Issue of September 21, 2012
eds. Caroline Simpson, Michele Montgomery, Daryl Haggard, and Nick Murphy
This week's issues:
1. Parental Leave Wiki on AstroBetter
3. The Subtle `Stereotype Threat' That May Be Driving Women Out of Science-Related Fields
4. Online Mentors to Guide Women Into the Sciences
5. Planning Career Paths for Ph.D.s
7. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter
8. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter
9. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter
1. Parental Leave Wiki on AstroBetter
From: Nick Murphy via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Last year, our colleagues at AstroBetter provided wiki space to catalog parental leave policies at astronomical institutions:
http://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Leave+Policies
The goals of this wiki are: (1) to allow astronomers at different career stages to easily compare parental leave policies, and (2) to encourage institutions to enact better parental leave policies by showing how they compare with peer institutions.
To read more, please see
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Back to top.2. The Name Game
From: Nicolle Zellner via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Ms., Mrs., Mr., Doctor, Professor... what do your students call you?
As we start the new school year and I teach a new crop of first-year students at a liberal arts (LA) college, I'm again faced with a big decision - how should I have my students address me? I'm proud of the work I did in graduate school and my position at my college. We all worked hard to earn our PhDs - blood, sweat, tears, sacrifices...you know the story. Surely, asking the students to call me "Dr." or "Professor" is appropriate, right?
To read more, please see
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Back to top.3. The Subtle `Stereotype Threat' That May Be Driving Women Out of Science-Related Fields
According to new research into the glaring gender gap in science and math-related fields, the psychological phenomenon known as the "stereotype threat" may be discouraging female scientists from relishing their work, which sucks because without more women entering the scientific workforce, America is probably going to soon become a nation of cave-dwelling primates that believe thunder is just God's giant cosmic dog thumping against celestial floorboards in an effort to scratch behind its ear. Or some such non-scientific wackiness.
To read more, please see
or
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Back to top.4. Online Mentors to Guide Women Into the Sciences
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]
Hundreds of prominent women working in science, technology, engineering and math will become online mentors for college students next month, part of a six-week program to encourage young women to pursue careers in STEM fields.
"I think of this as a MOOC - a massive open online course - and a big mentor-fest," said Maria Klawe, the president of Harvey Mudd College and a sponsor of the project. "Getting more women into STEM is my passion in life, and every institution thats set up mentorship programs for young women has been successful at increasing their numbers, so I think this can make a real difference."
To read more, please see
or
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Back to top.5. Planning Career Paths for Ph.D.s
From: Nancy Brickhouse [nbrickhouse_at_cfa.harvard.edu]
The 7 Sept 2012 issue of Science has an editorial on "Planning Career Paths for Ph.D.s" by Jim Austin and Bruce Alberts:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/337/6099/1149.full
A free web application is now available for the purpose of long-career planning, starting at the postdoctoral level:
http://myidp.sciencecareers.org
While originally directed toward the biomedical field, this application is also pertinent to astronomers.
Back to top.6. Job Opportunities
* CIERA Postdoctoral Fellowship, Northwestern University, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics
http://ciera.northwestern.edu/Research/fellowships.php#ciera
* Lindheimer Postdoctoral Fellowship, Northwestern University, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics
http://ciera.northwestern.edu/Research/fellowships.php#lindheimer
* Postdoctoral Positions in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Northwestern University, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics
http://ciera.northwestern.edu/Research/fellowships.php#astronomy
* Employment Opportunities at Gemini Observatory ( http://www.gemini.edu/jobs ) -Adaptive Optics Scientist: http://www.gemini.edu/jobs#138 -Intern, Hilo, Hawaii: http://www.gemini.edu/jobs#144 -Science Operations Specialists, La Serena, Chile: http://www.gemini.edu/jobs#132 -Science Operation Specialist, Hilo, Hawaii: http://www.gemini.edu/jobs#112 -Data Process Developer, Hilo, Hawaii: http://www.gemini.edu/jobs#41
* Education Support Scientist, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, http://www.sonoma.edu - go to Jobs - then External Applications - then Position 103489
* NAASC Postdoctoral Fellow, NRAO, Charlottesville, VA
https://careers.nrao.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=50837
Job seekers are encouraged to check the WIPHYS newsletter for additional postings:
http://lists.apsmsgs.org/read/?forum=wiphys
Back to top.7. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter
To submit an item to the AASWOMEN newsletter, including replies to topics, send an email to aaswomen_at_aas.org
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Back to top.8. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter
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Back to top.9. Access to Past Issues
http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html
Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.
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Back to top.
For what it is worth, students sometimes call me, "Dr. Doug."
ReplyDeleteThat usually happens in smaller classes where it is possible to establish a good classroom climate. In a class of 160 it is a little more formal.
I encourage "Dr. Doug" because it acknowledges my degree but also an aspect of friendliness. I expect respect in the classroom (student-student and student-faculty) but I am also very aware that many students are intimidated about speaking up. I make it clear that thoughtful answers that are wrong are appreciated and won't be held against students. In fact, we talk about what the classroom atmosphere should be, and I tell them what it is like at scientific meetings. They are almost always amazed. They think that faculty only speak the truth, and are sedate, because that's how we behave when they see us. They don't see us with our peers.