AASWOMEN for March 27, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of March 27, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. National Women's History Month

2. AAS Women In Astronomy Blog - What Brought You Into This Field?

3. ADVANCE Grant Program

4. Astro2010

5. M. Hildred Blewett Scholarship

6. Childcare Grants for APS Meetings

7. CSWP/DPF Networking Luncheon, May 3

8. CSWP/COM Dessert Reception, May 4

9. CSWP Co-Sponsors Invited Talks at Denver Meeting

10. Astronomy &/or Physics Lecturers, University of Central Florida-Orlando

11. Astronomy & Physics Lecturer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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1. National Women's History Month
From: Michele Montgomery [montgomery_at_physics.ucf.edu]

March is National Women's History Month. Contributions of women to astronomy and space science exploration can be found at

http://space.about.com/od/biographies/a/womenshistory.htm.

More information on Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet, the 2009 National Women's History Month project, can be found at

http://www.nwhp.org/.

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2. AAS Women In Astronomy Blog - What Brought You Into This Field?
"Positive Reinforcement"
From: Hannah_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, March 25, 2009

[Hannah asks AASWomen readers what brought you into field of astronomy? To read more on what brought Hannah into the filed of astronomy, please see

http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/2009/03/positive-reinforcement.html.]

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3. ADVANCE Grant Program
From: Cynthia A. Hudgins [hudgins_at_umich.edu]

[The ADVANCE Program began as a five-year, grant-funded project promoting institutional transformation with respect to women faculty in science and engineering fields. With the University?s commitment to continue funding through June 2011, the program is gradually expanding to promote other kinds of diversity among faculty and students in all fields. ADVANCE is housed at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender.]

The University of Michigan ADVANCE Program, with support from the National Science Foundation, invites your participation in the third annual Science and Technology Excellence Program (STEP). Designed specifically for science, engineering, and mathematics departments, STEP will offer leadership training and support for teams of faculty to make positive changes in the work environment within their academic units.

We are inviting colleagues from educational institutions across the nation to create departmental teams of two to four faculty members to participate in an intensive, three-day workshop to be held at the University of Michigan in May 2009. The goal of STEP is to equip teams to lead efforts within their home departments to improve departmental effectiveness and the environment for faculty, staff, and students. Teams must include at least two and no more than four members from a single department at each institution. There are NO registration costs for any team member. Travel and accommodation costs for two team members from each institution will be covered by the grant. Participating institutions must cover travel and accommodation for all other members of the team.

The "Call for Participation" is attached in PDF and registration can be done via Survey Monkey at the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=zinyV2_2bjz4yoU8lZYBwlwA_3d_3d

Teams should apply as soon as possible but no later than March 30. Please email

advanceprogram_at_umich.edu

to indicate an intention to apply or if you have any questions.

Cynthia A. Hudgins, Senior Program Administrator ADVANCE Program at the University of Michigan 204 South State Street 1247 Lane Hall Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1290 734-647-9359 hudgins_at_umich.edu http://sitemaker.umich.edu/advance

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4. Astro2010
From: Michele Montgomery [montgomery_at_physics.ucf.edu]

Your Astro2010 Science Subcommittee, Subcommittee on State of the Profession, and Subcommittee on Programs would like to hear your ideas. The members of each subcommittee can be found at

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bpa/Astro2010_Survey_Committee.html.

To see all 320 white papers submitted to date, please see

http://www8.nationalacademies.org/Astro2010/publicview.aspx.

Two white paper submissions are still open: 1) Technology Development and 2) Theory, Computation, and Laboratory Astrophysics. The white papers are to be no more than 10 pages and can be submitted March 17-31, 2009. For more information, please see

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bpa/Astro2010.html.

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5. M. Hildred Blewett Scholarship
From: WIPHYS of March 26, 2009

The M. Hildred Blewett Scholarship for Women in Physics consists of an award of up to $45,000 to enable women to return to physics research careers after having had to interrupt those careers for family reasons. Details on the scholarship and how to apply can be found at

http://www.aps.org/programs/women/scholarships/blewett/index.cfm

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6. Childcare Grants fro APS Meetings
From: WIPHYS of March 25, 2009

There are funds remaining for childcare grants of up to $400 to APS meeting attendees who are bringing small children or who incur extra expenses in leaving them at home i.e., extra daycare or babysitting services). Details can be found at

http://www.aps.org/meetings/april/events/index.cfm

for the April meeting in Denver. A grant from the Elsevier Foundation augments existing funds from the APS.

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7. CSWP/DPF Networking Luncheon, May 3
From: WIPHYS of March 25, 2009

The Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) and the Division of Particles and Fields (DPF) will co-sponsor a buffet luncheon for women in physics from 12:00-1:30 pm on Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the APS meeting Denver, Colorado. The speaker will be Catherine Fiore, MIT, former CSWP chair. The luncheon is open to all: both men and women are welcome to attend. This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a full buffet lunch and network with colleagues! Cost: $20. Students are $5, thanks to the generosity of DPF.

Space is limited, so please pre-register by April 15 at

http://www.aps.org/meetings/april/events/receptions/index.cfm.

