Women In Astronomy: AASWomen Newsletter for September 15, 2017

AAS Committee on the Status of Women AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of September 15, 2017
eds: Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Cristina Thomas, and Maria Patterson

This week's issues:

1. The Power of Stories
From: Joan Schmelz via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com

"I have never been a story teller. I’ve never developed the flare, pacing, and audience connections needed to tell a good story. So when I attended the “Women in Business – Transitioning to Leadership” workshop at the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) Kenan-Flagler Business School in May, I wasn’t expecting to tell a story. Dr. Heidi Schultz, Clinical Professor of Management and Corporate Communication at UNC and the facilitator of our Wednesday afternoon session, told us that the story a speaker tells is often the only thing an audience remembers! Once I heard that, I realized that I wanted to know more about the power of stories."

2. SparkDialog: Women in Science- Ruby Payne-Scott
From: Elizabeth Fernandez [elizabeth.rose.fernandez_at_gmail.com]

What was it like for women in the sciences at the beginning of the 20th century? In this podcast episode, Dr. Elizabeth Fernandez, host of SparkDialog Podcasts, is joined by Dr. Miller Goss to discuss one woman in particular – Ruby Payne-Scott. Ruby was a brilliant radio astrophysicist who also fought for equal rights for women in the workforce, and her career was shaped by WWII, sexism, her marriage, and when she had children. Miller is a radio astronomer who wrote a book about Ruby’s life. We discuss what it was like for women 100 years ago, and how far we have come.

To learn more and to listen:

http://sparkdialog.com/women-in-science-ruby-payne-scott

3. Astronomy Ambassadors Workshop for Early-Career AAS Members
From: Rick Fienberg [rick.fienberg_at_aas.org]

The AAS Astronomy Ambassadors program supports early-career AAS members with training in resources and techniques for effective outreach to K-12 students, families, and the public: https://aas.org/outreach/aas-astronomy-ambassadors-program

The next AAS Astronomy Ambassadors workshop will be held 7-8 January 2018 at the 231st AAS meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, near Washington, DC. The number of participants is limited. We will have sessions appropriate for both those who have done some outreach already and those just starting their outreach adventures, and we especially encourage applications from members of groups that are presently underrepresented in science. If interested, please complete the online application form by 19 October 2017.

More workshop information: https://aas.org/meetings/aas231/aas-astronomy-ambassadors-workshop

Online application: https://aas.org/content/aas-astronomy-ambassadors-program-2018-application

4. DPS Professional Culture and Climate Subcommittee call for membership
From: Christina Richey [christina.r.richey_at_nasa.gov]

The DPS Professional Culture and Climate Subcommittee (PCCS) is currently soliciting nominations (including self-nominations) for membership for a two-year term. The purpose of the PCCS is to work towards making the community of planetary scientists an environment in which professional merit is the only criterion that determines each person’s success. The detailed charge of the PCCS, along with a list of current members, is available on the DPS web site: https://dps.aas.org/leadership/climate

The PCCS is seeking new members who are interested in working on issues that promote a broadly inclusive professional planetary science community. Members are expected to participate in bi-monthly telecons, along with completing individual or group tasks between our regularly scheduled calls. Any active DPS member who is interested in participating in the PCCS should send an expression of interest containing: - a 2-3 sentence biographical sketch - a 2-3 sentence description of why you wish you serve on PCCS, including a description of any prior experience you may have in working on diversity and inclusion-related issues

Expressions of interest should be sent tothe PCCS Incoming Chair, Julie Rathbun, at rathbun_at_psi.edu

5. Mae Jemison, First Black Woman in Space, Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Her Flight
From: Maria Patterson [mtpatter_at_uw.edu]

"On September 12, 1992, astronaut Mae Jemison became the first woman of color to travel into space when she served as the science mission specialist on the STS-47 Spacelab-J. Jemison launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the Endeavour and returned to earth on September 20 of that year, after 127 orbits of the Earth. In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of that historic space flight, Jemison is hosting a party—25 Strong—under the Endeavour space shuttle at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on September 15."

Read her interview at

http://observer.com/2017/09/interview-with-dr-mae-jemison-first-black-woman-in-space-on-25-year-anniversary

6. Girl Scouts 'Reach for the Stars' with New Space Science Badges
From: Maria Patterson [mtpatter_at_uw.edu]

"The Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has teamed up with NASA and the SETI Institute to create a new series of space science badges.

The program, called "Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts," features six new badges that align with NASA's space sciences: astrophysics, planetary science and heliophysics. The program is designed to encourage girls to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies, according to a statement from the SETI Institute."

	Katie Eckert
	Regina Jorgenson
	JoEllen McBride
	Christina Richey
	Joan Schmelz

Friday, September 15, 2017

AASWomen Newsletter for September 15, 2017