C-Hub Spotlight, Issue 7, September 2023

We are pleased to welcome our new Program Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Kristin Macapagal, and we are excited to amplify our content on equitable practices and professional development through the C-Hub Spotlight. Please check out future issues for updates from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Featured Topic: Building Community

“We are in community each time we find a place where we belong. The word belong has two meanings. First and foremost, to belong is to be related to and a part of something…The second meaning of the word belong has to do with being an owner. To belong to a community is to act as a creator and co-owner of that community.” – Peter Block, Community: The Structure of Belonging

Think of a time when you felt a sense of belonging in a group. What were the dynamics or characteristics of the group that created belonging?

Think of a time when you did not feel you belonged. What was the difference between the first instance and the second?
In these times of stress, over-commitments, increasing isolation, and loneliness, it is important for all of us at OIST to think and act intentionally about the inclusive community we build together.
 

What is the evidence?

Humans intrinsically seek connection and belonging. The need for social acceptance and inclusion by others is so strong that we experience social exclusion similarly to physical pain (MacDonald & Leary, 2005). When we feel isolated, our desire for social connection registers as a craving response in our brain similar to hunger (Tomova et al., 2020). Loneliness can lead to adverse physical and mental health outcomes (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010). Feeling connection and belonging in a community is tied to our sense of identity, leads to greater happiness (Cramer & Pawsey, 2023), better health outcomes (Michalski et al., 2020), and improvements in workplace performance (Gerlach, 2019).

Universities and other organizations tend to focus on the needs or interests of majority populations. Marginalizing or undermining the needs and experiences of those that are minoritized results in “deficit model” thinking. Research has shown that eliminating a deficit model approach to support has the greatest potential to remove deeply engrained feelings of unbelonging, ‘otherness’ or ‘imposter syndrome’ (Pedler et al., 2022). Accessibility, or lack of it, has significant and perpetual impact on feelings of belonging and inclusion. A greater awareness and understanding of neurodiversity and a universal design-centered approach has profound impact on an institutional culture of belonging.

Belonging to multiple networks, like different groups of friends, clubs, or affiliations, contributes to self-esteem (Jetten et al., 2015). Researchers suggest multiple pathways to belonging (Hirsch & Clark, 2018) include both deep relationships and smaller positive interactions with acquaintances that can improve sense of connection and wellbeing (Sandstrom and Dunn, 2014).

What can you do?

For team leaders

  • Be aware of your own assumptions or biases, which can perpetuate homogeneity at the cost of diversity, innovation, and creativity.
  • Learn about inclusive design thinking so that content, communications, and practices across the university are designed to create equity by accommodating accessibility needs.
  • Identify and validate team members’ experiences, strengths, and expertise, to allow everyone to understand why they matter to the group’s success.
  • Facilitate connections between new team members and people who will be important to their work to help them feel supported.
  • Identify how you want members of your team to feel about their work so you can align your actions.
  • Create facilitated opportunities (e.g. workshops, retreats, etc.) for your team to articulate what kind of lab or work culture enhances belonging, communication, and collaboration, and identify specific actions everyone can take to co-create the culture.
  • Create informal spaces where people can get to know each other outside of professional responsibilities.
  • Set up a consultation or coaching session with C-Hub for community-building practices for your team.

For everyone

  • Think about how you can help co-create the community where you and others feel belonging in your group.
  • Be aware of your own assumptions or biases and consider whether you tend to gravitate only to those who are more similar to you.
  • Invite people in your network to lunch/coffee, a walk on campus, or an informal chat to discuss an idea. Although people may have busy schedules, people appreciate the invitation and may reciprocate in the future.
  • If you are not sure if someone is feeling disconnected, check in with them. You can also reach out by noting their expertise/experience in relation to a specific topic and your interest in asking them for their input or ideas.
  • Set up a consultation or coaching session with C-Hub.
  • Start small: community can be built one connection at a time, one small group at a time.

