Meetings

Weekly meetings

Weekly meetings are currently held via Zoom for about an hour. The Zoom link is included with the weekly meeting announcements sent to our mailing list. Agenda items can be suggested by anyone during meetings (time permitting), and are typically motivated by either ongoing DIP initiatives or ideas for future action. Let a DIP facilitator know if you would like to lead a meeting to discuss or workshop a particular topic.

Participation

Membership is voluntary and participation is at your leisure. DIP is primarily a graduate student group, but we welcome participation from all members of our department (students, postdoctoral scholars, research scientists, lecturers, faculty and staff) and the university as a whole.  Interested faculty are invited to the last fifteen minutes of our weekly meetings, including our department’s DIP faculty committee.

Code of Respect for Meetings and Events
  • Step up, step back: Be generally cognisant of how much you are talking. After you make your point, let others talk. If you tend to be a person that talks more, maybe make extra space for others. If you tend to be a person that is quieter, maybe take this opportunity to say your piece.
  • Talking stick rule: The DIP Meeting Leader, or a guest facilitator, will moderate discussions. One person speaks at a time. Try not to interrupt. If you disagree, wait for your turn to say so.
  • Assume best intentions, but challenge: Give people the benefit of the doubt, but don’t be afraid to challenge them when they say something you disagree with. The topics we discuss can be, by nature, controversial and the point is to discuss them.
  • Why am I talking: When in discussion, please ask yourself “Why am I talking?” We have a limited amount of time for discussion and often limited time to accomplish the tasks before us. Consider whether or not what you want to say has already been said, whether what you want to say is on topic or if there’s a better time and place to say it, and other methods for showing how you feel about the conversation (nodding your head, etc.)
  • Use “I” statements, not “you” statements: Speak from your perspective, rather than assuming those of other people. Your experiences are valuable but the conclusions drawn from them or even the experiences themselves are not necessarily universal. We don’t want to assume that everyone or even a “we” agrees with everything you are saying.
  • Listen actively: Genuinely pay attention to what others say. Actively listen to others. If necessary, when someone makes a point, repeat what you heard, and summarize.
  • Oops, ouch: Acknowledge when you’ve made a mistake. Nobody is perfect.
  • Be respectful, we’re all learning.
  • Code of respect adapted from UCD Physics and Astronomy Anti-Racism Reading Group