Women In Astronomy: AASWomen Newsletter for October 25, 2019

AAS Committee on the Status of Women AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of October 25, 2019
eds: JoEllen McBride, Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Maria Patterson, and Alessandra Aloisi

Jessica Meir and Christina Koch, NASA, from item 3

This week's issues:

1. Career Profiles: Astronomer to Communications and Stewardship Staff Writer

2. Zibi Turtle: Titan of Exploration

3. Why spacesuit design choices - not women's physiques - delayed the first all-female spacewalk

4. NASA reveals new spacesuits designed to fit men and women

5. Announcement: Upcoming Proposal Writing Workshops for R&A Proposals

6. Bill Recognizing 'Hidden Figures' for Contributions to U.S. during the Space Race Headed to President Trump's Desk to become Law

7. All co-first authors are equal, but some are more equal than others

8. Being reminded of bias makes students treat female professors fairer

9. Townhall: STEM Student Success- Investing in Minority Serving Institutions for Our Future Workforce

10. Three Ways Your STEM Organization Can Have More Women Leaders - AWIS Research

11. Vote for the Woman Because She's a Woman

12. The Ghost of the Glass Ceiling That Still Haunts Equal Pay

13. What Girls Really Need to Succeed in STEM

14. By age 6, kids tend to see white men as more 'brilliant' than white women

15. Job Opportunities

16. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter

17. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter

18. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter

1. Career Profiles: Astronomer to Communications and Stewardship Staff Writer
From: Regina Jorgenson via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com

The AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy is compiling interviews highlighting the diversity of career trajectories available to astronomers. The interviews share advice and lessons learned from individuals on those paths.

Below is our interview with Dr. JoEllen McBride, an astronomer who left astronomy to become a science writer. While a PhD student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she recognized her interest in outreach and education and developed her experience in these areas. After receiving her PhD, Dr. McBride was awarded an AAAS Mass Media Fellowship to be a science journalist at Voice of America. By day she is a Communications and Stewardship Staff Writer for Penn Medicine Development and Alumni Relations. The rest of her time is split between being with her family of two daughters, Carina and Alessa; two kitties, Thelma and Louise; and her partner, Ed, who is an Assistant Professor of Physics and Math at Thomas Jefferson University East Falls. She also still gives public talks about astronomy and teaches 4th-grade girls about astronomy ten Saturdays out of the year. You can follow her on Twitter at @astrophyspunkin or on Instagram at @astropunkin.

2. Zibi Turtle: Titan of Exploration
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]

By Amanda Zrebiec

"The elevator doors dinged open as Zibi Turtle took a breath, and then a step. It was, quite possibly, the final moment of quiet she’d have for some time.

When her feet hit the tile floor in the lobby of Building 200 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in suburban Maryland just before 5 p.m. on June 27, cheers and applause erupted. Balloons decorated the windowed entryway of the building - "WE WON" they proclaimed in iridescent gold - as champagne bottles popped.

[Dr. Elizabeth Turtle] will lead the Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. She’ll also lead the next generation of women in planetary science."

3. Why spacesuit design choices - not women's physiques - delayed the first all-female spacewalk
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

By Loren Grush

"On Friday, NASA celebrated a monumental first in its 61 years of history: a spacewalk performed by two women astronauts — without any men suited up alongside them. While it was a much-lauded step for the agency, the milestone also left many wondering why it took so long."

4. NASA reveals new spacesuits designed to fit men and women
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

By Hailey Rose McLaughlin

"NASA revealed two new spacesuits this week that may be worn by astronauts on future missions to the Moon. The suits feature a number of improvements from the Apollo era spacesuits used on the last Moon missions 50 years ago.

The two new suits were shown off by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine during a demonstration at NASA headquarters. The suits, called xEMU and the Orion Survival Suit, will be a core part of the upcoming Artemis missions, as NASA prepares to return to the Moon by 2024."