After April 15, you must purchase tickets ON SITE at the Balances Due desk at the APS Registration Area as long as tickets are available.

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8. CSWP/COM Dessert Reception, May 4
From: WIPHYS of March 25, 2009

The Committee on Minorities and the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics will co-sponsor a dessert reception on Monday, May 4, 7:30-9:00 pm in the Sheraton Hotel at the APS meeting in Denver. Enjoy delicious desserts while you network with colleagues and hear about the work of these committees!

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9. CSWP Co-Sponsors Invited Talks at Denver Meeting
From: WIPHYS of March 25, 2009

Sunday, May 3, 10:45am -12:33 pm. Invited Session H6: Sponsored by the CSWP and the Division of Particles and Fields (three women talking on experimental high physics collaboration) .

Monday, May 4, 1:30-3:18 pm. Invited Session R5: Women and Minorities in Multi-Messenger Astronomy of Gamma-Ray Bursts. Sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics, the Committee on Minorities, the Division of Astrophysics, and the Topical Group on Gravitation.

Tuesday, May 5, 1:30-3:18 pm. Invited Session X5: Women and Minorities in Gravity: Science and Career Paths. Sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics, the Committee on Minorities, the Division of Astrophysics, and the Topical Group on Gravitation.

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10. Astronomy &/or Physics Lecturers, University of Central Florida-Orlando
From: Michele Montgomery [montgomery_at_physics.ucf.edu]

The Department of Physics at the University of Central Florida invites applications for Lecturer positions to teach physical science, introductory astronomy, and both algebra-based and calculus-based introductory physics starting in Fall 2009. UCF is a leading, fast growing, metropolitan research university located in Orlando with 50,000 students and 40 Physics faculty. Successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in physics, astronomy or a very closely related field, have appropriate teaching experience, and be accustomed to using multimedia teaching aids. Interested individuals should send a letter of application, current curriculum vitae, and a statement of teaching philosophy and experience to Dr. Talat S. Rahman, Chair, Department of Physics, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, FL, 32816-2385 (email: talat_at_physics.ucf.edu ), and have three letters of reference sent to the same address. Review of applications will begin immediately, and continue until the positions are filled. Further information is available at

http://www.ucf.edu/jobs/vacancies.

The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity, equal access, and affirmative action employer committed to excellence through diversity.

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11. Astronomy & Physics Lecturer, College of Arts & Sciences,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
From: Ed Schmidt [eschmidt_at_unlserve.unl.edu]

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln (UNL) is seeking a full-time Lecturer to teach Introductory Astronomy and Physics courses beginning 17 August 2009. This is a non-tenure track 3-year position with a 9-month academic year appointment and full benefits. There are no assigned duties during the summer months, but there are opportunities for summer teaching for additional salary. Responsibilities will include teaching multiple sections of introductory astronomy and physics lecture courses using interactive engagement methods in class and online, managing Teaching Assistants assigned to the courses, and holding at least three office hours per week.

A Ph.D. in Astronomy or Physics is required, and a demonstrated ability or potential to teach astronomy is essential. Experience teaching large-enrollment (100 to 150 students) introductory courses is highly desirable. We are seeking an individual who has an abiding interest in teaching, and who can motivate students to learn through interactive-engagement techniques. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Interested candidates must apply online at

http://employment.unl.edu

(Requisition# 090090). Applications should include a letter of application, curriculum vitae, a statement regarding teaching philosophy, and a list of at least three references. Review of applications will begin on 13 April 2009, however, the search will continue until the position is filled.

The University of Nebraska has an active National Science Foundation ADVANCE gender equity program, and is committed to a pluralistic campus community through affirmative action, equal opportunity, work-life balance, and dual careers.

Lincoln, Nebraska, a community of more than 250,000 people, offers the ambiance of a friendly small town while offering attractions and entertainment opportunities of a metropolitan area. Lincoln is a young city with a bright future of planned growth and expansion. It is one of the fastest growing non-Sun Belt cities in the U.S. and one of the fastest growing metro areas in the Midwest. The capital city of Nebraska, Lincoln is home to state government and the flagship campus of the University of Nebraska system. The city also hosts Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union College, Southeast Community College, Doan College-Lincoln and the Lincoln School of Commerce. Lincoln has an excellent educational system and ranks in the top 20 least stressful cities in the nation for children. Residents enjoy nationally ranked sporting events, world famous performing arts, and a variety of cultural activities. Among the attractions: the 2,200-seat Lied Center for Performing Arts, the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden, four history museums, a planetarium, observatory, many private art galleries, four live-stage theater venues, a civic auditorium, the 76,000-seat Memorial Stadium, 14,400-seat Devaney Center and new baseball stadium facilities. Cost-of-living ranks 3 to 5 percent below the national average of comparable cities with among the nation?s lowest health care costs, utility bills and insurance rates. Lincoln?s low crime rate, efficient transportation, stable business environment and advanced health care technology are few reasons why Lincoln ranks high in livability studies. You are invited to explore Lincoln on-line for the most current information.

www.unl.edu - University of Nebraska-Lincoln homepage

www.nebraska.edu - Website for the University of Nebraska four-campus system

www.lped.com - The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development offers extensive information on demographics, education, healthcare, cost of living and tax structures.

www.lcoc.com - The Lincoln/Lancaster County Convention and Visitors Bureau offers information on attractions, entertainment, recreation, dining, shopping and transportation.

www.state.ne.us - The official web site of Nebraska State Government

www.ci.lincoln.ne.us - The official site of Lincoln City Government

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12. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

[Please remember to replace "_at_" in the below e-mail addresses.]

