Conference Safety Plan

1R13AG099776-01(PI Kimberley D Bruce; MPI Clair Crewe)

The Kern Lipid Conference is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, equitable, and respectful environment for all participants. The conference will provide an environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and will foster scientific exchange regardless of career stage, eminence in the field, or institutional affiliation.

All conference participants, including attendees, speakers, organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, and staff, are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully throughout the meeting. The conference will not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. Examples of prohibited behavior include, but are not limited to:

  • Unwelcome comments or conduct, including verbal statements, written communications, social media posts, gestures, or visual displays related to an individual's protected characteristics.
  • Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors
  • Unwelcome teasing, joking, or flirting based on actual or perceived gender identity, gender expression, or sexual identity/orientation
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking, sustained disruption of presentations or discussions, or inappropriate physical contact.
  • Retaliation against any individual who reports or participates in the investigation of an incident.

    • Any participant who experiences or witnesses harassment or discrimination is encouraged to report the incident promptly. The Kern Lipid Conference has established multiple confidential avenues for reporting concerns. Any person may confidentially report alleged violations to the conference organizers by submitting a comment on via this link Report Incident, directly to one of the Conference Co-Chairs Dr. Kimberley D. Bruce or Dr. Clair Crewe, or to conference leadership and administrative staff including Dr. Jonathan Brestoff (President of the Board of Director) or Kaitlyn Murphy (Conference Coordinator) Reports may be made at any time, including outside normal business hours.

    All reports will be reviewed as promptly as possible by the Conference Co-Chairs together with designated members of the conference leadership. The review will seek to understand the concern, ensure participant safety, determine appropriate supportive measures, conduct an impartial review, and determine appropriate corrective actions. Any individual named in a complaint will not participate in the review or decision-making process. The conference leadership is committed to conducting prompt, fair, and equitable evaluations while maintaining confidentiality to the greatest extent possible. If a complaint is substantiated, appropriate corrective actions may include a verbal or written warning, removal from conference activities, immediate termination of conference participation without refund, prohibition from attending future Kern Lipid Conferences, loss of eligibility for NIH-supported travel awards or conference awards, and referral to the appropriate institutional officials or local law enforcement authorities when warranted. Any allegation involving criminal conduct, including sexual or physical assault, will be referred to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.

    Participants are also encouraged to contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding concerns of discrimination, harassment, or other inappropriate conduct. Filing a complaint with the Kern Lipid Conference is not required before filing with HHS OCR or NIH, and seeking assistance from conference organizers does not limit an individual's right to pursue external reporting mechanisms.