Fieldwork is an important aspect of work for many researchers. However, things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes it is the weather, sometimes the equipment does not work as expected, or the plan that seemed promising in theory does not work in practice.
In addition to the inherent difficulties of doing fieldwork, women and gender minorities face additional gendered challenges. Studies have shown that field-work related struggles for women are multifaceted, including negative perceptions of their capabilities, lack of fieldwork-active female role models, exclusion from trips, caregiving responsibilities, and a lack of field facilities. There is also an increased risk of sexual violence for women-identified researchers conducting fieldwork. In fieldwork settings like boats or field camps, the typical social boundaries of the office or the lab change. Personal space diminishes, and researchers may have to sleep in close quarters, which could expose them to vulnerable situations.
Often, researchers have little knowledge of how to address these issues, which is especially true for younger or new researchers. Recognising this, PIPSC Women in Science has created this guide for researchers and their managers. Through the sharing of experiences, peers in research communities can learn best practices to ensure everyone’s health, safety and comfort while conducting fieldwork. Supervisors and managers can use this guide to educate themselves on the kind of support they should provide their employees in the field.
About PIPSC Women in Science
PIPSC Women in Science is a program that is focused on advocating for intersectional gender equity in public sector STEM. We support different activities and initiatives that provide leadership opportunities to women and non-binary members in STEM and research fields, while advocating for policy changes.
Gendered challenges in fieldwork
Numerous studies from across the globe[1] have shown that women and gender minorities face a myriad of challenges and barriers while conducting fieldwork. Many of these are not unique to a particular research station or a specific branch of science, but rather emerge from the systematic gender inequities that exist across different research-based disciplines worldwide.
In 2016, researchers in Australia conducted an international survey of 314 scientists[2] about their experiences of gender equality in coastal sciences. Their findings revealed that female scientists faced several barriers to fieldwork participation. These include difficulties getting into the field through selective invitations, lack of facilities for women at field sites and on board scientific boats, and under-representation in field settings. Female scientists also had to navigate reconfigured social boundaries, work environments and sleeping arrangements that expose women to vulnerable situations, discrimination and sexual harassment. Managers and supervisors are often unaware of these challenges, or lack the relevant knowledge and skills to provide support. The researchers themselves may be uncomfortable sharing their experiences with their supervisors out of shame, stigma or fear of getting excluded from the team.
A 2013 survey conducted by the Department of Archeology at the University of Illinois, United States, found that 26% of female scientists experience sexual harassment while doing field research[3].
In August 2022, the National Science Foundation, the federal agency that oversees the U.S. Antarctic Program, published a report[4] highlighting the pervasive culture of sexual harassment and assault it its research stations. According to that report, 59% of women had experienced harassment or assault, and 72% agreed that sexual harassment and assault was a concern in Antarctica.
We find similar evidence from India[5], South Africa[6] and China[7], which suggests that issues of safety and hygiene for women conducting fieldwork exist across culture and country contexts.
However, despite the pervasiveness of gendered barriers in fieldwork, the issue has been largely overlooked in Canadian research communities. Most organizations lack clear policies or guidelines to ensure the health and safety of women-identified researchers in field settings. Consequently, the researchers are often left to fend for themselves when issues arise, relying on past experiences or word-of-mouth advice from friends and colleagues, with little to no support from their employer.
PIPSC Women in Science survey
In Fall 2024, PIPSC Women in Science surveyed 91 women and non-binary researchers in the public service who conducted fieldwork as part of their job. The survey was carried out based on recommendations from the Women+ in the Workplace Group, a professional network for women and gender minorities started by employees at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Our primary goal was to understand the researchers’ experiences of fieldwork, and the gendered barriers they faced. Most of the respondents were biologists (49%), research scientists (23%) and physical scientists (20%).
The main challenges and barriers to fieldwork
1. Lack of washroom facilities and challenges to menstrual hygiene
(Content Warning: The following section contains a reference to pregnancy loss)
Lack of access to washrooms was the main challenge identified by the survey participants. When scientists carry out research in remote locations, there are often no washrooms available and no alternative arrangements are made for managing hygiene and sanitation. Respondents shared that sometimes the only options that female researchers have is to either relieve themselves in a bucket, or hold it for several hours. Some participants reported not drinking water all day and risking dehydration, so that they would not have to urinate.