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org All material sent to that address will be posted unless you tell us otherwise (including your email address).

To subscribe or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN go to

http://lists.aas.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaswlist

and fill out the form.

If you experience any problems, please email itdept_at_aas.org

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13. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at

http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.

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Updating the Blogroll

I've added a few blogs to the good ole' blogroll. Updates included a few regular commenters, like Alice of Alice's Astro Info, Astronomum of Astronomoms, and Mrs. Comet Hunter.  I've also included Dr. Isis of On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess because she's a hoot to read.

If you'd like your blog to be included too, leave a comment here!

Rising to the Challenge

The theme for April's Scientiae Carnival is Rising to the Challenge:

Tell us about that most firey fire through which you have had to walk in your scientific career. How did you overcome the challenge? Did you have help along the way, or was it a solo effort? And what did you learn? Why are you a better scientist given the difficulties that you have encountered?

I almost didn't blog this story, because it's intensely personal. But then I thought, what's the point of separating my personal experiences from my scientific ones? After all, trying to pretend that astronomers don't have personal lives is a complete fallacy. Sometimes our personal lives spill over into our scientific lives, and that's just part of being a whole human being.

So, my story of rising to the challenge is about the year of 2004. My younger child was born in late February that year, and my defense was in mid-May. I've blocked out most of that time period, except for a vivid recollection of attempting to work from home one day while taking care of the baby and breaking down in tears and asking my husband to come home from work to help me out.

On top of that, I was preparing to move my family to another state to take up my post-doc position in the fall. So immediately after my defense, we put our house up for sale and began flying down every other weekend to another city to go house-hunting.

Now, all this time, I was dealing with post-partum bleeding. I only mention this because around about mid-June, I was diagnosed with choriocarcinoma, a type of pregnancy-related cancer.

It's funny how serious health problems can really make you re-evaluate your priorities in life.

It turned out that treatment was pretty easy. I did not require major surgery or radiation therapy, and did not suffer hair loss or much discomfort beyond minor bouts of nausea from the chemotherapy, which itself consisted only of shots every other day rather than lengthy IV drips. By fall, I was declared cured. In fact, I find it difficult to think of myself as a cancer survivor, because I didn't really suffer much at all. Still, "cancer" is a scary word, no matter what form it comes in.

I was glad simply to get through 2004 with my health, sanity, and family whole and intact. Did that year make me a better scientist? Arguably, no. While I managed to publish the papers from my thesis within a year from my graduation, I still have a significant gap in my publication record, which has probably hurt me in job searches. Do have a clear idea of what my priorities in life are? Yes. I value my career in science, but not to the exclusion of all else. This may come across as a lack of dedication to some, but their lives don't count upon my well-being.

Am I some kind of Superwoman for having gotten through all this? No. It was an extremely hard year for me, but my life was never in any real jeopardy, and my marriage and kids remained healthy and whole. Not everyone gets off that easy. We all have our battles to face, and we face them with the resources we can muster. My internal resources consist mostly of sheer stubbornness, but I am also lucky to have good friends, supportive family, and the best husband a woman can have.

And now you all know why I think work-life balance is so important.

scientiae-carnival

Positive Reinforcement

I feel like I've been awfully glum in some of my recent posts, so perhaps it's time to look at the bright side of things. Maybe it's just because it feels like spring is right around the corner, but I've been feeling a little more hopeful lately.

One of the things I've been thinking about is what brought me to astronomy to begin with? For me, it wasn't some kind of a lifelong dream. I never gazed at the stars much as a child: living in the suburbs of large city made that difficult. In fact, I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I was in 8th grade, I got inducted into some honor society, so the principal interviewed all us inductees and asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. I thought for a bit, and replied, "Happy."

I was always good at math and science, so by high school I had narrowed my choices down to science. I spent most of my college years torn between physics and biology. My senior year, I took both an introductory astrophysics class and an advanced biochemistry class. One day, in my astro class, we were going over galaxy classifications and I naively asked the professor, "okay, but how do those galaxies form?" "We don't know," he said, and smiled at my bemusement.

This was something of an epiphany. The universe was filled with these enormous objects, and we didn't know how they get there. How do stars form? We don't know. How do planets form? We don't know. This was a huge change from all my physics classes up to this point. In virtually every other topic, there was an established answer, whether it was electromagnetism or quantum or relativity. In astronomy, I saw the possibility of doing unique, creative research. And you know what? To large extent, I am now doing unique and creative research.

What brought you into your field?

