Guest Column By Regis Fields | 'How far will we go?'
My name is Regis Fields and I work as an Animal Care Technician in the University Lab Animal Resource Department, better known as ULAR. For those that may be unfamiliar with what our department does, we provide husbandry care for all the research animals spread throughout Penn’s campus. The work can be physically exhausting, requiring a fierce commitment of both stamina and focus for many of the tasks we are asked to do daily. My colleagues and I in ULAR perform a service to the scientific community of Penn that often puts us under much pressure and, at times, scrutiny. However, I do not say these words to solicit support for any form of grievance — we are a professional department that understands the importance and value of the research being done. What I am hoping to express is that I work with intelligent, problem-solving individuals committed to the practice of husbandry and the animal sciences here at the University. Moreover, those same individuals diligently perform these duties every day of the year, even throughout a pandemic.