When on board smaller boats where there are no washrooms, male researchers are expected to urinate off the side of the vessel, sometimes in the presence of their female colleagues, which is uncomfortable and humiliating for everyone. Even in larger vessels where there are washrooms available, there are issues related to privacy and cleanliness.
“Sometimes there will be two washrooms available, and one of them will be in the crew change room, and almost exclusively used by men. As a female scientist these are often not kept clean and I don't always feel comfortable using them, which is a problem as the only other washroom available may be several decks away.”
Some respondents shared that the design of field equipment also makes it harder for women to go to the bathroom, as they are typically designed for a male body. Sometimes researchers need help unzipping their equipment to be able to go to the bathroom, which can be difficult when they are the only woman on the team.
The lack of washrooms and running water is especially challenging for researchers when they are menstruating. The lack of privacy to change, difficulties managing pain, and lack of options for proper disposal of menstrual products is difficult. Many respondents shared that they are often the only woman on their team, which makes navigating their menstruation even harder. One respondent shared that being the only person on her team who menstruates, she often has to miss out on diving day trips because of her period.
The most chilling account came from a participant who had been pregnant, and miscarried, with no bathroom facilities available.
“I did fieldwork that involved camping while pregnant. I experienced a miscarriage while in the field. I had to navigate the challenge of passing the tissue in a discrete way.”
The lack of proper hygiene and sanitation in the field can sometimes compromise the overall physical safety of the researchers and their team. As one participant shared:
“I and my female staff/students often feel the need to find a more isolated location to relieve ourselves in the field, which puts us also at greater risk of injury, such as rolling an ankle on uneven ground, scratches and cuts from branches from going deeper into the woods, or risk of encountering a dangerous animal.”
Another respondent shared that keeping used menstrual products away from bears while camping is a challenge.
2. Gender discrimination
Studies from different countries have shown that researchers who are women, non-binary or gender non-conforming, often face doubts over their ability to perform. This was echoed by our survey participants, many of whom shared that they are often required to go extra lengths to prove themselves capable.
Conducting research in the field often involves doing hard physical labour or working with heavy machinery. Researchers who are not cis men, are often assumed to be incapable of such work, and get excluded by their team. Many participants shared accounts of their male managers and colleagues doubting their physical abilities. One respondent shared accounts of men stepping in front of her and literally shoving her aside when handling heavy equipment. Another researcher was told that she would not be good at running the boat and that she should leave it up to her male colleagues. One respondent shared an account of being told that she was not strong enough to carry out a colleague in case of emergency, and therefore was not allowed to go on a trip, even though she was more physically fit and trained than her colleague.
Participants shared that their colleagues and managers sometimes enforce normative gender roles and expectations on female and nonbinary researchers. One researcher shared that her manager called her his "work wife" and expected her to ensure that all his equipment was packed. She was also always assigned cleaning duties while her male colleagues would get tasked with more “masculine” tasks such as demobilising the vessel. Another respondent shared that her supervisor perpetuated the idea that women shouldn't need to understand how to use tools or change tires since there were always men around to help.
Many respondents shared that they are often subject to inappropriate, belittling and misogynistic comments from men on their team as well as from members of the public. One respondent shared that she has received comments such as "What's a little girl like you doing driving a big truck like that?"
The researchers shared that they are often not respected or taken seriously by the people they work with, and their leadership gets questioned. There were several responses from women in senior positions who shared that technicians and crew often direct belittling comments at them in front of their team and assume that they have less knowledge than the men they supervise. One respondent shared that people often assume that she is a student while a male co-worker of the same age is assumed to be an employee or a supervisor.
Another respondent shared:
“People address my male coworkers before addressing me. People talk over me or interrupt me when I’m speaking. I feel I have to be more assertive than I feel comfortable being because I am not respected as a male coworker would be.”
Some respondents also talked about feeling excluded from the “boys’ club” and not being part of the camaraderie that their cis male coworkers shared with one another.
3. Lack of safety and privacy
Research has shown that the social boundaries that exist in the workplace are often reconfigured in field settings, which can expose women and gender minorities to uncomfortable and unsafe situations. The lack of safety and privacy was identified as one of the main challenges of doing fieldwork by survey respondents. Many respondents shared that not having a private space to change or use the bathroom made them feel unsafe.
The researchers also gave different accounts of experiencing sexual harassment from their male coworkers or other men they encountered while in the field. One respondent shared that she had to stay in an isolated crew house with someone who was hitting on her, making her uncomfortable, and even came into her room when she was sleeping.