AASWOMEN for March 20, 2009

Issue of March 20, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. AASWOMEN Advice

2. Astro2010 Infrastructure Study Groups

3. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

4. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

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1. AASWOMEN Advice
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]

AASWOMEN was asked for advice recently on two different topics: (1) suggestions for dealing with situations where your ideas are ignored or dismissed; and (2) questions one might ask or be asked during an interview for a job in academia.

(1) Have you ever been in this situation: you’re sitting in a meeting and make what you think is a great suggestion; you’re ignored. Ten minutes later, someone else makes a similar suggestion and everyone thinks it’s just the greatest idea. Are you invisible? Did you imagine it? Were you really speaking out loud?

How can women deal with being ignored at meetings and/or having their ideas dismissed? Are there ways to enlist support of colleagues? What if you do not have supportive colleagues? I have read and heard of various strategies:

-Make sure you get an adequate seat at the 'table' (so that you are not hiding in a corner); -Choose your timing: wait for the 'right opportunity' to jump into the conversation (not always easy); -Speak slowly; offer more than a quick quip; -Should you embellish with 'authoritative phrases'? -Should you remind the group that this was your idea? ("As I suggested earlier..."); -Should you help out other women? ("As colleague-X suggested...").

Are these effective strategies? What is your experience? What else can we do?

(2) About questions one might ask or be asked during an interview for a job in academia. I found a couple of pretty good links:

http://www.disccrs.org/reports/interviewhints.pdf

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep/jobsearch/interviewquestions.html

I think these are a good place to start, but I would like to ask for help from AASWOMEN readers in creating (1) advice for those who find themselves being ignored; and (2) a set of questions that would be appropriate for jobs in astronomy and physics.

I’ll compile the lists and post them on the CSWA web site under ‘Advice’ at:

http://www.aas.org/cswa/advice

FYI: Advice listings already in place are:

1. Top Ten Ways to be a Better Advisor for Graduate Students 2. Advisors, How Do You Deal with Student Tears? 3. Yes, Virginia, Discrimination and Harassment Do Still Happen 4. Advice on When to Raise a Family 5. Advice for Postdocs Applying for Tenure-Track Positions 6. The 2-Body Problem: New Advice for an Old Problem?

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2. Astro2010 Infrastructure Study Groups
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]

After last week’s item about Astronomy Life After the Post-Doc Phase, there was quite a bit of activity on the Women in Astronomy Blog:

http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/

related to the two original items:

"The Post Postdoc Phase" From: Joan_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, March 9, 2009

"Something I Would Like to See the Decadal Report Address But Am Afraid It Won't" From: Hannah_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, March 9, 2009

as well as a new related post from our blogger-in-chief: “Career Path Networking” From: Hannah_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, March 16, 2009

All this is happening as the Astronomy Decadal Survey gears up and the State of Profession Position Papers come due. These are available at:

http://www8.nationalacademies.org/astro2010/publicview.aspx

What is now also in the public domain is the membership of the various Astro2010 Infrastructure Study Groups, which includes demographics (DEM). The job of the DEM Study Group is to estimate the numbers of astronomers and astrophysicists working in different environments and subfields. Consider diversity, geography and student populations. In academia, consider diversity among different academic ranks. Examine the individual grants programs in NASA, the NSF and DOE and break down resource allocation by field, discipline and cost category where possible. Collate oversubscription rates for programs. Examine publication rates by field and discipline.

I am member of the DEM Study Group as are several former members of CSWA. We are ‘consultants,’ which means that our role is to gatherer information rather than to make decisions. We have weekly telecons and are actively considering issues of gender and ethnic representation as well as the ‘postdoc problem,’ which is discussed in Hannah’s blog post as well as in many of the State of Profession Position Papers.

I’ve read several of these Position Papers so far, and especially for issues related to AASWOMEN, I can recommend:

-Challenges Facing Young Astrophysicists by Zakamska et al. -Employment and Funding in Astronomy by Seth et al. -Training the Next Generation of Astronomers by Williams et al.

I’ll keep reading. If you have a comment or concern about DEM issues, we invite you to post it to one of the blog items. If you want or need to remain anonymous, you can e-mail it to me directly.

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3. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org. All material sent to that address will be posted unless you tell us otherwise (including your email address).

To subscribe or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN go to

http://lists.aas.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaswlist

and fill out the form.

If you experience any problems, please email itdept_at_aas.org

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4. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at

http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.

Back to top.

Being Ignored

Have you ever been in this situation: you’re sitting in a meeting and make what you think is a great suggestion; you’re ignored. Ten minutes later, someone else makes a similar suggestion and everyone thinks it’s just the greatest idea. Are you invisible? Did you imagine it? Were you really speaking out loud?

How can women deal with being ignored at meetings and/or having their ideas dismissed?  Are there ways to enlist support of colleagues? What if you do not have supportive colleagues? I have read and heard of various strategies:

-Make sure you get an adequate seat at the 'table' (so that you are not hiding in a corner);

-Choose your timing: wait for the 'right opportunity' to jump into the conversation (not always easy);

-Speak slowly; offer more than a quick quip;

-Should you embellish with 'authoritative phrases'?

-Should you remind the group that this was your idea? ("As I suggested earlier...");

-Should you help out other women?  ("As colleague-X suggested..."). 

