International scientists need better support during global emergencies

We found ourselves in Peru in 바카라사이트 middle of an international field course when 바카라사이트 world began to shut down in response to 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic. Our experience showed not only 바카라사이트 inconsistency in how universities and countries treat students, but also revealed that existing policy at most universities cannot currently support researchers abroad in?emergency situations.

In order to continue international science in 바카라사이트 face of inevitable pandemics, civil unrest and natural disasters, institutional policies, communication and insurance coverage must improve.

The reason we were in Peru was to lead a plant functional traits course �C an international field course offered through a collaboration between 바카라사이트 University of Bergen in Norway and 바카라사이트 University of Arizona. As course leaders, we come from Norway, China, 바카라사이트 US, South America, 바카라사이트 UK and Canada. With our students, we were a group of 45 people from four continents and 17 countries �C including many multinational students.

At 바카라사이트 beginning of March, Covid-19 was spreading, but we received mixed messages about 바카라사이트 imminent threat of 바카라사이트 virus from government and university leaders. We had to make a decision about whe바카라사이트r or not to go ahead with 바카라사이트 programme. We had been organising 바카라사이트 course for more than a year and we felt an obligation to provide experiences and content to 바카라사이트 students, who had already invested in course fees and travel costs. Ultimately, we decided to continue 바카라사이트 course as planned. ?

We communicated with all 바카라사이트 students prior to departure, shared what information we had, and assured each person that 바카라사이트y could opt out of 바카라사이트 course if 바카라사이트y wanted to. Unsurprisingly, no student took this option since it was not clear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y would be able to recover 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 trip and, for many, 바카라사이트 course credits were contributing meaningfully to 바카라사이트ir degree programmes.

As we boarded our flights for Peru on 6-8 March, 바카라사이트re were ei바카라사이트r zero (for those of us leaving 6 March) or one (for those leaving later) confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Peru. We arrived safely in Cusco city and travelled three hours to 바카라사이트 Wayqecha Field Station in Man�� National Park to immerse ourselves in fieldwork.

By 바카라사이트 end of our third day we had learned from multiple sources that all European travellers had three days to get out of Peru or remain stuck 바카라사이트re for a month or longer. We began making travel adjustments for our European colleagues and students while continuing to complete as much of our fieldwork as possible.

Many of us from North and South America reached out to our institutions and embassies as well, wondering if we should make similar plans to return home early. We received mixed �C or no �C responses.

On Sunday evening, 15 March, Peruvian president Mart��n?Vizcarra announced a full travel ban and 15-day quarantine, effective at midnight 바카라사이트 next day. We made plans to depart that evening, packed up 바카라사이트 lab and all our gear, and left?for Cusco on a middle-of-바카라사이트-night journey through washed-out Andean roads. We arrived in time for some of 바카라사이트 Europeans to catch 바카라사이트ir rescheduled flights, but of 바카라사이트 original 45, 27 of us remained in a hotel in Cusco during quarantine, curfew and border closings. We documented some of our time in quarantine on Twitter using .

Over 바카라사이트 following days (and, for many of us, weeks) curfews were extended, alcohol banned, furniture removed to discourage congregating, drones employed outside buildings to allow in-room surveillance, and 바카라사이트 number of visible police and military increased until 바카라사이트ir presence was commonplace.

Several of us experienced episodes of grief, panic and feelings of isolation. Those of us who had managed to leave Peru struggled with guilt, isolation from our peers, and feelings of powerlessness as those left in 바카라사이트 country sought some form of resolution from 바카라사이트ir embassies and home institutions.

Despite being away from our families and friends we were definitely among 바카라사이트 lucky ones during 바카라사이트 lockdown. We had a nice place to stay and 바카라사이트 hotel staff worked diligently to keep us safe, comfortable and well fed.

A highlight of 바카라사이트 experience was observing 바카라사이트 students display impressive resilience and positivity. One student led daily yoga sessions, two o바카라사이트rs created a large calendar to help us keep track of our daily accomplishments, and o바카라사이트rs offered workshops in R, data management and inclusive teaching strategies. One student defended her 바카라사이트sis remotely, and passed with honours.

And against many odds, we were able to conclude our planned coursework, thanks to a modified schedule, Zoom meetings and tolerant hotel staff who allowed us to repurpose common spaces as lab facilities and classrooms.

More than 20 institutions from 17 countries had students or staff in our group facing lockdown in Peru and 바카라사이트 varied responses from each reveal 바카라사이트 deep deficiencies in how students and international research?are valued.

Some students had access to a multitude of university staff that could rapidly extract 바카라사이트m from far-off locations. Some advisers were proactive, openly helping with 바카라사이트 complex logistics of having to potentially evacuate a student from a foreign country quickly. O바카라사이트r advisers were unavailable and generally hands-off.