Many respondents shared that they have been asked, or made, to share rooms with their male coworkers, which made them uncomfortable. In some cases, the researchers were assigned rooms with a male colleague without being consulted:
“I was once slated to share a room with a male colleague without asking me, although we were on opposite shifts. There were no options to have separate rooms since this was a vessel. I was not asked about this assignment, and the schedule was circulated to all staff, which was the first I found out about this.”
Another respondent shared:
“I have done fieldwork that involved camping with field team members who have criminal histories related to sexual violence.”
Many participants shared that they don’t always feel safe around their male coworkers. One researcher shared that they felt unsafe when their colleagues drank heavily at night while in the field.
Budget constraints also appear to have a direct impact on field safety. Many respondents talked about being forced to work alone in the field, or stay in unsafe accommodations due to budget limits, which could make fieldwork particularly unsafe for women and gender minorities. One respondent even talked about being placed in an accommodation with broken windows due to budget limitations.
One team leader talked about having safety-related concerns for herself and her female, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students and staff, when interacting with members of the public, in private or isolated conditions.
4. Challenges related to pregnancy and childcare
Several participants pointed out that managing pregnancy or childcare was a significant challenge while conducting fieldwork. Many researchers shared that they found it difficult to make arrangements for caregiving and household responsibilities while away for work. They often have to miss out on work due to childcare needs.
“Being the primary caregiver to my children, long field work days or overnights are challenging for me. I often have to say no to work or shorten my day to be able to be back in time.”
Some participants shared that when a woman becomes a new mother, their manager or coworkers often make assumptions about the availability or interest in conducting fieldwork. This assumption is rarely made for new dads.
One researcher shared that she was excluded from a trip by the ship operator solely because she was pregnant, even though she had approval from her doctor and her manager.
“I had made no request for special accommodation, and I had attestation from my doctor that supported my work on the ship.”
She added that her request to delay her fieldwork program for a year due to maternity leave was then denied by her manager. The manager said that the program should be cancelled, if she was unable to carry out fieldwork.
One participant recounted the challenges of conducting fieldwork while breastfeeding:
“I did fieldwork as a breastfeeding mother. After a day on the terrain, I was desperate to get to our accommodations to pump. It was difficult to go the entire day without access to pumping, but it would also have been challenging to bring my pumping gear onto the terrain, both in terms of having to carry the gear, having access to electricity to operate the pump, and privacy to do the pumping.”
Best practices
1. Having more women on the team
Survey responses indicated that having more than one woman on the team was helpful for navigating challenges related to hygiene, privacy and safety in the field. Some researchers shared that they try to take an all-female crew with them. Others shared that they feel safer when there are more women in their team. One respondent said that having diverse sexual orientations in their team was also useful. Some respondents shared that having another woman on their team meant that their safety was more likely to be prioritised, such as returning to their accommodations on time.
2. Support from colleagues
Having supportive coworkers was identified as an important factor for a positive fieldwork experience. A vast majority of respondents shared that it was the advice of their colleagues that helped them navigate the gendered challenges of conducting fieldwork. Respondents said that talking to other female coworkers made them feel supported and understood. Survey findings also indicated that there is a culture amongst women and non-binary researchers of sharing knowledge and guidance with one another via word-of-mouth, around issues related to safety and hygiene.
Some respondents also talked about the importance of mentorship.
“Having a trusted female mentor present, to answer questions and to model behaviour, makes a big difference.”
“I had strong female mentors— former supervisors, fieldwork leaders, and other female colleagues who came before me. They “raised” me as a biologist and taught me to be assertive.”
A few respondents also mentioned that having allies and male advocates was helpful.
3. Management support
Respondents shared that support from their management has been crucial for dealing with challenges in the field. Having a manager who is supportive and understanding can help researchers feel respected and heard.
“Manager support has been very important when dealing with character or personality issues. Being in a more junior position, it's harder to speak up or be listened to. Having someone in a position of authority stand up for you makes a huge difference.”
“My current manager is truly excellent and has always responded appropriately when I have raised my concerns or reported incidents to her.”
4. Open communication
Fostering a culture of open communication can be beneficial for navigating challenges that arise in the field. Several respondents shared that vocalising their concerns, and being clear about their boundaries was helpful in difficult situations. Some researchers also said that calling out improper behaviour has worked for them.
