Field Research

Safely working and conducting research outdoors, off-campus, and abroad.

Mental Health in the Field: Best Practices and Pitfalls

Saira Bano Khan
Cédric John
2021

The goal of this workshop is to increase your awareness of the impact of offsite activities on mental health. We will give a presentation on common problems associated with mental health in the field, looking at small to large group teaching and research expeditions. Some case examples will be given, with an explanation of how the field situation may impact mental health, why, and possible mitigation strategies. Several scenarios will be presented, and groups will be encouraged to discuss, assess and come up with possible solutions.

Speaker(s):

Dr. Saira...

Muzna Rauf

Environmental Health Specialist, REHS
Food Facilities
Event Safety
Food & Water Safety
Field Research

Wildfire Smoke

Providing resources and guidance for the UC Berkeley community to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke.

Wildfire Smoke Monitoring Information

Access Campus Air Quality Map

Air quality may change quickly depending on wildfire intensity and weather conditions. The Campus Air Quality Map is updated hourly and...

Trip Planning: Risk Management for Field Settings

Chris Lay
2021

Poor communication is often an overlooked contributor to incidents in field settings. For this reason, it's critical for field leaders to establish clear expectations for a safe learning environment, good rapport between leaders and participants, tools for managing conflict, and open lines of communication.

Speaker:

Chris Lay, UC Santa Cruz, Ken Norris Center for Natural History

Video Materials Got Feedback? 03/03/2021 Recording

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Virtual field tools to establish expectations and reduce anxiety

Ryan Petterson
2022

What is a virtual field tool? What can we do with virtual field tools? Learn about novelty space, cognitive load, and how virtual field tools to establish expectations and reduce anxiety.

Speaker:

Ryan Petterson, Director of Field Education, Stanford University

Materials Got Feedback? Presentation Evaluate

Weather Forecasting - Field Work

Andrew Schwartz
2022

Weather and Fieldwork: How to ensure optimal safety and efficiency of a project when working in the elements.

Learn about the important elements of weather preparedness during a project.

Speaker: Andrew Schwartz, UC Berkeley, Central Sierra Snow Lab Station Manager

Video Materials Got Feedback? 05/04/22 Recording...

Risk Assessment Workshop - Field Safety

Eric Delucien
AJ Leeds
2022

Learn to identify and assess risks associated with research scenarios. Evaluate hazards and minimize the level of travel risks by adding control measures. Improve safe decision making and self-awareness.

Speaker(s):

Eric Delucien, UC San Diego, UAS Program Manager
AJ Leeds, UC Davis, Global Affairs Travel Security Advisor

Video Materials Got Feedback? 02/26/22 Recording...

Risk Assessment for Outdoor Fieldwork Using Green-Amber-Red (GAR) Model

James Fitzgerald
2020

Using the US Coast Guard's Green-Amber-Red (GAR) model to assess and manage operational risks in the field.

Speaker:

James J. Fitzgerald, UC Davis, Boating Safety Officer

Video Materials Got Feedback? 05/06/20 Recording

Handout (1)

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Preventing Sexual Harassment & Assault in the Field Sciences

Melissa Cronin
Roxanne Beltran
Erika Zavaleta
2020

This workshop presents unique risks posed by fieldwork and offers a suite of evidencebased tools for field researchers, instructors, and students to prevent, intervene in, and respond to sexual harassment and assault. Through a series of practical interve ntion scenarios, this workshop guides participants on how to be an active and engaged bystander, how to report incidents, and how to plan field settings to minimize risk. Armed with these tools, participants can play a role in ensuring that field settings are safer, more equitable, and more welcoming for the next generation of field...