Upcoming C-Hub Events:

  • C-Hub is accepting applications for the Teaching and Course Design Certificate Program, open to all members of the OIST community*. The 4-module program covers inclusive teaching, active learning, and best practices in designing courses. Participants will also refine their communication skills that are fundamental to every career. *In the case where we receive more applications than available spots, preference will be given to students, faculty, and postdocs. The program will run from October 2023 to March 2024. The application deadline is September 29th.
  • Study Session for Administrative Staff #2: Research Areas of Science and Technology is scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2023, from 14:30-15:30, led by Dr. Mizuki Shimanuki (Office of the Provost) and Ayumi Nagai (C-Hub). This session will be conducted in English. This series of sessions are for members in the administrative and management divisions to provide basic overall knowledge of OIST’s research activities, and to connect the understanding to a broader perspective of their role in the organization. Find out more about the series here.
  • Researcher Appreciation Month 2023: C-Hub and The Office of DEI will facilitate a roundtable on The Job Search for the LGBTQIAP+ community for Researcher Appreciation Month in October. More details will be forthcoming.
  • Save the date for C-Hub’s Symposium 2024: Inclusive Communication! Symposium will occur Thursday-Friday, March 7-8, 2024. More details will be available in future issues.

Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Updates:

  • The Office of DEI is currently honing its mission and vision to share in the coming months. Current major projects include planning an OIST DEI workshop curriculum, developing the DEI website, coordinating a single-entry point for disability accommodations requests, and supporting ongoing university-wide efforts such as the strategic planning process and faculty recruitment.

Other OIST Events:

External Events:

  • The International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS) at Kumamato University is hosting the Rise of Diversity in Science Symposium in Japanese and English on September 28-29, available in-person and Zoom. Register here.

References and Further Reading:

Block, P. (2018). Community: The structure of belonging. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Cramer, K. M., & Pawsey, H. (2023). Happiness and sense of community belonging in the world value survey. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 4, 100101–100101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2023.100101

Gerlach, G. I. (2019). Linking justice perceptions, workplace relationship quality and job performance: The differential roles of vertical and horizontal workplace relationships - Gisela I Gerlach, 2019. German Journal of Human Resource Management. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2397002218824320

Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 218–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8

Hirsch, J., & Clark, M. S. (2018). Multiple Paths to Belonging That We Should Study Together. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 14(2), 238–255. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691618803629

Jetten, J., Branscombe, N. R., S. Alexander Haslam, Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., Jones, J., Cui, L., Dingle, G. A., Liu, J. H., Murphy, S. C., Thai, A., Walter, Z., & Zhang, A. (2015). Having a Lot of a Good Thing: Multiple Important Group Memberships as a Source of Self-Esteem. PLOS ONE, 10(5), e0124609–e0124609. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124609

MacDonald, G., & Leary, M. R. (2005). Why Does Social Exclusion Hurt? The Relationship Between Social and Physical Pain. Psychological Bulletin, 131(2), 202–223. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.131.2.202

Michalski, C. A., Diemert, L., Helliwell, J. F., Goel, V., & Rosella, L. (2020). Relationship between sense of community belonging and self-rated health across life stages. SSM-Population Health, 12, 100676–100676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100676

Pedler, M. L., Willis, R. and Nieuwoudt, J. E. (2022) ‘A sense of belonging at university: student retention, motivation and enjoyment’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 46(3)

Sandstrom, G. M. (2014). Social Interactions and Well-Being: The Surprising Power of Weak Ties - Gillian M. Sandstrom, Elizabeth W. Dunn, 2014. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0146167214529799

Tomova, L., Wang, K. L., Thompson, T. W., Matthews, G. A., Takahashi, A., Tye, K. M., & Saxe, R. (2020). Acute social isolation evokes midbrain craving responses similar to hunger. Nature Neuroscience, 23(12), 1597–1605. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-020-00742-z