Volunteering Our Way to Better support Networks for Young Ecosystem Service Researchers
As budding researchers, we are constantly trying to learn and develop our skills, grow in the way we think is best, and write about the global and local environmental and social issues of concern. Many of us chose to work with ecosystem services and human well being because it is the realm of research that we identify with and our way of contributing to knowledge production and more, engaging in our capacity as researchers, educators, practitioners, and policy makers. Beyond the publications, beyond the career growth, beyond the academic rat race, perhaps many of us also identify with this passion for doing what we do with quality and rigor. This common interest, then puts us all as ecosystem service researchers under a common umbrella of goals to make a difference.
If many of us have a similar goal, why not come together as a community to support each other along our career journeys? This is what the young and volunteer driven Young Ecosystem Services Specialist Network is all about. This is an article to appreciate the effort of all volunteers, specifically YESS volunteers and a call to encourage all YESSers to get engaged and continue to act in the light of the community spirit.
Why not consider volunteering to share some of your skills, your time, and take proactive measures to support the growth of fellow YESSers?
As recent Executive team members, both of us (Nita and Niklas) have been part of numerous initiatives with YESS in our limited capacities. We have seen YESSers come together to:
a) brainstorm and write proposals for conferences,
b) initiate working groups and task forces for the benefit of other YESS members,
c) participate as observers in IPBES meetings and actively engage with ONET, and the ESP,
d) organize and participate in the first community conference,
e) collaborate on each other’s research papers and projects — we all know how reinvigorating it is to have a close colleague reading our texts… and also how writing sometimes comes a bit short with all that engagement ;),
f) develop leadership, communication and networking skills over time,
g) share opportunities via the YESS email list and social media groups for the benefit of all.
This informal platform makes possible socializing and professional interactions for personal, strategic, and long-term camaraderie and connections to flourish.
All this hinges on the members who make the YESS network work — Volunteers! We extend a big thank you to all the volunteers who have dedicated their time over the years in the executive team, in the different task forces and working groups, and umpteen proactive initiatives. These volunteers went beyond their regular work commitments and devoted time and proactive steps to champion initiatives while trying to build bridges between community members. What drives us is the desire to grow and see others grow in their career journey.
This stems from the understanding that academia is not a level playing field. Individuals a) across geographies, b) with varied access to educational systems, facilities, and limited to zilch support networks, c) at different stages of learning and in their careers; do not necessarily have the same opportunity and exposure that supports their growth. The initiatives of YESS members, for YESS members, and by YESS members is an attempt in its own tiny way to reduce this gap by creating co-learning, career enhancing, and knowledge exchange opportunities for the budding ecosystem services researchers of this network. All this while remaining an informal, safe, fun, and social community to be part of.
The recent YESS session at the ESP Europe Conference 2022 (O3 — Novel contributions to ecosystem service research — from early-career researcher perspectives) is a great example of how different a conference session can be (and has to be!) when it is your first time presenting your research to the ES community. Creating a comfortable space where you know you will not be judged because, let’s face it — presenting at a conference is scary!
With the recent announcement of the next round of elections for the YESS Executive Team Members, we call out to all YESS members to consider nominating yourself if you think you can support the community in its goal. The only fundamental requirement to nominate oneself is the willingness to coordinate in supporting all our other volunteers and sustain ongoing initiatives. If not, do consider volunteering for any of the other working groups or initiate new initiatives.
We call YESS members to explore the YESS community and ask not only what engaging with this community can do for you but also what you can do for the community! And to the non-members working in the realm of ecosystem services research who are reading and resonating with what has been shared, do consider joining and contributing to the network.
Written by
Nita Shashidharan, PhD Student & Ex-YESS Executive Team Member (October 2020 to October 2021)
Niklas Weins, PhD Student & current YESS Executive Team Member (October 2020 — October 2022)
