Issue of December 14, 2018
eds: Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Cristina Thomas, Maria Patterson, and JoEllen McBride, guest ed. Alessandra Aloisi
This week's issues:
1. The First Lady Astronaut Trainees: Time for a Congressional Gold Medal
2. This Brilliant Woman Could Have Won a Physics Nobel for India. Yet Few Indians Know Her Story.
3. Introducing the 2019 Franklin Institute Awards Laureates
5. Ethnic minority academics earn less than white colleagues
6. It's Unscientific To Credit 'Inherent Differences' For Underrepresentation In Science
7. Rise of the Science Ph.D. Dropout
8. Gender Diversity Is Urgently Needed Say Prominent Women In Technology
9. World's Top 50 Women In Tech 2018
11. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter
12. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter
13. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter
1. The First Lady Astronaut Trainees: Time for a Congressional Gold Medal
From: Nicolle Zellner via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com
The Congressional Gold Medal, our nation's highest civilian honor, has been given over 200 times. Less than 10% of the medals have been received by women and less than that have been awarded for outstanding contributions in air and space exploration. The good news is that legislation to award Gold Medals to the "Hidden Figures" is moving forward and the better news is that momentum is building to also support a nomination for the First Lady Astronaut Trainees (FLATs), also known as the "Mercury 13".
Read more at
http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-first-lady-astronaut-trainees-time.html
Back to top.2. This Brilliant Woman Could Have Won a Physics Nobel for India. Yet Few Indians Know Her Story.
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzeller_at_albion.edu]
Little is known about physicist Bibha Chowdhuri, but authors Dr. Rajinder Singh (historian) and Suprakash C. Roy (physicist) have published a book about her life. Notably, she worked at almost all of the premier science institutions in India and published studies that would lead others to receive Nobel prizes.
Read more at
https://www.thebetterindia.com/165333/india-physicist-nobel-prize-bibha-chowdhuri-cosmic-rays-news
Back to top.3. Introducing the 2019 Franklin Institute Awards Laureates
From: Meg Urry [meg.urry_at_yale.edu]
Now here is a list of prizes you can get excited about.
"Since 1824, The Franklin Institute of Philadelphia has honored the legacy of Benjamin Franklin by presenting awards for outstanding achievements in science, engineering, and industry. Past laureates include Thomas Edison, Marie Curie, Claude Shannon, Jane Goodall, Nikola Tesla, Stephen Hawking, Edward Lorenz, the Wright Brothers, Bill Gates, and Albert Einstein."
Read about this year's laureates at
Back to top.4. Sexual Misconduct Allegations against Neil deGrasse Tyson Reveal the Complexity of Academic Inequality
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]
I think this offers a different perspective of the Tyson situation. It's also written by a fellow physicist.
"Accusations that the astrophysicist harassed women remind us that racial and gender bias continue to harm science and scientists."
Read more at
Back to top.5. Ethnic minority academics earn less than white colleagues
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]
After a Freedom of Information request was sent to 24 of the most highly selective, research-based universities in the UK (with 22 responses), the BBC determined that "black and Arab academics at the UK's top universities earn an average 26% less than white colleagues."
Read more at
https://www.bbc.com/news/education-46473269
Back to top.6. It's Unscientific To Credit 'Inherent Differences' For Underrepresentation In Science
From: Alessandra Aloisi [aloisi_at_stsci.edu]
"Imagine a scientist. Try closing your eyes and really picturing this person: envision them at work, toiling away, attempting to uncover the secrets of nature itself. What does this person look like? What's their age, race, gender, and sexual orientation? Do they have any disabilities? What's their religion? And what was their childhood like in terms of poverty or affluence?"
Read more at
Back to top.7. Rise of the Science Ph.D. Dropout
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]
Focusing on researcher cohorts in astronomy, ecology and robotics, a team of researchers at Indiana University and Georgia Tech found that "it took about five years for a half of a science cohort to leave academic work in 2010 -- compared to 35 years in the 1960s."
Read more at
Read the original study at
https://www.pnas.org/content/115/50/12616
Back to top.8. Gender Diversity Is Urgently Needed Say Prominent Women In Technology
From: Alessandra Aloisi [aloisi_at_stsci.edu]
"Injustice against women persists in the application of new technologies. While our values and norms evolve, the old values remain locked into the internet. Gender-biased algorithms are becoming rampant. And these are not the only problems that women face with this male-dominated industry. As the battle for equality inside and outside the workplace continues, it is time to step up to the mark and make the changes needed to create social justice. If we are to become the equal society that we aspire to or pretend to be, then we need to ensure diversity in the workplace."
Read more at
Back to top.9. World's Top 50 Women In Tech 2018
From: Alessandra Aloisi [aloisi_at_stsci.edu]
"Many of the top technologists working in the world today are women - and they're unwilling to rest on their laurels. The 2018 World’s Top 50 Women In Tech is rich with serial entrepreneurs who continue to hone their STEM skills, build businesses, promote innovation and mentor the next generation of change agents. From blockchain to biotech, this international list of role models are beating the odds by working at what they love."
Read more at
Back to top.10. Job Opportunities
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
- Assistant Professor of Astronomy (term-limited), University of Toronto https://utoronto.taleo.net/careersection/10050/jobdetail.ftl?job=1805058
- Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in Astrophysics, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas https://jobs.hr.txstate.edu/postings/24049
- Director, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia https://swinjobs.nga.net.au/?jati=BB4C770B-A61E-8A27-EB6C-A4CF434F10CE
Back to top.11. 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.
When submitting a job posting for inclusion in the newsletter, please include a one-line description and a link to the full job posting.
Please remember to replace "_at_" in the e-mail address above.
Back to top.12. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter
Join AAS Women List by email:
Send email to aaswlist+subscribe_at_aas.org from the address you want to have subscribed. You can leave the subject and message blank if you like.
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To join or leave AASWomen via web, or change your membership settings:
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Back to top.13. Access to Past Issues
https://cswa.aas.org/AASWOMEN.html
Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.
Back to top.