is essential to understanding other viewpoints in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, and that varying approaches are often required to answer different questions.
Wisdom - We value understanding gained through experience, and respect those with life paths that differ from our own.
Note: this values statement was created through a collaborative lab team process during Spring 2021. Contributors included Dee Denver, Lex Anderson, Dana Howe, Subi Pal, and Sulochana Wasala.