Are these effective strategies?  What is your experience?  What else can we do?

Career Path Networking

In the comments on my post about job prospects (and lack thereof), Arti made an excellent suggestion:

Perhaps we can try to build up some sort of network to share ideas about career paths (both in and out of "astronomy")? One of the things I find is many astronomers have very little idea of where to even begin looking for other types of jobs...or how applicable their skills might be in other fields. It would be great for people to have a forum to share their findings...and for people who've found success in other arenas to share their experiences.

How about we start a discussion right here and on the AASWOMEN newletter about alternate career paths? Would a wiki or Facebook page be useful, too? (Would someone be willing to start one up?)

I'll start by sharing this anecdote: On one of my darker days, I got to talking with my brother, who studies biophysics. I lamented, "All the science funding seems to be in bio these days. Maybe I should jump ship." His answer was immediate: "That would be great! Your computer modeling expertise would be perfect for doing all sorts of modeling of kinetic processes. And medical imaging isn't all too different from astronomical imaging: you're trying to decipher blurry things that you can't necessarily access directly."

I came away from that conversation feeling a lot better about my future. Somehow, just knowing that I had a possible alternative that would allow me to still be a scientist, albeit not an astronomer, made me feel a whole lot better.

What ideas do you have?

State of the Profession White Papers

Things are getting down to the wire, but here are a couple white papers to get involved with, if you're concerned about the issues that Joan and I have been talking about:

http://astro.berkeley.edu/~pkwill/Williams_training_DEM_EPO.pdf
email pwilliam_at_astro.berkeley.edu to be a coauthor.

http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~aseth/Seth_employment_DEM_FFP.pdf
email aseth_at_cfa.harvard.edu to be a coauthor.

I believe they are both looking to wrap things up TODAY so get cracking!

Happy Pi Day

Happy Pi Day!  Something even Congress can agree on.

In celebration, I made you a pi(e):

(blueberry & peach)

Not to be outdone, my husband made these for a bake sale today:

I know, how can you have cupcakes for Pi Day?  Ah well, his heart is in the right place.

AASWOMEN for March 13, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of March 13, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson, & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. AAS Women In Astronomy Blog - Astronomy Life After the Post-Doc Phase: Is the Cup Half Full or Half Empty?

2. AAS 214th Meeting Early Registration

3. AAS Book Inventory

4. Orders Now Being Taken for the Galileoscope

5. IYA Issue of Physics World

6. AAUW - Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equality in Higher Education

7. Conference on Understanding Interventions

8. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

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1. AAS Women In Astronomy Blog - Astronomy Life After the Post-Doc Phase: Is the Cup
Half Full or Half Empty?

[Joan Schmelz and Hannah Jang-Condell debate astronomy life after the post-doc phase. First is the view from Joan Schmelz followed by the view from Hannah Jang-Condell.]

Joan's view, the 'Cup Half Full' side: "The Post Postdoc Phase" From: Joan_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, March 9, 2009

Hannah's view - the 'Cup Half Empty' side: "Something I Would Like to See the Decadal Report Address But Am Afraid It Won't" From: Hannah_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, March 9, 2009

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2. AAS 214th Meeting Early Registration
From: AAS Electronic Announcement #194 ? March 11, 2009

Registration is open for the 214th AAS Meeting, Pasadena, CA, 7-11 June 2009.

Online: aas.org/meetings/aas214/registration.php Phone: 202-328-2010 ext. 110 Fax: 202-234-7850

Register by 20 March to receive the discounted rate.

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3. AAS Book Inventory
From: AAS Electronic Announcement #194 ? March 11, 2009

The following books are available from the AAS book inventory:

http://aas.org/staff/book_inventory.php

Please fill out the book order form. Members are only responsible for shipping costs which we are charging a flat shipping and handling fee of $15.00 per book. For bulk orders discount shipping will be determined on a case by case basis. If you have any questions or concerns please send an email to Scot Garvey (garvey@aas.org). This is a members only opportunity and books will be offered on a first come first served basis.

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4. Orders Now Being Taken for the Galileoscope
From: AAS Electronic Announcement #194 ? March 11, 2009

The Galileoscope is a high-quality, low-cost telescope kit developed as a Cornerstone Project of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. For just $15 plus shipping, you get a 50-mm f/10 achromatic refractor that snaps together in less than 5 minutes and gives great views of the celestial wonders that Galileo first glimpsed 400 years ago: lunar craters and mountains, Jupiter?s moons, the phases of Venus, Saturn's rings, and the Pleiades and Beehive star clusters. It comes with a 25x eyepiece and 2x Barlow lens, accepts standard 1?-inch accessories, and attaches to any photo tripod (not included). Two educational activity guides are already available, and more are coming. You can download these guides, and order small numbers of Galileoscopes using a credit card or PayPal, at

http://www.galileoscope.org.