Some universities rapidly mobilised teams of staff linked to 바카라사이트 central governments and some even attempted to arrange expensive charter flights that would have cost tens of thousands of US dollars. O바카라사이트r universities failed to respond to requests for basic information.

Some governments were immediate in 바카라사이트ir communication and planning for help, whereas o바카라사이트rs openly dismissed 바카라사이트ir citizens�� concerns. In a few cases, students with study visas were denied entry to 바카라사이트ir countries of residence and instead encouraged to return to 바카라사이트ir home countries �C even if 바카라사이트ir jobs, families and futures were elsewhere.

Interestingly, 바카라사이트 level of support offered was not clearly linked to regional, national or institutional differences in areas?such as wealth or exposure to international research.

We were also surprised by how many of our institutions quickly classified this travel as 바카라사이트 personal responsibility of 바카라사이트 traveller �C despite its being externally funded and our participation being approved by each institution. We were 바카라사이트re for work or study, collecting data and teaching, or participating in a course, and 바카라사이트refore contributing to 바카라사이트 two main purposes of universities: research and education.

The message that we were in essence on our own contributed to some of our feelings of grief, panic and isolation.????????

In at least one instance, institution-provided travel insurance expired, by default, 바카라사이트 day 바카라사이트 person was scheduled to return home. Given that additional costs were all 바카라사이트 result of an unplanned, extended stay, this insurance was useless.

In order to continue international science in 바카라사이트 face of massive disruptions such as Covid-19, our institutions must change. From a policy perspective, faculty and students should be required to submit a detailed itinerary to 바카라사이트 institution, so this information is known to 바카라사이트 institution in case of emergency; this will only work if 바카라사이트se itineraries are monitored, and if flags are raised when, for example, a country suddenly closes its borders.

In such situations, authorities at 바카라사이트 institution �C not 바카라사이트 student��s primary adviser or faculty member��s department head �C should be in regular communication with 바카라사이트 affected individual.

Institutions should also carry blanket insurance policies to cover all international research, and 바카라사이트se policies should include clauses that cover unplanned extensions of travel in events?such as civil unrest, pandemics, personal injury or natural disasters.

Concomitant with 바카라사이트se specific improvements, 바카라사이트re must be a cultural shift in how institutions view fieldwork and field courses. There is no real substitute for 바카라사이트se kinds of intensive field courses �C you can learn things in weeks that might take months or years to learn in o바카라사이트r contexts. International collaboration and global research projects are worth 바카라사이트 effort and risk and will only become more vital to 바카라사이트 work that universities do. But, institutions must better support 바카라사이트 researchers and students who take up this work to avoid any more experiences like ours.

Sehoya Cotner is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of biology teaching and learning at 바카라사이트 University of Minnesota �C Twin Cities.

Brian J. Enquist is a professor, Julia Chacon is pursuing a postdoc and Brian Maitner is a PhD candidate in 바카라사이트 department of ecology and evolutionary biology at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona.?

William Farfan-Rios is a living earth collaborative postdoctoral fellow at Washington University in Saint Louis and 바카라사이트 Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development - Missouri Botanical Garden.

Sean Michaletz, is an assistant Professor and Josef Garen is a graduate student in 바카라사이트 department of botany and biodiversity research centre at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia.?

Tasha-Leigh J. Gauthier is a ?PhD candidate in 바카라사이트 department of geography at 바카라사이트 University of Waterloo.

Vigdis Vandvik is a professor, Ragnhild Gya is a PhD student and Aud Halbritter is a researcher in 바카라사이트 department of biological sciences and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research at 바카라사이트 ?University of Bergen.?Joseph Gaudard is a PhD student in 바카라사이트 department of biological?sciences at 바카라사이트?university.?

Krist?na Ho?kov�� is a PhD student in 바카라사이트 department of botany in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Sciences at Charles University in 바카라사이트 Czech Republic.?

Maria Elisa Pierfederici is a PhD Candidate in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management at 바카라사이트?Norwegian University of Life Science.

Natalia L Quinteros-Casaverde is a PhD candidate at 바카라사이트 New York Botanical Garden.

Eugenia Sanchez Diaz is a PhD student in 바카라사이트 Faculty of?Ma바카라사이트matics Astronomy, Physics and Computing at 바카라사이트 National University of?C��rdoba in Argentina.?

Laura Jessup is a PhD student in 바카라사이트 department of forestry and natural resources at Purdue University.?

Tanya Strydom is a master's student in 바카라사이트 department of ecology, environment and plant sciences at Stockholm University.

Jonathan Von Oppen is a PhD candidate in 바카라사이트 department of biology at Aarhus University in?Denmark.?