“Openly mocking my boss worked super well for our field team. I kept a loud running tally of his gender transgressions and pretended to bank these events like a currency that I could use against future potential reprimands.”
“Confiding in a male manager, who honestly did not realize these challenges exist for women, or that in some cases he was making microaggressions and perpetuating stereotypes or undermining people's experience based on gender.”
“Being very clear about what I considered allowable in situations that we have control over has been helpful. For example, if I get stuck sharing a tent with a male colleague because we're stranded and the helicopter can't fly, then that is fine. But I will not plan for that.”
“Challenges related to hygiene and gender roles in a field camp were managed and resolved through conversations with coworkers and the camp lead.”
5. Advanced planning
Survey respondents shared that advanced planning and preparing for difficult situations has been helpful for their teams. This is especially true for challenges related to hygiene. Some teams go prepared with supplies such as wet wipes, pain medication for cramps, and pads or tampons for straightforward disposal. Others have equipped their sites with “porta toilet”, a bucket with a toilet seat, set up under a privacy tent. One respondent said that their team developed strategies for going to the bathroom, such as the use of urination devices like Pee Pal.>
One team leader shared that prior to heading out for fieldwork, she has discussions with new summer students and staff on how to deal with menstruation. Another said that she ensured their first aid kit contained extra tampons and pads for use as needed.
Advanced planning also helps teams establish ground rules. A few respondents shared that their team had a rule that making stops to use the bathroom were never questioned, and people were allowed as many bathroom breaks as they needed.
Some respondents shared that planning ahead of time helped prepare them for various scenarios, including navigating unsafe situations or male-dominated worksites.
Know your rights
Many collective agreements have provisions that protect the rights of workers while undertaking fieldwork. We have highlighted a few of them below. The following information is based on collective agreements of Research (RE) and Applied Science and Patent Examination (SP) groups. However, we advise that you check your group’s collective agreement to understand the specific provisions that are applicable to you.
- There can be no discrimination, interference, restriction, coercion, harassment, intimidation, or any disciplinary action exercised or practised against an employee because of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or family status. This applies to all work contexts, including fieldwork.
- Your employer must make reasonable provisions for the occupational safety and health of all employees. This includes researchers carrying out fieldwork. The employer is responsible for preventing the risk of employment injury or occupational illness, and this includes injury or illness that might occur in the field.
- If you are an employee who does fieldwork as part of your job, you might be eligible for a field or sea research allowance. Please check your group’s collective agreement to see what allowance you are entitled to,
- An employee who is carrying out fieldwork might be eligible to receive compensation for authorized overtime performed on a designated paid holiday or a day of rest.
- When your employer requires you to travel outside your headquarters area to perform work, you might be eligible to receive compensation. Please check your collective agreement to ensure you are being accurately compensated for fieldwork-related travel expenses.
- If you are an employee whose job duties require you to dive, you might be entitled to a diving allowance as outlined in your collective agreement.
- If you are required to work in experimental aircraft whilst in flight, you might be entitled to a certain amount of flying allowance per month. Please consult your collective agreement to understand the full details of the provision. An experimental aircraft is defined as an aircraft for which the Ministry of Transport has issued a flight permit valid for the purpose of experimental research.
- Your employer might be required to provide you with immunization against communicable diseases, if there is a risk of incurring such diseases at your research site.
Accessing the collective power of your union
Knowing your collective agreement and the provisions that relate to fieldwork is one step towards ensuring that managers are upholding their responsibility to provide a safe and harassment free workplace – whether that be in the office, lab, or field. But a collective agreement is only as strong as its implementation and when there are issues, the enforcement of your agreement becomes paramount.
On a practical level, this means that you must begin by raising your concerns with your departmental or local consultation team. Consultation teams meet regularly to proactively raise workplace issues and work jointly to find solutions. Fieldwork issues are workplace issues and must be brought to Union-Management Consultation Committees as a first step.
Even with the best language in your collective agreement and productive consultation, you may still find yourself in a situation where your rights are not being respected. If consultation has failed, enforcement of your collective agreement comes down to filing grievances. If you need help understanding this process, please contact a steward in your department. If you do not have a steward from your Group in your department, your local steward can also help you through the process and work with your Group Executive to raise your concerns.
