AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of June 1, 2018
eds: Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Cristina Thomas, and Maria Patterson
This week's issues:
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From: Aparna Venkatesan via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
Please join the CSWA at the 232nd AAS meeting in Denver, CO, June 3-7, starting this coming weekend! Here are a few sessions with CSWA support and/or participation, and diversity/inclusion meeting events of general interest.
1. "Student Reception: Orientation & Grad School Fair and Student Pavilion", Sunday June 3, 5:30 - 7 PM, Governor's Square 15. Please encourage your students (undergraduate and graduate), and junior professionals to attend and network with their peers and mentors.
2. Special Session on AAS Taskforce on Diversity and Inclusion in Astronomy Graduate Education, Monday June 4, 10:40-12:10, Governor's Square 16. The AAS Board of Trustees has undertaken a 2-stage effort to update the 1996 report on graduate education. The recommendations will include the collection of vital data, a menu of evidence-based approaches related to recruitment and enrollment of talented and diverse graduate students, and practices leading to broadly successful graduation rates.
3. Special Session on Indigenous Knowledge in 21st Century Science, Tuesday June 5, 10:40-12:10, Governor's Square 16. This session is sponsored by the CSMA and CSWA, with confirmed speakers Dr. Nancy Maryboy (Indigenous Education Institute, and University of Washington), Dr. David Begay (Indigenous Education Institute, and University of New Mexico), Dr. Isabel Hawkins (San Francisco Exploratorium), and Ka'iu Kimura ('Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i).
4. Special Session on Decadal Survey Preparations: State of the Profession, Wed. June 6, 10:40-12:10, Governor's Square 10.
Find additional information at:
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From: Regina Jorgenson [rjorgenson_at_mariamitchell.org]
The Maria Mitchell Women in Science Symposium will take place on October 5 and 6 at the Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley, MA. Celebrating the 200th birthday of Maria Mitchell, America’s first woman astronomer (1818 - 1889), this Symposium is designed to serve as an inspiration and support for women and other minoritized groups studying, working and teaching in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Keynote speakers include renown astronomers Jill Tarter and Meg Urry, as well as internationally acclaimed author Dava Sobel ('The Glass Universe,' 'Longitude,' 'Galileo’s Daughter’). For information and registration, please visit https://www.mmwiss.org/
Early bird registration before July 1. Limited number of scholarships available for students and teachers!
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From: Cristina Thomas [cristina.thomas_at_nau.edu]
By Meredith Wadman
"As high-profile sexual harassment cases fuel public criticism, the presidents of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced last week they may adopt new policies allowing the prestigious bodies to eject members who have committed harassment and other forms of misconduct. Members of the academies—which serve as both honorific societies and advisers to the U.S. government—are elected by existing members to life-long terms, and the bodies currently lack mechanisms for removing them for harassment.
Because scientists and the public “place much trust” in the three Washington, D.C.–based academies, their leadership councils “have begun a dialogue about the standards of professional conduct for membership,” the presidents said in a 22 May statement. “We want to be sure that we are doing everything possible to prevent sexual harassment, to instill a culture of inclusion and respect, and to reinforce that harassment is not tolerated.” The statement was signed by Marcia McNutt, head the National Academy of Sciences (NAS); C. D. Mote Jr., head of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE); and Victor Dzau, head of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)."
Read more at:
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From: Cristina Thomas [cristina.thomas_at_nau.edu]
By John Ross
"Scientific societies offer an underappreciated avenue for female academics to burst through the glass ceiling, a study suggests.
An Australian-led research team found that women are more equitably represented in the top ranks of academic societies than universities. The study, published in the journal Plos One, analysed the leadership of more than 200 zoological societies around the world.
It found that women held 33 per cent of board positions and 25 per cent of senior roles such as president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Lead author Dominique Potvin said that, while this was far from perfect, it compared favourably with university science departments, where only about 22 per cent of higher positions were occupied by women."
Read more at:
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For those interested in increasing excellence and diversity in their organizations, a list of resources and advice is here: https://cswa.aas.org/diversity.html#howtoincrease
-Physics & Astronomy Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA
-Systems Software Engineer, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD
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