The Ombuds Blog: Root & Shoot to Fund Ombuds for Three Plant Conferences

July 17, 2023

Root & Shoot to Fund Ombuds for Three Plant Conferences

Root & Shoot is an NSF-funded association of science organzations that is working to eliminate systemic barriers and increase diversity in plant sciences. In response to a recent task force that identified significant concerns about personal safety and harassment and discrimination at conferences, Root & Shoot has arranged for on-site Ombuds services at three conferences in 2023. These will include Plant Biology 2023, Botany 2023, and the IS-MPMI 2023 Congress. The Root & Shoot Ombuds providers will be Bathabile K.S. Mthombeni and Laura Minero. Both will practice to IOA standards. Minero will be on site at IS-MPMI Congress and Mthombeni at Plant Biology and Botany meetings.

Mthombeni is the University Ombudsman for Binghamton University and has served as the conference Ombuds for several other organizations. Minero has over a decade of community organizing, teaching, research, clinical, and policy experience. She earned a Bachelor's and Masters at California State University, Fullerton, and a PhD at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently teaching and doing research at UCLA. (Root & Shoot Blog.)

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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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July 17, 2023

Root & Shoot to Fund Ombuds for Three Plant Conferences

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