Issue of April 13, 2012
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson, and Michele Montgomery
This week's issues:
1. What YOU can do to promote gender equality in astronomy
2. Stop Sexual Assault and Violence
3. At M.I.T., Success Comes With Unexpected Consequences
4. This Week on the CSWA Twitter Feed
5. Pregnancy and Science Careers
6. Einstein's Advice to a Little Girl Who Wants to Be a Scientist
7. 2013 Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring
9. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter
10. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter
11. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter
1. What YOU can do to promote gender equality in astronomy
From: Meredith Hughes via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
[This week's guest blogger is Meredith Hughes. Meredith is currently a Miller Fellow at UC Berkeley. Her research involves using millimeter-wavelength interferometry to study the process of planet formation. - eds.]
Sometimes when I think about how to promote gender equality in astronomy, I feel a bit inadequate. My personal life is relatively uncomplicated and I've had a blessedly easy time on the job market so far -- so as a mentor or a crusader, I don't have a lot of experience overcoming adversity to draw on (knock on wood). And I'm already working hard to make a career for myself as an astronomer, so I'm not exactly jumping up and down to start a second career as an activist. At the same time, issues of equality are deeply compelling to me. I've seen friends and colleagues affected by the cultural and sociological barriers that disproportionately limit women's participation in the field. I twitch every time I hear affirmative action backlash. I want to do something. And I imagine I'm not the only one. But what? How can I best use the time, skills, and experience that I have to promote gender equality?
To read more:
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Back to top.2. Stop Sexual Assault and Violence
From: Ed Bertschinger via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
American women and men in astronomy are generally safe against personal violence. However, sexual harassment, assault and other forms of misconduct are a continuing problem for men and women, especially against women. Moreover, our sisters elsewhere are subject to state-sponsored, gender-based violence and discrimination that must not be forgotten. It is fitting that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Universities are not immune to allegations of sexual abuse, including but not restricted to recent high profile cases involving sports coaches and teams. Is this a taboo subject in the astronomical community? I hope not, and was pleased to see that the Yale Women's Faculty Forum, currently led by astronomer Priya Natarajan, was able to increase awareness of and effect change in policies concerning sexual misconduct at Yale. Other universities would benefit from the example of institutional change accomplished by the Yale women described at Change Magazine. [http://www.changemag.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/2012/March-April%202012/Imlementing-full.html
To read more:
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Back to top.3. At M.I.T., Success Comes With Unexpected Consequences
From: Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo via CSWA Facebook page
Not incredibly surprising, but I thought it would be good to share this here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/us/21mit.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
At M.I.T., Success Comes With Unexpected Consequences Twelve years after M.I.T. sought to end discrimination against female faculty members, a study shows progress has come with a new perception -- a belief that women are given an unfair advantage.
Back to top.4. This week on the CSWA twitter feed
From: Caroline Simpson [simpsonc_at_fiu.edu]
A few tweets and retweets from AAS CSWA - go to twitter.com for the embedded links and stories.
* Mexicans Silvia Torres amp; Manuel Peimbert awarded Hans Bethe Prize by APSphysics for outstanding work on Astrophysics (retweeted from Arturo Sarukhan)
* Nice list of resources for finding mentors for women in STEM amp; creating a successful relationship http://www.underthemicroscope.com/blog/how-to-find-mentors-for-women-in-science-technology-engineering-and-math (retweeted from AAUW STEM)
* Fighting back against "Imposter Syndrome" - http://womeninplanetaryscience.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/fighting-back-against-imposter-syndrome via @WomenPlanetSci (retweeted from STEMinist)
Back to top.5. Pregnancy and Science Careers
From: Nancy Brickhouse [nbrickhouse_at_cfa.harvard.edu]
An article by Sue V. Rosser at insidehighered.com discusses the issue of pregnant scientists:
Back to top.6. Einstein's Advice to a Little Girl Who Wants to Be a Scientist
From: Harley A. Thronson [harley.a.thronson_at_nasa.gov]
Charming . . .
Women in Science: Einstein's Advice to a Little Girl Who Wants to Be a Scientist http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/04/09/dear-professor-einstein-girl
Back to top.7. 2013 Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring
From: WIPHYS, April 12, 2012
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is seeking nominations for the 2013 Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring. The award is open to all individuals who are U. S. citizens or permanent residents and to U.S. entities, including academia, corporate, government and non-profits organizations and companies. The application deadline is June 6, 2012. Apply at
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11563/nsf11563.htm
Back to top.8. AAS Prize Nominations
From: AAS Electronic Announcement #231 - April 2012
Deadline: 30 June 2012
The AAS needs your help in getting due recognition for our most outstanding colleagues. Nominations for the AAS Prizes for 2013 must arrive in the Secretary's Office by 30 June 2012. Members may obtain the Prize nomination instructions online at http://aas.org/prizes/nominations
Electric submission to aassec@aas.org is encouraged. To obtain a hard copy of the nomination form, please email aassec@aas.org.
Back to top.9. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter
To submit an item to the AASWOMEN newsletter, including replies to topics, send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org
All material will be posted unless you tell us otherwise, including your email address.
Please remember to replace "_at_" in the e-mail address above.
Back to top.10. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter
Join AAS Women List by email:
aaswlist+subscribe_at_aas.org
Be sure to follow the instructions in the confirmation email. (Just reply back to the email list)
Join AAS Women List by link:
https://groups.google.com/a/aas.org/group/aaswlist/subscribe?hl=en
You will have to create a Google Account if you do not already have one, using https://accounts.google.com/newaccount?hl=en
Google Groups Subscribe Help:
http://support.google.com/groups/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=46606
Please remember to replace "_at_" in the e-mail address above.
Back to top.11. Access to Past Issues
http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html
Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.
Back to top.
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