Institutions wishing to place orders of 100 or more get a discounted price of $12.50 per kit, save on shipping via freight service, and may pay by purchase order. To initiate a large order of 100+ kits, fill out the Request for Quotation form. [Form can be found at

http://aas.org/node/544]

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5. IYA Issue of Physics World
From: AAS Electronic Announcement #194 ? March 11, 2009

The March 2009 issue of Physics World is a special issue on astronomy. It is part of the magazine's contribution to the International Year of Astronomy.

http://physicsworld.com/cws/home

Physics World is an international monthly magazine published by the Institute of Physics.

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6. AAUW - Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equality in Higher Education
From: AAUW

AAUW released the most comprehensive analysis to date on trends in educational achievement by gender, race, ethnicity, and income. This report shows that girls and boys from the fourth grade through the end of college are making steady educational gains. An analysis of data from all 50 states indicates that girls' successes do not come at the expense of boys. This report is also the first to analyze gender differences within economic and ethnic categories. The data show that family income is more closely associated with academic success than with gender. The report, Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education, presents a comprehensive look at girls' educational achievement during the past 35 years, paying special attention to the relationship between girls' and boys' progress. Analyses of results from national standardized tests such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the SAT and ACT college entrance examinations, as well as other measures of educational achievement, provide an overall picture of trends in gender equity from elementary school to college and beyond. [An Executive Summary and Full Report can be found at

http://www.aauw.org/research/WhereGirlsAre.cfm]

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7. Conference on Understanding Interventions
From: WIPHYS March, 11, 2009

Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual Conference on Understanding Interventions that Broaden Participation in Research Careers to be held May 7-9, 2009 at the Bethesda North Marriott in Bethesda, Maryland (Washington DC metro area).

http://www.UnderstandingInterventions.org

We are still accepting abstracts for posters (on intervention research, effective strategies/best practices, and program evaluation design), oral presentations on research results (15-20 minutes), and workshops (1-2 hrs) on effective strategies and evaluation approaches. The deadline for all abstracts is Friday, March 13th. Graduate travel award applications are also due March 13th.

The conference is designed for behavioral/social science and education researchers, graduate students, evaluators, and faculty in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields who participate in or conduct research on intervention programs designed to increase the number of students in the STEM PhD pipeline. Examples of intervention programs include summer research programs for minority students, peer tutoring in freshmen chemistry, graduate student retention programs, K-12 science outreach, and career development issues for women in engineering.

The Conference Summary from 2008 is now posted on the website.

For more information, contact Dr. Linda Blockus (LBlockus_at_AAAS.org, 202-326-6766).

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8. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

[Please remember to replace "_at_" in the below e-mail addresses.]

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org All material sent to that address will be posted unless you tell us otherwise (including your email address).

To subscribe or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN go to

http://lists.aas.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaswlist

and fill out the form.

If you experience any problems, please email itdept_at_aas.org

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9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at

http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.

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Belated International Women's Day Post

Sunday was International Women's Day, about which I completely fell down on the job of posting.

Luckily, Phil Plait (aka the Bad Astronomer) has done the work for me. He's put up a terrific post about women's rights in general, and women in astronomy in particular.

Something I Would Like to See the Decadal Report Address But Am Afraid It Won't

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey is assesing the "State of the Profession" in addition to science topics for the next decade. The study groups include Computation, Simulation, and Data Handling; Demographics; Facilities, Funding and Programs; International and Private Partnership; Education and Public Outreach; and Astronomy and Public Policy. The deadline for white papers is March 15.

The trouble is, the topic I want to talk about here doesn't fit neatly into any of the above categories. You see, when I think about "State of the Profession," I start thinking about "State of My Career Path" and then I start thinking about life as a postdoc and the glum job prospects in the face of a sinking economy.

Over the years, I have heard numerous young faculty speak nostalgically of their post-doc years, those halcyon days when all they had to do was their own research, but now they are bogged down with teaching and committee work and writing grant proposals, etc etc. Considering how I feel about being a postdoc right now, I'm not really looking forward to the future, if this is as good as it gets.

Here's the thing: astronomy PhDs spend on average 6-7 years as postdocs before they land faculty positions (source). That's about 2-3 three-year postdocs. This means that you are moving every three years (or more frequently) from the time you graduate, because more often than not, the job chooses you, rather than the other ways around. In other words, you are spending your late twenties and early thirties flitting across the country just to stay employed. The USA is a big country, so it's likely that you'll end up living in a region of the country you hate. Also, three years is just enough time to settle into a community and start to feel at home, and just at that time you have to up and move again.

You're still applying for jobs practically every year. That's a big blow to your productivity right there. Add in some depression and stress about the low number of available jobs and a pile of rejection letters right about when seasonal affective disorder sets it, and it's a wonder that much astronomy gets done in the winter.

Sure, you might have the most amount of intellectual freedom that you ever will in your career, but what about the rest of your life? If you've got a spouse, you have the two-body problem to deal with. If you've got kids, you have an N-body problem, which is well-known to yield chaos. If you're single, you're probably looking for a partner who's willing to follow you in your crazy lifestyle. If you're a woman, throw in some negative cultural attitudes about working mothers or arguments about who has to be the trailing spouse, not to mention ringing biological clocks and rapidly declining fertility.

