Dr. Anne Innis Dagg attends screening of The Woman Who Loves Giraffes at U of G
On February 11, 2019, the College of Biological Science (CBS) hosted Dr. Anne Innis Dagg for a screening of the film about her life and work, The Woman Who Loves Giraffes. A remarkable film that has received wide critical acclaim, The Woman Who Loves Giraffes has been inspiring audiences across Canada since it opened in Toronto last October. Dr. Dagg was accompanied by the film’s director Alison Reid and producers Paul Zimic and Joanne Jackson.
A central theme of the film addresses Dr. Dagg’s time in the Department of Zoology, now the Department of Integrative Biology, at the College of Biological Science. Despite her impressive record of academic publications and student attestations as to the quality of her teaching, Dr. Dagg was denied tenure. By multiple accounts in the film, she did not conform to the college leadership’s idea of a tenured professor. There was no place for a groundbreaking woman scientist studying the behaviour and biology of animals in the wild.
“This event allowed us to engage with the ongoing dialogue around the numbers of women in science and academia,” said Dr. Jonathan Newman, dean of the College of Biological Science and host of the film screening. “It also gave us the opportunity to listen to the personal experiences of audience members who have been deeply inspired by Dr. Dagg’s extraordinary life.”
As CBS continues to be actively engaged in the work of expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups on campus, it is important to acknowledge that part of this work is recognizing and confronting errors of the past.
After the screening of the film, Dr. Newman announced the creation of the Dr. Anne Innis Dagg Summer Research Scholarship in recognition of her pioneering research on, and significant contributions to, the study of giraffe. The scholarship will be awarded annually to one female undergraduate student majoring in either Zoology or Biodiversity.
Dr. Newman also read out a letter to Dr. Dagg from the University of Guelph’s Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Charlotte Yates. It included both an apology and a recognition of how the U of G has become a more respectful, diverse, equitable place to work. Dr. Newman also offered an apology to Dr. Dagg on behalf of the College of Biological Science, and announced that CBS made a donation to each of the charities that Dr. Dagg supports: Save the Giraffes, the Wild Nature Institute and the Reticulated Giraffe Project.
For information about the University of Guelph’s initiative to advance the status of women on campus, please visit the GenEQ website.
To make a gift to the scholarship established in her name, please visit the Dr. Anne Innis Dagg Scholarship Fund. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated and will be acknowledged to Dr. Dagg unless you make your gift anonymously. If you need assistance, please contact Taline Artinian by email or phone at 519-824-4120 ext 54568.