At BCNUEJ, we believe that research thrives when researchers are supported not just professionally, but personally. In 2021, we created our Ethics of Care framework—a living document of principles and practices to help shape a healthier, more humane work culture in academia. Since then, it’s become a cornerstone of how we work together.
Now, we’re excited to share an updated series of illustrated vignettes by graphic artist Carlotta Cataldi, who we commissioned once again to help bring these values to life in a visual and engaging way. The new vignettes expand the original collection, reflecting additional principles that have emerged as central to how we strive to support each other and conduct our research.
Alongside the visuals, we asked some of our researchers to reflect on the value that speaks to them most—and why. Here’s what they said:
“#5 really resonates with me. My family isn’t traditional—it’s multispecies! My mum, partner and a foster dog. Being part of BCNUEJ has been invaluable, allowing me to share when I need time to care for my dog or grieve the ones I’ve sadly already lost.”
— Margarita Triguero-Mas
“#9. Feminist and intersectional principles are essential in research. Academia must actively fight all forms of discrimination and ensure intellectual freedom and safety for everyone… Actively creating inclusive, diverse, and feminist spaces is a collective responsibility!”
— Amalia Caleron Argelich
“Being in BCNUEJ has encouraged me to work on #10, non-traditional outputs like reports, documentaries, and policy briefs—things too often undervalued, but that our lab community truly supports.”
— Isabelle Anguelovski
“Working in a lab that adheres to #5 has made it possible for me to become a solo mom, despite living far from my biological family. We are now a multigenerational household of women.”
— Helen Cole
“It’s so important to support #2: Research with Purpose—and feel valued for it in an age of rushed turnaround of academic papers that often hardly engage with local realities.”
— Panagiota Kotsila
“Our work as researchers is for society. That means inclusive communication and deep involvement with the communities we work with. Being part of BCNUEJ empowered me to dedicate more time towards this ultimate goal.”
— Paula de Prado
“#8: The lab’s genuine praxis of care shows a less productivist, more human academia is possible. Especially when it comes to supporting mental health issues, unfortunately common in researchers.
— Jack Turner
“#10: Valuing diverse outputs ensures that findings aren’t put behind paywalls, but actively empower the people who generated them. For my photovoice project I was able to produce two videos and a policy brief, and enable participants to present to policymakers in Vancouver.”
— Isabela Bonnevera
“There’s an assumption that academics follow the same path, but that’s not true. Acknowledging #3—the diverse and unscripted pathways people take—is a powerful form of support that can free us from the pressures of constrained expectations that often plague traditional academia.”
— M
We invite you to check out the updated vignette collection here and reflect on what these values might mean for your own research environment. Share them on social media and tag us @bcnuej on Twitter or Bluesky to let us know how your research environment supports or lacks these practices.
For us, these aren’t just nice words—they’re part of our collective commitment to shaping a more just, equitable, and supportive academic space.