If I get talking with any of my fellow postdocs in astronomy, we're all worried about our futures. We wonder if it's worth our sanity and personal lives to continue in astronomy, given the nomadic lifestyle and limited number of permanent jobs. Sometimes I think that the ones who get the jobs are the ones who are stubborn enough to just keep applying rather than the ones who are the best scientists.

The thing is, I'm not sure that there are any easy solutions to this mess.

One solution would be to simply provide adequate funding through government agencies and universities to provide employment opportunities for everyone. However, given the state of the economy (stimulus packages notwithstanding) I don't think that will happen any time soon, particularly with regard to permanent positions.

Another solution would be to simply decrease the number of PhDs being produced to match the number of jobs. And now I hear all the department chairs out there laughing. Given that the number of students a department attracts is a measure of its success, I don't see that happening any time soon.

Still another solution would be to teach astronomers job skills that are useful outside astronomy. Part of the problem is that there's no significant "industry" component to astronomy as there is in say, chemistry or solid state physics. Just take a look at the Job Register: the bulk of the permanent positions (well, at least before all the hiring freezes) are at colleges and universities. It's the tenure-track or the highway, or at least that's how we're trained. Now I hear all the professors grumbling, "why should we bother investing our time and energy to train graduate students in astronomy if they aren't going to continue in astronomy?" To which I can only say, "why are you training them for jobs that don't exist?"

At any rate, I fear that any real solutions will come to late for me and many of my peers. I think this country is on the verge of losing an entire generation of astronomers because of the lack of jobs.

[Edited to add: I wrote this post before seeing Joan's below. She's got a different (and less bitter) perspective on a similar issue.]

The Post Postdoc Phase

After reading the blog post on “Squeezing the Pipeline” from Hannah_at_Women in Astronomy Blog, Feb 14, 2009 as well as the comments about the downside of moving every three years, I began to wonder how widespread this feeling is. I work with many postdocs in my current position as a visiting astronomer at CfA. Discussions at morning coffee are just as likely to be about future jobs as about the latest science. 

Were times this tough when I was a postdoc looking for a permanent job? Well, maybe. There were no federal positions available at NASA because all those guys hired after Sputnik had not yet retired. The old Soviet Union was collapsing so all the open faculty positions in the US had hundreds (literally) of applications. There was also a recession, but admittedly not as bad as the one we’re experiencing now. 

I took a job in the physics department of a 4th tier university in a flyover state. This was certainly not my first choice. If fact, such a position would not have been in the top 100 when I was a postdoc. My choice, however, was to take this job or leave astronomy. I decided to give it a try. 

First the bad news: I was the only astronomer in a physics department. Other than my students and my (retired) husband, I was the only astronomer in town. When it comes to research, this is a lonely existence. Also, there was no physics PhD program. How can you do research without PhD students? 

Now the good news: the university has been very good to me. It provided the most level playing field I have ever experienced. I had all sorts of energy to do science because I wasn’t wasting it ‘running uphill.’ I’ve won research awards and received additional funding from endowed professorships. I was promoted early and am now a full professor. Tenure is a marvelous thing.

About students: since there was no physics PhD program, I spent a lot of time adapting my research so undergrads and MS students could make meaningful contributions. This has been surprisingly rewarding. Many of my students go on to good careers both in astronomy and out. I admit that there is the occasional disappointment, but this is the exception.

About teaching: the normal teaching load for research faculty is two classes per semester. I’ve been lucky enough to buy myself out of one of those classes with grant money. Of course I still have the normal department and university committee obligations, but one class per semester and an open summer leave a lot of time for research.

About research: I publish papers in ApJ with undergrad coauthors. I bring in grant money to the university. I’m a paid Co-Investigator on a NASA instrument and a regular visitor at CfA. My research has spawned controversy and helped inspire a series of specialized astronomical workshops. 

About finances: The cost of living in our city is a lot lower than many on the east and west coasts.  We live in a house on a lake, our mortgage was paid off early, and we have the luxury of disposable income. We take vacations, upgrade to business class, and even contemplate buying a condo on the beach somewhere as a second home, mostly on my university salary. 

About work-life balance: My job does not require an 80-hour week. I did work weekends in the beginning – preparing classes took a lot of time. Now, however, a regular work schedule is sufficient and life outside of astronomy is full and rewarding. 

An Invitation: Should I consider myself an astronomical failure because I don’t work at a top tier university? I used to, but I don’t anymore. I’m not saying this is right for everyone, but it worked for me. Are there other examples out there? What worked for you? Would you be willing to share your post-postdoc experience with the readers of AASWOMEN and the Women in Astronomy blog who might find themselves veering off the traditional career path?

AASWomen for March 6, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of March 6, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. Interview Feedback Question

2. Funds Still Available for Childcare Grants for APS

3. Deputy Director, Space Telescope Science Institute

*** FOLLOWING JOB POSTINGS TAKEN FROM WIPHYS ***

4. Opportunities at the IAEA

5. Dean, College of Science and Mathematics, Arkansas State University

6. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

7. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

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1. Interview feedback question
From: Kartik Sheth [astrokartik_at_gmail.com]

I recently applied for a faculty position at a teaching University - although I made the shortlist and had a great visit, I was not offered the position. When I asked them for some feedback on how I could have done better - I got the strangest reply. Normally people in the field have been exceptionally helpful I giving advice even if its off record but I got an email that said "due to legal reasons, we cannot comment on the search process." Has anyone else encountered this? I am sure that it is uncommon but wanted to know more from the community.

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2. Funds Still Available for Childcare Grants for APS meeting
From: WIPHYS March 4, 2009

The Committee on the Status of Women in Physics is pleased to announce that there are funds remaining for childcare grants of up to $400 to APS meeting attendees who are bringing small children or who incur extra expenses in leaving them at home (i.e., extra daycare or babysitting services). Details at http://www.aps.org/meetings/april/events/index.cfm (April meeting, Denver).

A grant from the Elsevier Foundation augments existing funds from the APS.

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3. Deputy Director, Space Telescope Science Institute
From: Christine Rueter [rueter_at_stsci.edu]

The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), the science center for the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, and a premier astronomical research institution, is conducting a search for a Deputy Director.

The coming decade will present outstanding opportunities for STScI. The upcoming Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4 is expected to provide us with our most powerful and capable observatory ever, and we are making steady progress developing the Science and Operations Center for the James Webb Space Telescope. The STScI operates a world-class multi-mission data and archive center. The Deputy Director will have the opportunity to work with a diverse, multidisciplinary, top-ranked staff to help transition STScI into the James Webb era, and help define the future of space astronomy.

The Deputy Director will work with the Director in the overall management of STScI's operations and development and in particular will be responsible for STScI's communications and representation in the astronomical community.

The ideal candidate will have a strong vision for space science, an outstanding scientific background, and demonstrated leadership working in a complex and evolving environment. As Deputy Director, the ability to work effectively with, and in the Director's absence, lead the Institute;s senior management team is essential.

A letter of interest in the Deputy Director position, curriculum vitae, and publications list, along with the names of at least four professional references from whom confidential information may be solicited should be submitted in PDF to ddsearch_at_stsci.edu by May 31, 2009. Additional information may be obtained from Dr. Matt Mountain, STScI Director (410-338-4710, mmountain_at_stsci.edu) or Dr. Brad Peterson, (614-292-2022, peterson_at_astronomy.ohio-state.edu) Search Committee Co-Chairs.

Committed to the benefits of diversity, we strongly encourage qualified women and minority candidates to apply. EOE/AA/M/F/D/V.

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4. Opportunities at the IAEA
From: WIPHYS Feb. 23, 2009

The latest job vacancies at the IAEA can be found at http://recruitment.iaea.org/phf/images/email/top_head.jpg. Should you know of potential candidates, please do not hesitate to share these vacancies with them. We particularly encourage women to apply. The full listing of open vacancies, as well as procedures for applying are available at http://www.iaea.org/About/Jobs.

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5. Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, Arkansas State
University
From: WIPHYS March 4, 2009

Arkansas State University (ASU) is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff. In pursuit of this commitment, the University seeks a leader to create and implement a shared vision for the College of Science and Mathematics (http://scimath.astate.edu).

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research, the Dean provides support and leadership for the departments of Biological Sciences; Chemistry and Physics; Computer Sciences; and Mathematics and Statistics. Responsibilities include: faculty recruiting and development; improving enrollment and graduation rates; expanding fundraising and externally funded research; enhancement of accreditation; curriculum development; contributing to globalization of the University; and facilitating the transition of the University into a more research intensive institution. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Qualifications: An earned doctorate in one of the disciplines of the College of Sciences and Mathematics, strong interpersonal skills, organizational acumen, a record of scholarly and/or professional achievements warranting appointment as a tenured professor. Applicants should demonstrate strong commitment to teaching excellence; leading undergraduate and cross-disciplinary graduate programs; doctoral education; administrative, budgetary, and other leadership experiences; success in fundraising and obtaining extramural funding for grants/ contracts; and accomplishments in enhancing diversity of faculty and students.

The University and Community: ASU (www.astate.edu) is a public, multi-campus higher education system with enrollment of nearly 19,000. Approximately 11,500 students attend the Jonesboro campus where the student body is diverse. The campus has a renewed focus on international student recruitment and capital campaign development. Jonesboro has a population of 60,000 and is located 70 miles northwest of Memphis (www.jonesborochamber.org).

For Additional Background Information Contact: Rent Consulting Group, LLC, grent_at_rentconsultinggroup.com

Applications: Applications must be received online at https://jobs.astate.edu. Please review instructions for new users on the home page and select the Dean of Science and Mathematics position A00292. Applicants should upload a cover letter addressing qualifications, curriculum vitae, and names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of five professional references. Review of completed applications will begin on March 16, 2009, and will continue until the position is filled. Anticipated starting date is August 1, 2009. Under the Arkansas' Freedom of Information Act, applications are subject to public inspection.

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6. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

[Please remember to replace "_at_" in the below e-mail addresses.]

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org All material sent to that address will be posted unless you tell us otherwise (including your email address).

To subscribe or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN go to http://lists.aas.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaswlist and fill out the form.

If you experience any problems, please email itdept_at_aas.org

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7. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at

http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.

Back to top.