The collective power of your union can also be accessed through bargaining for better language in your collective agreement. Your Group’s bargaining team is tasked with consulting the membership to identify where gaps in agreement language remain and bargaining for improvements when needed. In order for bargaining teams to successfully negotiate better language with the employer, they must provide evidence to support the very existence of the issue they are trying to solve, while also establishing the collective agreement as the most appropriate avenue to resolve such an issue. At the bargaining table, the best evidence comes in the form of unresolved issues captured in Union-Management Consultation Committee minutes and a backlog of grievances. If we want better language in our collective agreements, we must demonstrate to the employer that better language is at least part of a solution.
Advocating for more
For many researchers, fieldwork is an essential component of their job. Yet it continues to be laden with challenges for women and minority researchers, who often have no choice but to suffer in silence.
Excluding or discouraging women from fieldwork cannot be the solution to these challenges. Instead, the employer’s efforts must be focused on removing barriers and making fieldwork safe and accessible to everyone. And that includes changing the widespread culture of misogyny and gendered hierarchies in the workplace.
To this end, PIPSC recommends the following actions:
- Provide a safe platform to workers for voicing their concerns:
The employer must provide safe and inclusive environments, where researchers feel comfortable voicing their concerns with their peers and their managers, without fear of being excluded or removed from a project.
- Allocate resources and efforts into education and training:
Our survey has indicated that often managers lack knowledge on how to effectively support their employees on challenges related to fieldwork. Therefore, it is important that the employer allocate resources towards providing education and training on gendered challenges related to fieldwork and how to effectively address them. These efforts should be informed by women and minority researchers’ lived experiences.
- Have gender-balanced research teams:
It is clear from our survey that women and gender minorities feel safer working in teams that have more women. Thus, managers and team leads must ensure that research teams are gender balanced. Meanwhile, the employer must put efforts towards better hiring and retention practices that address the underlying issue of male-dominance in certain public sector research communities.
- Establish a clear code of conduct:
The employer must develop and implement a clear code of conduct that outlines behaviours expected in fieldwork contexts. Strong accountability mechanisms must be in place to ensure that the code of conduct is honoured.
- Incorporate fieldwork-specific language in collective agreements:
Employees have the right to a work environment that is safe and harassment-free, and that includes fieldwork contexts. Clearer language specific to fieldwork safety must be entrenched in collective agreements. This must be done in consultation with groups that represent workers who do fieldwork as part of their job.
References
- Concejo, A.V. (2023. November 7). Fieldwork can be challenging for female scientists: 5 ways to make it better. The University of Sydney. https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2023/11/07/fieldwork-can-be-challenging-female-scientists-five-ways-to-make-it-better.html
Parra, I. R. (2020, August 17). Women in the field: Tips, tricks, and thoughts about gender and field research. Medium. https://medium.com/@ingridcarolinaramnparra/women-in-the-field-tips-tricks-and-thoughts-about-gender-and-field-research-f137e84be1ce
Vaidyanathan, S. (2023, February 10). Why Is Fieldwork Still A Roadblock For Women In Science?. Nature inFocus. https://www.natureinfocus.in/environment/why-is-fieldwork-still-a-roadblock-for-women-in-science
Hamylton, S. M., Power, H. E., Gallop, S. L., & Vila-Concejo, A. (2023). The challenges of fieldwork: Improving the experience for women in coastal sciences. Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures, 1, e38, pp. 1-4.
Clancy, K. B., Nelson, R. G., Rutherford, J. N., and Hinde, K. (2014). Survey of academic field experiences (SAFE): Trainees report harassment and assault. PloS one 9 (7), e102172.
The U.S. National Science Foundation. (2022, June 22). Sexual Assault/Harassment Prevention and Response (SAHPR): Final Report. https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/documents/USAP%20SAHPR%20Report.pdf
Khatri, R. (2023, November 29). Breaking Grounds: A Woman’s Narrative Of Political Fieldwork In Rural India. Feminism in India. https://feminisminindia.com/2023/11/29/breaking-grounds-a-womans-narrative-of-political-fieldwork-in-rural-india/, https://www.techforwildlife.com/blog/2023/4/12/field-work-as-a-woman
Ramogwebo, T., Hlongwane, J. S., Bhanye, J., & Matamanda, A. (2024). Doing Fieldwork Among Hard-To-Reach Populations: An Account of Local Female Researchers Studying Foreign Migrants in Downtown Bloemfontein, South Africa. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 23, pp. 1-12.
Schneider, M., Lord, E., and Wilczak, J. (2021). We, too: contending with the sexual politics of fieldwork in China. Gender, Place & Culture 28 (4), pp. 519–540.