Nature.berkeley.edu squirrelmail6/4/2023 ![]() ![]() Over 100 studies have shown that being in nature, living near nature, or even viewing nature in paintings and videos can have positive impacts on our brains, bodies, feelings, thought processes, and social interactions. ![]() Now, a large body of research is documenting the positive impacts of nature on human flourishing-our social, psychological, and emotional life. These evolutionary needs may explain why children are drawn to natural environments and why we prefer nature to be part of our architecture. We may have preferences to be in beautiful, natural spaces because they are resource-rich environments-ones that provide optimal food, shelter, and comfort. ![]() Wilson’s “ biophilia” theory suggests that there are evolutionary reasons people seek out nature experiences. Why nature? No one knows for sure but one hypothesis derived from evolutionary biologist E. From indigenous adolescents completing rites of passage in the wild, to modern East Asian cultures taking “forest baths,” many have looked to nature as a place for healing and personal growth. She continues to serve as a mentor for the program.Humans have long intuited that being in nature is good for the mind and body. Outside of PMB, Taga was one of the driving forces behind the development of an emerging Inclusive Faculty Mentorship program for life sciences faculty on campus. “Michi makes our campus more inclusive, honors our humanity and value as scientists, and jumps to action in our times of need,” her students wrote in a letter of support. She was an early adopter of individual trainee development plans and yearly evaluations for graduate students, integrates structured training in aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion into lab meetings, and regularly offers graduate students and postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to facilitate. Within her lab, Taga cultivates an inclusive, supportive, and safe environment for all. Taga has also been successful in securing new funding for the training and mentorship of graduate students from underrepresented groups. She helped establish and chair the department’s Diversity Committee, played a major role in transforming the faculty search process, and took the lead in replacing the department’s GRE-driven graduate admissions process with an evidence-based numerical rubric-a change that was made approximately four earlier than the rest of campus. Taga has spearheaded numerous diversity- and equity-focused initiatives in PMB. In a letter of support, Isha Ray, Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion for Rausser College of Natural Resources, described Taga as a “fearless leader” who is “quietly, firmly, and tenaciously moving the needle of equity and inclusion.” Professors Sheng Luan and Britt Glaunsinger, the current chair and associate chair of PMB, wrote that Taga demonstrates “how UC Berkeley faculty can be at the top of their field and enact meaningful change to advance diversity, equity, and belonging.” ![]() Awarded annually by the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Campus Climate of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate, the citation recognizes faculty who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to the educational development of students from underrepresented groups. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |