Women In Astronomy: July 2009

Friday, July 31, 2009

Summertime

This month's Scientiae Carnival is "Summer days, driftin' away..."

Consider how you balance the demands and pleasures of this season. Have you found ways to make progress on your must-dos while also taking time for your family, friends - and yourself - and being in the moment of this time of year? Or are July and August just another month for you?

And just for some added synchronicity, here's a recent PhD Comic:

The first thing that went through my head when I read August's Scientiae Call was, "Holy ****, it's already August, where has my summer gone??" Summer, for most academics, is a break from classes, and a terrific time for getting lots of research done. As a postdoc, however, there's less of a definite shift, although it's nice being able to drive around campus without accidentally running over a hapless undergraduate.

Still, part of me still thinks that summer ought to be a time of huge productivity, but it always seems to fly by before I manage to get a whole lot done. (And why haven't I been better about keeping up this blog while I'm at it?) But then I realize that I've done a bunch of traveling, and actually, there's nothing wrong with that. My travel includes a week at a conference, a week of visiting family, and a week of honest-to-goodness vacation.

Conferences are great. There's the opportunity to meet and talk with people and develop collaborations, of course. I also find that conferences are a good way of taking a step back and looking at how my research fits into the big picture. I often get so caught up in the details that I forget how interesting my work is until I talk about it to someone, and they say, "wow, that's really cool!" This excitement is offset by the physical and mental toll that travel takes on me. I often feel like when I travel, I leave bits of my brain behind, and it takes a while before all the pieces make it back home again. This is especially true for the more stimulating conferences, precisely because you're thinking so intensely about work for so much of the time that it quickly becomes exhausting.

Traveling to visit family does not count as vacation in my book. I'm with Tajel's advisor on this one: "you spent the whole time thinking and obsessing about your research project." Perhaps this is because I often get the feeling of "I'm taking time away from my research to do WHAT?!?" I love my parents, but they do drive me crazy.

Now, an honest-to-goodness vacation is well worth it. The trick is to give yourself permission to relax and not fret about your research. This is harder than it sounds. But if you spare yourself the mental anguish about taking time off from work, you do yourself and your mental health a big favor. My vacation included camping, ravaging hordes of mosquitos, a rather nasty sunburn, catching up with old friends, long hours in the car, trips to the beach, and a nerd camp reunion. I loved it.

Now that summer is beginning to wind down, things seem to be suddenly starting to pile up. All those tasks that I thought I had plenty of time to accomplish before September are looming before me. Still, I think there's time to squeeze in another baseball game or a peach-picking trip or a dip in the pool. At least, I hope so.

scientiae-carnival

AASWOMEN for July 31, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 31, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. Postdocs - Named vs. Unnamed

2. Mentoring Sessions at Jan AAS Meeting

3. Longitudinal Study Session at Jan AAS Meeting

4. Most Inspirational Woman Astronomers?

5. Inventing Equal Opportunity

6. Software Engineer III - Green Bank, WV

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

8. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

1. Postdocs - Named vs. Unnamed
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]

I have been pondering the gender-related data from the upcoming Astro 2010 demographics report, especially the named postdocs. I've been given special permission to discuss this issue before the actual report comes out. This shows that ~30% of these positions have gone to women for over 10 years.

Do women have a similar success rate for 'unnamed' postdocs?

We have done some quick analysis with the available 2007 data for the postdocs here at CfA, and find pretty good numbers. We were wondering how to expand this comparison.

Would anyone be interested in looking at the postdoc data for their home institution? If so, we might be able to put together something for the Women in Astronomy III conference.

As mentioned in last week's issue of AASWOMEN, Women in Astronomy III will take place Oct 21-23, 2009 in College Park, MD.

Early Registration is now open and abstracts are due by Aug 31, 2009. For details, please see:

http://wia2009.gsfc.nasa.gov/

2. Mentoring Sessions at Jan AAS Meeting
From: Dara Norman [dnorman_at_ noao.edu]

The two special sessions on "Mentoring Astronomers: Students to Faculty" are scheduled for 90 minutes on the morning and afternoon of Wednesday, 6 January 2010. Note that this is DURING the regular AAS meeting, i.e this is not a pre-meeting workshop.

Whether formal or informal, mentoring relationships are an important part of every scientist's career through graduate school, job searches, and the tenure process. Yet despite its obvious importance, mentor development is often left to chance rather than given the attention and dedication required to be a truly effective mentor. Professional resources exist that can be very useful for mentor development.

The CSMA and CSWA are sponsoring two special sessions devoted to an exchange of information and best practices on mentoring as part of the January 2010 AAS meeting. The primary goals of these sessions are to 1) provide information and best practices about mentoring and its effectiveness in encouraging successful scientists, and 2) to provide a mini-workshop to discuss and practice implementing these mentoring techniques. Each session provides unique and practical information for those who attend only one, but are complementary and most effective as a unit. We encourage all astronomical researchers and faculty to attend, as well as graduate students, who already mentor more junior colleagues and will continue to do so throughout their careers.

The first session is devoted to lecture style presentations of mentoring best practices and information. Speakers have been selected for their current work with and knowledge of mentoring activities/programs. Collectively their mentoring activities include work with undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdocs and junior faculty. Confirmed speakers include: Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi (FIT), Dr. Kathleen Flint (NPA), and Dr. Dana Lehr (NSF).

The second session provides a participatory workshop on mentoring. The speakers are involved in mentoring seminar activities/programs affiliated with the Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching, the Delta Program in Research, Teaching, and Learning, and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. Their mentoring training program has been designed to be effective for STEM disciplines and has been field tested with astronomers in particular. The seminar has been adapted for use with mentees who range in experience from grad students to postdocs, to faculty. The primary content will be the presentation and discussion of a few case studies. Topics that will be discussed in the context of mentoring are expectations, communication, independence, diversity, understanding and ethics. There will be discussions of how mentors develop their skills and how to evaluate the success of mentoring.

Further details will be posted on the CSMA website:

http://csma.aas.org/events.html

3. Longitudinal Study Session at Jan AAS Meeting
From: Rachel Ivie [rivie_at_ aip.org]

A second special session sponsored by CSWA entitled, “Longitudinal Study of Astronomy Graduate Students” has been accepted for the American Astronomical Society in Washington, DC. The session is scheduled for 90 minutes on the afternoon of Monday, 4 January 2010.

The purpose of this session is to make attendees aware of the status of the longitudinal study of astronomy graduate students. AIP recently completed data collection for the first phase of this study, which has been jointly funded by AAS and AIP. The project, which began in 2007, was the result of recommendations made at the 2003 Women in Astronomy Conference. Eventually, the study will track astronomy graduate students over the course of several years. The study has several purposes: to collect data on people who obtain graduate degrees in astronomy, to compare attrition rates for men and women, to collect data on people who leave the field of astronomy, and to collect data on astronomers who work outside the traditional employment sectors of academe and the observatories.

During the first wave of data collection, we received more than 1100 responses that are useable for the analyses. Approximately 700 men and more than 400 women responded, representing 148 different graduate programs. Our preliminary analyses show that women are: less likely to agree that the environment in the department is welcoming, more likely to believe they lack ability, and are less confident in their careers. These results also apply to men who have been in the program more than three years. These and other findings will be discussed at the session, which will include time for audience discussion.

4. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers?
From: Ivan King [king_at_ astro.washington.edu]

[We continue to get responses to our request for the most inspirational women astronomers. Ivan was concerned that this might not be appropriate for AASWOMEN since, as he said, “I am a man, and from another generation . . .” We, however, find his contribution completely appropriate and are happy to include it here – Eds.]

I think that Margaret Burbidge deserves a place high on the list of role models.

First, it was Margaret who set in motion the entire movement that led to the founding of CSWA, when, around 1970, she declined to accept the Cannon Prize because it had been set aside expressly for women. (I don't remember just how she said this, but she could probably fill that in herself.)

Then, during her 1976-78 term as AAS President, she persuaded the Council to establish a ban on AAS meetings in states that had not ratified the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (which unfortunately failed for lack of fewer than the needed 3/4 majority of states). This step had been taken by many professional societies, but led to violent opposition by a small group of right-wing members of the AAS, who then tried to get control of the Nominating Committee, but were defeated at a rather heated Annual Business Meeting in 1979. Meanwhile, during Margaret's Presidential term, the Council had set up the CSWA, very much in its present form (while also setting up a separate committee on minorities, in order to direct separate attention to each of these important questions).

(I remember much of this vividly, since I was the Council member who actually proposed the motion to set up CSWA -- the President is not permitted to introduce motions -- and I was the successor President who had to navigate through the Annual Business Meeting in 1979.)

Although I cannot give any further specifics, it is my impression that Margaret has continued to inspire young women who were entering astronomy or were thinking of that course. I hope that your list will give her a high place.

5. Inventing Equal Opportunity
From: Andrea Dupree [adupree_at_ cfa.harvard.edu]

Inventing Equal Opportunity A new book by Frank Dobbin, professor of sociology at Harvard University.

Equal opportunity in the workplace is thought to be the direct legacy of the civil rights and feminist movements and the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. Yet, as Frank Dobbin demonstrates, corporate personnel experts--not Congress or the courts--were the ones who determined what equal opportunity meant in practice, designing changes in how employers hire, promote, and fire workers, and ultimately defining what discrimination is, and is not, in the American imagination.

Dobbin shows how Congress and the courts merely endorsed programs devised by corporate personnel. He traces how the first measures were adopted by military contractors worried that the Kennedy administration would cancel their contracts if they didn't take "affirmative action" to end discrimination. These measures built on existing personnel programs, many designed to prevent bias against unionists. Dobbin follows the changes in the law as personnel experts invented one wave after another of equal opportunity programs. He examines how corporate personnel formalized hiring and promotion practices in the 1970s to eradicate bias by managers; how in the 1980s they answered Ronald Reagan's threat to end affirmative action by recasting their efforts as diversity-management programs; and how the growing presence of women in the newly named human resources profession has contributed to a focus on sexual harassment and work/life issues.

Inventing Equal Opportunity reveals how the personnel profession devised--and ultimately transformed--our understanding of discrimination.

Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Inventing-Equal-Opportunity-Frank-Dobbin/dp/0691137439/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247756421&sr=8-1

6. Software Engineer III - Green Bank, WV
From: Dee Boyd [dlboyd_at_ nrao.edu]

The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) is the world's largest fully steerable telescope. Working at wavelengths ranging from 100cm through 3mm, the GBT supports a diverse range of scientific research. Additionally, the GBT has a dynamic program of research and development which keeps the telescope at the cutting edge of science and technology.

The National Radio Astronomy is looking for an energetic person to join the scientific staff in Green Bank. The successful applicant will join the team of scientists at the Green Bank telescope to provide full scientific support to the GBT and the NRAO.

Responsibilities of the successful applicant will include supporting observers who use the telescope as well as working on a diverse variety of projects, which may include the development and commissioning of new instrumentation on the telescope, working with the engineering staff to improve the overall telescope performance, and aiding with the data reduction pipelines needed for the GBT. Must have strong knowledge of radio and/or millimeter astronomy and two to three years experience.

The successful candidate will have 25% of their time available for independent research. Support for research and travel are provided, as well as vacation accrual, health insurance, and a moving allowance. Position will be filled at the assistant, associate, or scientist level, depending on experience.

Minimum education required is a Ph.D. in astronomy, physics or a related field.

Applicants can apply online at

careers.nrao.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=50399

and should include a description of relevant experience, a curriculum vitae including a publication list, a statement of research interests, and the names of three scientists who have agreed to provide letters of reference.

Letters of recommendation may be submitted separately via email to scurry_at_ nrao.edu. Please reference "Assistant Scientist/A, GB00131" in the subject line. Review of applicants will begin immediately; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. NRAO is an Equal Opportunity Employer - D/V/M/F

7. 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

8. 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.

Friday, July 24, 2009

AASWOMEN Newsletter 07/24/09

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 24, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. Astronomer Receives Fellowship to Further Racial Equality

2. Blewett Scholarship Winners Announced

3. Women on the Moon

4. Seed Grants from the ASP

5. NASA Grant for Informal Education Groups in STEM Areas

6. USRA 2010

7. IAU Women in Astronomy Meeting

8. Women in Astronomy and Space Science Meeting 2009

9. SOAR Postdoctoral Fellow

10. NRAO Assistant Scientist/A

*** FOLLOWING JOB POSTING TAKEN FROM WIPHYS ***

11. Faculty Openings, Carnegie Mellon University

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

13. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

1. Astronomer Receives Fellowship to Further Racial Equality
From: Geoff Clayton [gclayton_at_fenway.phys.isu.edu]

Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy Keivan G. Stassun from Vanderbilt University has been awarded a $50,000 fellowship from the Fletcher Foundation to support his efforts to increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing scientific careers. Stassun will apply the award to develop a model of the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge program in collaboration with researchers at Columbia Law Schools Center for Institutional and Social Change. In just five years the program has attracted 30 underrepresented minorities, 60 percent of whom are women. The program is poised to become the top awarder of doctoral degrees to underrepresented minorities in physics, astronomy and materials science in 2010-11. To read more, please see

http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/news/releases/2009/07/23/vanderbilt-astronomer-receives-50000-fellowship-to-further-racial-equality.85011 .

2. Blewett Scholarship Winners Announced From: WIPHYS, July 20

The APS is proud to announce that three women physicists have been awarded Blewett Scholarships for 2009.

Klejda Bega, a Post-Doctoral Associate at Columbia University, will work to develop a novel approach to creating ultracold diatomic molecules in optical lattices at microKelvin temperatures, and to conduct precise measurements with these molecules. Bega, a native of Albania, earned both her PhD (2004) and BS (1999) at California Institute of Technology.

Marija Nikolic-Jaric, a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, works in the field of biomicrofluidics. The award will enable her to build on her work on improving the detection and classification of biological cells by investigating fundamental aspects of the effects of shear-induced rotation of aspherical particles in the non-uniform electric field. Nikolic-Jaric received her BSc from the University of Belgrade in 1990 and her PhD from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver in 2008.

Janice Wynn Guikema, an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and a previous winner of a Blewett Scholarship in 2008, will expand her research on graphene for use as a magnetic field sensor and use scanning probe microscopy to better understand graphene. Guikema received her BS from Cornell University in 1998 and her PhD from Stanford University in 2004.

The Blewett Scholarship award was established by a generous bequest from M. Hildred Blewett, a particle accelerator physicist who died in 2004. Hildred Blewett was passionate about physics and recognized that women who have interrupted their research careers for family reasons can face many obstacles when they try to resume that research. The scholarship consists of a one-year award of up to $45,000 which can be used toward dependent care, salary, travel, equipment, and tuition and fees. Applicants are selected by a sub-committee of the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics. Details can be found at

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

3. Women on the Moon
From: 365 Days of Astronomy, Daily Podcast of the IYA

The July 12, 2009 podcast of the 365 Days of Astronomy is all about features of the Moon, 74 of which are named for women. Highlights of a few of these women (e.g., Maria Mitchell, Caroline Herschel, Henrietta Leavitt) is the subject of this podcast. The podcaster is amateur astronomer Lunar Mark who also is one of the owners of the Wiki on Women Astronomers discussed in AASWomen July 3, 10, and 17 Newsletters. To hear this podcast, go to

http://365daysofastronomy.org/2009/07/12/july-12th-women-on-the-moon/ .

4. Seed Grants from the ASP
From: AAS Electronic Announcement #198

Thanks to the support of the Planck and Herschel Missions, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is offering SEED Grants for 2009 to active researchers in astronomy, astrophysics, or space science to engage in public outreach, K-14 formal education, or informal education programs or activities. Maximum grants are $2,500; funds may be used to purchase equipment related to the proposed EPO activity, or to defray expenses associated with carrying out the activity. Given the nature of the Planck and Herschel Missions, SEED Grant proposals involving cosmology, galaxy and star formation studies, solar system investigations, and space science will be given special consideration. Proposal submission deadline is 31 July 2009, with announcement of awards by 15 September 2009. To learn more and to review the simple guidelines for proposals, go to

http://www.astrosociety.org/education/grants/grants.html .

5. NASA Grant for Informal Education Groups in STEM Areas
From: NASA Office of Education

On July 10, NASA Office of Education, Integrated Division announced #NNH09ZNE005N, a Competitive grant Program for Science Museums and Planetariums. This grant is targeted to e.g., observatories, planetariums, and informal organizations embedded in institutions of higher education so long as the organization has a separate DUNS number. Approximately $6 million is available for new awards. Grant proposals are due September 10. For more information, please see

http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={ABA44634-8D41-50FA-6BF3-9D9EA3D4D792}&path=open .

6. USRA 2010
From: Barbara Hammond [hammond_at_epo.usra.edu]

The NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program provides a unique academic experience for undergraduate students to successfully propose, design, fabricate, fly and evaluate a reduced gravity experiment of their choice. Application deadline, flight dates, and other important dates for the 2010 Campaign have been announced.

Letters of Interest (Optional) Due: September 16, 2009 Proposals Due: October 28, 2009 Announcement of Selected Teams: December 9, 2009

Information about the program and the application process can be found on the microgravity website:

http://microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov/ .

USRA Point of Contact: Barbara Hammond Program Manager Education Programs Office hammond_at_epo.usra.edu

7. IAU Women in Astronomy Meeting
From: iAU

The IAU XXVII GA Women in Astronomy Meeting luncheon will be held on Monday 10 August. The WAM will run from 12.30 to 2.00pm and all IAU delegates are invited. The meeting will be held in the SulAmerica Convention Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The format of the WAM will be similar to previous meeting, with a keynote address followed by break out groups of 10-12 who will discuss various issues over lunch and then report back to the group over coffee. The keynote speakers will be Duilia de Mello of the Catholic University of America and the Goddard Space Flight Center and Thaisa Storchi Bergmann of the Instituto de Física-Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul who will give their perspectives of life as a Brazilian astronomer. The focus of the break out discussions will be on the current status of women in astronomy and to recommend future actions that will improve the environment for all astronomers.

Registration for the WAM is available via the IAU GA registration website.

http://www.astronomy2009.com.br/registration.html

There is a limit of 250 attendees, so please be sure to register avoid disappointment!

8. Women in Astronomy and Space Science Meeting 2009
From: Anne Kinney [anne.l.kinney_at_nasa.gov]

The next Women in Astronomy and Space Science 2009 meeting is to be held October 21-23, 2009 in College Park, MD. Registration is now open! Travel grants through the AAS are available for early-career attendees (graduate students and recent graduates).

The focus of the meeting is on the challenges of an increasingly diverse workforce. The goal of the conference is to provide individuals and institutions in the sciences with strategies and skills to succeed. At the conclusion of the conference, those who have attended will have a better understanding and awareness of:

- How to foster a work environment that promotes success. - The role of minority-serving institutions in preparing future scientists. - How professional societies can aid in recruiting, retaining and advancing scientists - What it takes to succeed in our competitive workforce - The different career path choices in Astronomy and Space Science - How to prepare for hiring or for promotion - Managing expectations in work life balance

For more information, please see

http://wia2009.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html .

For copies of the poster, please see

ftp://crucible.stsci.edu/WIA_2009_Poster/ .

9. SOAR Postdoctoral Fellow
From: Nicole S. van der Bliek [nvdbliek_at_ctio.noao.edu]

The Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) consortium invites applicants for a three-year postdoctoral fellow position at its facilities in Chile. The 4.1-m SOAR Telescope is a state-of-the-art observatory located on Cerro Pachón adjacent to Gemini-South. For details on the telescope and instrumentation see:

http://www.soartelescope.org

The position has equal components of research and functional time. Functional duties will include assisting the Director, and other SOAR staff, with monitoring and optimizing the performance of the telescope, maintaining and calibrating the existing instruments, commissioning new instruments and telescope capabilities, and helping develop plans to maximize the scientific productivity of the facility. The successful candidate will be expected to spend 50% of their time pursuing an active program of research, preferably including use of SOAR and its instruments. Every effort will be made to align the scientist's functional duties with his or her research interests, and scientific support includes a modest annual research budget and coverage for page charges.

The ideal candidate will be an observational astronomer with hands-on experience of instrumentation. Specific interest in optical spectroscopy, infrared imaging and spectroscopy, and/or adaptive optics is advantageous, but all skill sets relevant to SOAR will be considered. Familiarity with modern observatory operations and scientific data management, as well as experience in the use and development of data reduction procedures will also be favorably considered in the selection process.

Applications received prior to September 15, 2009 are assured of full consideration; however, the position is open until filled. The position is open to candidates from all countries and AURA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We actively support efforts to broaden participation in all Observatory activities. Women and candidates from underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. For full advertisement see:

http://www.ctio.noao.edu/

Applicants should submit electronically (preferred) to hrnoao_at_noao.edu, or by mail to the address below: a curriculum vita; a statement of current research interests, details of experience, and the name of three references. When applying for this position please reference SOAR Postdoctoral Fellow, Job #963.

Further details can be obtained from the Director of SOAR, Dr. Steve Heathcote, sheathcote_at_ctio.noao.edu.

Send resume to: Human Resources Office National Optical Astronomy Observatory P.O. Box 26732 Tucson, Arizona 85726-6732 Email: hrnoao_at_noao.edu FAX: 520-318-8456

10. NRAO Assistant Scientist/A
From: Dee Boyd [dlboyd_at_nrao.edu]

Minimum education required is a Ph.D. in astronomy, physics or a related field.

Benefits include medical and dental insurance, retirement benefits, vacation and sick leave accrual.

Applicants can apply online at

http://careers.nrao.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=50399

Letters of recommendation may be submitted separately via email to scurry_at_nrao.edu. Please reference "Assistant Scientist/A, GB00131" in the subject line. Review of applicants will begin immediately; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

11. Faculty Openings, Carnegie Mellon University
From: WIPHYS, July 20

The Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions at the junior or senior level associated with the Bruce and Astrid McWilliams Center for Cosmology.

The McWilliams Center for Cosmology, which has benefited from a major endowment gift to the university, joins efforts in particle physics and astrophysics within the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon. Historically, the Department has had a strong effort in particle theory and high-energy experiment. More recently, the Department has built up a theoretical and observational cosmology group, much of whose research is related to uncovering the nature of the dark part of the universe. The McWilliams Center synergizes these efforts within Physics and capitalizes on unique collaborative opportunities both within and outside Carnegie Mellon.

Powerful computing clusters have been created both within the McWilliams Center and in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science. Carnegie Mellon joined the LSST collaboration, has faculty working on BOSS in SDSS-III, and is engaged in trying to build a new type of radio telescope to explore the universe using the 21 cm radiation of neutral Hydrogen. Physical space for the McWilliams Center has been renovated within the Department of Physics. The first two McWilliams Postdoctoral Fellows are at the Center this year, and the first of several new faculty members has been hired. Please visit the Centers website at

http://www.cmu.edu/cosmology

for more details.

The research areas for the search include: theoretical astrophysics, with emphasis on computation and simulation; experimental astrophysics, with emphasis on the dark part of the universe and data mining; and theoretical particle physics, especially as related to LHC physics. We seek candidates with significant accomplishments and promise for further achievement in exploring the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Tenure-track appointments at the junior or senior level will be considered. Successful candidates are encouraged to enhance links between the Department of Physics and the School of Computer Science and the Department of Statistics at Carnegie Mellon, the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh.

Candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, publication list, statement of research plans, and arrange for three letters of recommendation sent to

Cosmology Search Committee Department of Physics Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

For full consideration, all materials should be received by October 15, 2009. Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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

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

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomenaas.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

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.

Friday, July 17, 2009

AASWomen for July 17, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 17, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers?

2. Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science Professors?

3. International Study Shows Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than Females with Science

4. Request for Numbers

5. South Asian Physics Foundation Student Conference Program Announcement

6. Permanent Faculty Position in Astronomy, Florida Institute of Technology

7. Two staff positions at NOAO-South, La Serena, Chile

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

9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

1. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers?
From: Various

[Last week we asked who you would put in the top ten for most inspirational women astronomer. Here's what you said - Eds.]

From: Jay Pasachoff <Jay.M.Pasachoff_at_williams.edu>

As for Michele Montgomery's posting of NewScientist's top 10 lists of most inspirational woman scientists of all time, I am glad to see that the brief biographies by Naomi Pasachoff (my wife) include #1 on the list both in the Oxford University Press's Portraits in Science series http://www.williams.edu/astronomy/solarcorona/naomi.html and on the American Institute of Physics Website: www.aip.org/history/curie.

But another of her subjects, Barbara McClintock, could arguably be in that top 10 list, ahead of some of the people listed.

From: Anonymous

My take on the NewScientist survery was this: why does there have to be a top 10? Surely if it was put another way - the top 10 males - it simply could not be done as there are so many who have given their contributions to science. The same applies to women - there are far to many to stop at just 10. There would also be a fair few women who are not widely recognised or known about, and perhaps this is a great opportunity to bring out the top 100 women in science and/or astronomy and give a small amount of information about each of them. It would be a fascinating and inspirational read.

From: Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog [ http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ ]

I would also list Caroline Herschel. I like to think that the new infrared space telescope (which just released some first light images today!) is named for her. I also think that Vera Rubin is a living legend in her own right.

2. Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science Professors?
From: Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog
[ http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ ]

From the Scientific American: "Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science Professors?":

Women who apply for tenure-track positions at top-tier research universities in math and sciences these days have a slightly better chance of landing the job than their male colleagues, says a new study funded by the National Science Foundation.

But that's just for those who apply, which is a good tick lower than those who earn PhDs. In chemistry, for example, women made up 32 percent of newly minted PhDs from 1999 to 2003 but accounted for only 18 percent of applicants to tenure-track positions.

Link to full Scientific American article at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=women-tenured-science-professors

3. Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than
Females with Science
From:Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog
[ http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ ]

From UVA Today: "Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than Females with Science":

Implicit stereotypes -- thoughts that people may be unwilling to express or may not even know that they have -- may have a powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics engagement and performance, according to a new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The international study involving more than half a million participants in 34 countries revealed that 70 percent harbor implicit stereotypes associating science with males more than with females. Moreover, in countries whose citizens stereotyped most strongly, boys achieved at a higher level in eighth-grade science and math.

Full story at http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=9054

4. Request for Numbers
From: Sharon Traweek [traweek_at_history.ucla.edu]

For a proposal research project, I have been seeking data unsuccessfully on the number of US-based women and/or minority post-PhD researchers now working in

*space based astronomy and *land based astronomy.

Ground and space-based research have different funding ecologies. Women/minorities might be distributed among those kinds of projects differently and possibly at different career stages. Within most fields, participants report that women and minorities are distributed among subfields in distinctive ways. However, very few databases identify gender/ethnic distributions among research specializations or by kind of research facilility.

In lieu of any currently available data I would appreciate any informed estimates with the usual multiple caveats.

5. South Asian Physics Foundation Student Conference Program
Announcement
From: WIPHYS, July 10, 2009

The South Asian Physics Foundation is pleased to announce our new Student Conference Program, which provides funds for South Asian physics students to attend international scientific conferences in South Asia. Its purpose is to encourage international contacts, collaborations and broadened perspectives among South Asian physics students while supporting promising research and scholarship. The program is open to all South Asian undergraduate or graduate students in any field of physics who are currently attending university in a South Asian country. Participants will have a unique opportunity to present a scientific paper or poster at a physics or physics-related conference in a South Asian country other than that of the student's university or citizenship.

For more information and an application, please visit our website at www.southasianphysicsfoundation.org.

SAPF is a new nonprofit organization supporting international collaboration in physics in South Asia. We welcome comments and suggestions on this topic.

-- Jessica Hirschfelder and Vidhya Ramachandran, founders

6. Permanent Faculty Position in Astronomy, Florida Institute of
Technology
From: Terry Oswalt [toswalt_at_fit.edu]

The Department of Physics and Space Sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology invites applications for a permanent faculty position that preferably will begin in August 2009. This position may be at any rank, assistant through full professor. Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in observational astronomy and an interest in serving as director of the Ortega Observatory on the FIT campus. The successful candidate will also have guaranteed access to the SARA facilities at Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo. Candidates with experience in astronomical instrumentation, planetary, galactic and/or extragalactic research are particularly encouraged.

Florida Tech is located on the eastern coast of central Florida, just south of the Kennedy Space Center. Information about the Department can be found at http://cos.fit.edu/pss/ .

To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, statement of research and teaching experience, and the names of at least three references to

searchpss_at_fit.edu or via regular mail to

Faculty Search Committee Dept. of Physics and Space Sciences Florida Institute of Technology 150 W. University Blvd. Melbourne FL 32901 USA.

The review of applications will begin on June 15th, however applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. FIT is an equal opportunity employer.

7. Two staff positions at NOAO-South, La Serena, Chile
From: Nicole S. van der Bliek [nvdbliek_at_ctio.noao.edu]

Assistant or Associate Astronomer, Job No. 949 Scientist, Job No. 950

Excerpt of the job postings For full postings see: http://www.ctio.noao.edu

The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) invites applications for two scientific staff positions, both based at NOAO-South, the site of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), in La Serena, Chile.

The astronomer position is a tenure track position, with up to 50% time for individual research and 50% time devoted to observatory duties. The scientist position is a parallel track position, with up to 20% for individual research and 80% time devoted to observatory duties.

The ideal candidates will be observational astronomers with several years of experience in astronomical instrumentation and instrument support. Specific interest in opical spectroscopy and/or infrared imaging and spectroscopy is advantageous, but all skill sets relevant to CTIO will be considered. Familiarity with modern observatory operations and scientific data management will also be favorable considered in the selection process.

Applicants will be considered at all levels. NOAO is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. AURA and NOAO actively support efforts to broaden participation in all Observatory activities. Women and candidates from underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications received prior to September 1, 2009 are assured of full consideration; however, the position will remain open until filled. Applications should include a curriculum vita; a statement of current professional interests and how those interests align with the NOAO program; and the names of three references. When applying for this position please refer to the job title and job number above. Application materials should be submitted electronically (preferred) to hrnoao_at_noao.edu, or by mail to address below.

Further details can be obtained from the Director for CTIO, Dr. R. Chris Smith (director_at_ctio.noao.edu). Profiles of some NOAO Scientists and Astronomers have been posted on the NOAO webpages, to give potential applicants a snapshot of what these positions involve and what it is like to work at NOAO. Please see http://www.noao.edu/staffdir/profiles.php

Send resume to:

Human Resources Office National Optical Astronomy Observatory P.O. Box 26732 Tucson, Arizona 85726-6732 Email: hrnoao_at_noao.edu FAX: 520-318-8494

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

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.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Quick links

I'm a little behind the times with these articles, but here goes:

From the Scientific American: "Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science Professors?":

Women who apply for tenure-track positions at top-tier research universities in math and sciences these days have a slightly better chance of landing the job than their male colleagues, says a new study funded by the National Science Foundation.

But that's just for those who apply, which is a good tick lower than those who earn PhDs. In chemistry, for example, women made up 32 percent of newly minted PhDs from 1999 to 2003 but accounted for only 18 percent of applicants to tenure-track positions.

From UVA Today: "Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than Females with Science":

Implicit stereotypes – thoughts that people may be unwilling to express or may not even know that they have – may have a powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics engagement and performance, according to a new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The international study involving more than half a million participants in 34 countries revealed that 70 percent harbor implicit stereotypes associating science with males more than with females. Moreover, in countries whose citizens stereotyped most strongly, boys achieved at a higher level in eighth-grade science and math.

(h/t: Alice of Alice's Astro Info)

Friday, July 10, 2009

Most Inspirational Women Astronomers

From today's AASWOMEN:

4. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]
[Last week's item from the NewScientist survey on "Most Inspirational Woman Scientist Revealed" triggered several comments. Perhaps we should come up with a list of inspirational women astronomers. Who would you put in the top ten? - Eds.]

Jocelyn Bell Burnell was #4 on the NewScientist list.

One AASWOMEN reader wanted to know, "Where is Cecilia Payne, perhaps the greatest astronomer and one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century?"

What about Henrietta Leavitt, Maria Mitchell, and Annie Cannon? All three inspired me.

Your turn, blog readers: who would you consider the most inspirational women astronomers?

AASWOMEN for July 10, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 10, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. Engineering Pamphlet for Girls

2. Professional Skills Development Workshop

3. Field Theory

4. Most Inspirational Woman Astronomers?

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

6. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

1. Engineering Pamphlet for Girls
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]

A colleague of mine sent me this link to an engineering pamphlet for girls:

http://engineeryourlife.org/cms/8750.aspx?subpage=10324

While exploring the web site, I found this:

A coalition of more than 55 engineering organizations set out to discover why so few academically prepared high school girls were entering engineering programs, and what could be done to increase their numbers. Two findings stood out:

(1) Girls (as well as their parents, teachers, and counselors) believe that engineers must be exceptional at both math and science and that engineering is difficult and challenging.

(2) It is the engineering community that is contributing to their limited understanding of the profession.

Rather than conveying what it's like to be an engineer, and sharing what we love about the field with young people, we tend to discuss the process of becoming an engineer, concentrating on the necessary qualifications and emphasizing all of the potential hurdles along the way. What's emphasized to girls (and boys) is how challenging the process is, not the reasons one would want to become an engineer in the first place. In a well-meaning effort to arm potential engineers with a healthy dose of realism, we often forget to also convey what is attractive and meaningful about the profession.

Changing just a few words would make this directly relevant to astronomy. For all of us teaching undergraduates, mentoring an REU student, doing outreach in local schools, etc. remember this advice from our engineering sisters and brothers: share what you love about being an astronomer!

If you've lost that love in the hustle and bustle of everyday life - proposal deadlines, grading exams, applying for your next job, etc. - take some time to rediscover it. It will not only be good for you personally but also for the next generation of astronomers.

2. Professional Skills Development Workshop
From: Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog

[From http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/2009/07/professional-skills-development.html ]

Mark your calendars: here's a heads up for those of you planning to attend the Women in Astronomy Meeting in College Park, MD on October 21-23. There will be a professional skills development workshop held the day before the meeting, on October 20, on the topic of Negotiation. The workshop is intended primarily at postdocs, but graduate students and young faculty may be accommodated depending on space.

3. Field Theory
From: Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog

http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/2009/07/field-theory.html

4. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers?
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]

[Last week's item from the NewScientist survey on "Most Inspirational Woman Scientist Revealed" triggered several comments. Perhaps we should come up with a list of inspirational women astronomers. Who would you put in the top ten? - Eds.]

Jocelyn Bell Burnell was #4 on the NewScientist list.

One AASWOMEN reader wanted to know, "Where is Cecilia Payne, perhaps the greatest astronomer and one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century?"

What about Henrietta Leavitt, Maria Mitchell, and Annie Cannon? All three inspired me.

5. 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

6. 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.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Professional Skills Development Workshop

Friday, July 3, 2009

AASWOMEN for July 3, 2009

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 3, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery

This week's issues:

1. Draft AAS Statement On Professional Ethics

2. Lunar and Solar Eclipses in July

3. Most inspirational woman scientist revealed

4. Wiki on Women Astronomers

5. ASP Conference and Workshop Scholarship Deadline Extended

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

7. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

1. Draft AAS Statement On Professional Ethics
From: AAS

The AAS has drafted a statement on professional ethics on June 7, 2009 (see below). AAS members are asked to login to the AAS Forum at

http://forums.aas.org/

and provide comments. The comments will appear online after a moderator has approved them.

AAS Statement on Professional Ethics: The mission of the American Astronomical Society is to enhance and share humanity's scientific understanding of the Universe. We believe the advancement of astronomy requires that we provide ethical guidelines for AAS members and, for that matter, anyone involved in professional astronomical activities.

Every astronomer is a citizen of the community of science. Each shares responsibility for the welfare of this community. We endorse the statement of the American Physical Society that "Science is best advanced when there is mutual trust, based upon honest behavior, throughout the community." All scientists should act ethically in the conduct of their research, in teaching and education, and in relations with both members of the public and other members of the scientific community. We have a special responsibility to students and postdocs to train them in ethical conduct.

The American Astronomical Society believes that the following are the minimal standards of ethical behavior relating to the profession.

CONDUCT TOWARDS OTHERS

All people encountered in one's professional life should be treated with respect. Discourse should be civil. Scientists should work to provide an environment that encourages the free expression and exchange of scientific ideas. They should promote equality of opportunity and treatment for all their colleagues, regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities, or any other reason not related to scientific merit. This principle is clearly stated in our By-Laws.

More senior members of the society, especially research supervisors, have a special responsibility to facilitate the research, educational, and professional development of students and subordinates. This includes providing safe, supportive working environments, fair compensation and appropriate acknowledgment of their contribution to any research results. In addition, supervisors should encourage the timely advance of graduate students and young professionals in their career aspirations.

It is also incumbent on senior members of our society to inform more junior members of these ethical issues and of institutional and government guidelines, policies and precedures related to the oversight and maintenance of ethical standards for research and conduct. It is the responsibility of all members of our society to familiarize themselves with such guidelines, policies and procedures.

RESEARCH

It is an ethical responsiblity that research results be recorded and maintained in a form that allows review, analysis, and reproduction by others. It is incumbent on researchers involved in large, publicly-supported studies to make results available in a timely manner.

Fabrication of data or selective reporting of data with the intent to mislead or deceive is unethical and unacceptable, as is the appropriation of data or research results from others without permission and attribution.

It should be recognized that honest error is an integral part of the scientific enterprise. It is not unethical to be wrong, provided that errors are promptly acknowledged and corrected when they are detected.

PUBLICATION AND AUTHORSHIP PRACTICES

All persons who have made significant contributions to a work intended for publication should be offered the opportunity to be listed as authors. This includes all those who have contributed intellectually to the inception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. Other individuals who have contributed to a study should be appropriately acknowledged. The sources of financial support for any project should be acknowledged/disclosed. All collaborators share responsibility for any paper they coauthor, and every coauthor should have the opportunity to review a manuscript before its submission.

Proper acknowledgement of the work of others must always be given, and complete referencing is an essential part of any astronomical research publication. Authors have an obligation to their colleagues and the scientific community to include a set of references that communicates the precedents, sources, and context of the reported work. Deliberate omission of a pertinent author or reference is unacceptable. Data provided by others must be cited appropriately, even if obtained from a public database.

All authors are responsible for providing prompt corrections or retractions if errors are found in published works.

Plagiarism is the presentation of others' words, ideas or scientific results as if they were one's own. Citations to others' work must be clear, complete, and correct. Plagiarism is unethical behavior and is never acceptable.

Authors, editors and referees should also be aware of the professional and ethical standards that have been adopted for the AAS journals ( http://aas.org/ethicsPolicy ).

PEER REVIEW

Peer review is an essential component of many aspects of the scientific process such as evaluating research proposals, publishing research results, and evaluating colleagues for career advancement.

Peer review can serve its intended function only if the members of the scientific community are prepared to provide thorough, fair, and objective evaluations based on requisite expertise. Although peer review can be difficult and time-consuming, scientists have an obligation to participate in the process.

Reviewers should disclose conflicts of interest resulting from direct competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with those they are reviewing and recuse themselves from cases where such conflicts preclude an objective evaluation. It is unethical to seek to gain an advantage by means of reviewing the work of others.

Privileged information or ideas that are obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for competitive gain.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Many activities of scientists and educators have the potential for a conflict of interest. Any professional relationship or action that may either be or be perceived as a conflict of interest should be fully disclosed. Most organizations or activities have mechanisms for managing conflicts, for example, through recusal. If a conflict of interest cannot be properly managed, the activity should be avoided or discontinued.

2. Lunar and Solar Eclipses in July
From: Michele Montgomery [montgomery_at_physics.ucf.edu]

July 7, 2009 is a penumbral lunar eclipse and July 22, 2009 is the longest solar eclipse of this century. To check whether you are in the right location to view these eclipses, see

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2009.html .

3. Most inspirational woman scientist revealed
From: Michele Montgomery [montgomery_at_physics.ucf.edu]

NewScientist Magazine issue 2715 dated July 2, 2009 lists the top 10 most inspirational woman scientists of all time. Physics took the number 1 spot and astrophysics took the 4th. Do you agree with this list and the order? See

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327156.600-most-inspirational-woman-scientist-revealed.html .

4. Wiki on Women Astronomers
From: Michele Montgomery [montgomery_at_physics.ucf.edu]

A wiki has been started on women astronomers. Is anyone missing? Are you missing?

http://astronomycompendium.wikispaces.com/Women+Astronomers

5. ASP Conference and Workshop Scholarship Deadline Extended
From: Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Although the regular abstract submission deadline to the September 12-16 ASP annual meeting has passed, limited space for late abstract proposals may be available. Submit inquiries or your late abstract to 2009meeting_at_astrosociety.org before July 31, 2009.

ASP is also hosting a series of workshops the weekend prior to the ASP annual meeting. The workshops,

http://www.astrosociety.org/events/2009mtg/workshops.html ,

are for teachers, informal educators, and amateur astronomers engaged in public outreach. Thanks to the support of the Spitzer Space Center, a limited number of up-to-$750 scholarships are available to eligible participants to help defray travel and lodging costs. The workshop scholarship deadline is July 22, 2009.

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

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

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomenaas.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

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.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Field Theory

This week, I had the pleasure of playing in the Mud Cup, the semi-annual soccer game played between the two departments at my former place of employment. One of the rules we have adopted is that each team must field a minimum of two women at any time. This form of affirmative action is necessary because while we can claim equality in terms of intellectual ability, you can't get around the fact that men are generally faster and stronger. It's meant to be a friendly game of soccer rather than a high-stakes competition, and we women would like to get the chance to play, hence the rule.

At the post-game party, I got to talking with a friend who coaches his sons' soccer teams. One year, his team practiced at the same time and place as a girls' team. The coaches got the teams together to play scrimmages against each other. My friend noted that the boys would either get super-aggressive against the girls, or back off completely. "These guys here do the same thing," I replied, indicating the soccer players around us.

It seems to me that this sort of attitude carries over from the soccer field into science, too. Some male scientists feel threatened by women who compete with them, and aggressively attack the women's ideas. Some take a condescending attitude toward women scientists, along the lines of, "oh how cute, she's trying to act like a scientist," and they dismiss the women's ideas altogether. Fortunately, though, there are also those who treat us with respect as colleagues, or even competitors, on an equal footing.

To conclude, I'll mention that while my team was vastly outnumbered by our opponents, meaning that we had far fewer players to substitute in. We ended up having to substitute women in for men, and by the end we had five women on the field to their three. Still, we came out victorious. It only goes to show that women's contributions can be invaluable, whether on the soccer field, or in the field of science.