5. Announcement: Upcoming Proposal Writing Workshops for R&A Proposals
From: Christina Richey [christina.r.richey_at_jpl.nasa.gov]

The success of scientists depends upon their ability to obtain funding. One of the largest challenges is to create strong proposals. Using Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) from NASA Science Mission Directorate as a template, this presentation will focus on teaching the audience key points to communicating science through successful proposal writing. As a result of this session, participants will be able to understand the proposal writing, reviewing, and selection process for federally funded research. How to understand one’s values and maintain those throughout this process will also be focused on during this workshop.

Workshops will be held at the follow locations:

The University of Hawaii at Manoa: Wednesday, Oct 30th, 2019: 2-4 PM HST https://www.higp.hawaii.edu/seminars/2019seminars.html?fbclid=IwAR3l8A f3rGwEeCO7d2RRCAoHjLR-G5EZb9Bo4I27-J-3H6Mj_Ri2xPffD40 Note: registration not required. This will be a shortened Tips and Tricks Talk.

The AGU Fall Meeting: Sunday, Dec. 8th, 2019: 8 AM-Noon PDT Grand Hyatt, Sunset Room, https://www.agu.org/fall-meeting Registration is required for this workshop through the meeting website.

The 235th American Astronomical Society Meeting: January 4th, 2020: 10 AM-4 PM HST (lunch break included) Honolulu Convention Center, Room 307 B https://aas.org/meetings/aas235 Registration is required for this workshop through the meeting website. Acknowledgments: We greatly appreciate support for this (and other upcoming workshops) from the NASA TWSC Program. For questions, please contact Christina Richey (christina.r.richey_at_jpl.nasa.gov).

6. Bill Recognizing 'Hidden Figures' for Contributions to U.S. during the Space Race Headed to President Trump’s Desk to become Law
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

Press Release From: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

"House Science, Space, and Technology Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), along with Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE.), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Kamala Harris (D-CA) applauded the congressional passage of a bipartisan bill they introduced, along with hundreds of their colleagues, to award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson and Dr. Christine Darden and to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. "

7. All co-first authors are equal, but some are more equal than others
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]

In a personal blog post, computational biologist Jean Fan states "While my colleagues and I recognize the value of each other’s contributions, publications still require one individual to be physically listed first. And unfortunately, publishers have been rather slow in properly recognizing such co-first authorships with readily visible annotations, particularly online." In particular, "if women or other minorities are more likely to be listed second in equal contribution co-first authorship situations, the failure to properly recognize co-first authorships may have widespread consequences..."

8. Being reminded of bias makes students treat female professors fairer
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

By Donna McDermott

"Student evaluations help to determine whether professors get hired and promoted. But are they fair to professors? Probably not: multiple studies show that student evaluations are biased against women and people of color.

A new study shows that it may be possible to decrease evaluation bias against female professors by making students aware of the problem. "

9. Townhall: STEM Student Success- Investing in Minority Serving Institutions for Our Future Workforce
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]

"The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will host a one-day meeting [on November 4] to convene key stakeholders from Minority Serving Institutions, federal and state government agencies, and philanthropic and private sectors from the Washington DC area and surrounding states to -

Examine promising approaches to increase MSI student success and workforce preparation in STEM fields

Discuss strategies for enabling stronger, more productive partnerships between MSIs and public and private stakeholders that support STEM investments

Develop ideas and strategies that bridge the gaps between the MSI community and government agencies

Raise awareness among policymakers, the media, and the public of the vital role of MSIs in supporting economic development and national security"

11. Vote for the Woman Because She's a Woman
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]

Caitlin Moscatello writes that "in primaries where contenders have similar ideologies, there’s a strong argument to be made for backing a woman." She supports her opinion piece by referencing published studies that have found that "women in Congress are generally more effective than their male colleagues" . Importantly, "female lawmakers better represent women’s interests." Who are you voting for in November?

12. The Ghost of the Glass Ceiling That Still Haunts Equal Pay
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

By Anna Reser

"In June 1944, Representative Winifred Stanley (R: NY) introduced H. R. 5606 to the House of Representatives, with the stated purpose 'so as to make it an unfair labor practice to discriminate against any employee, in the rate of compensation paid, on account of sex.' The bill never passed, and Stanley left office the following year. But the National Archives maintains a copy of the proposed legislation. The x-ed out 'Mr.' before the blank where Stanley's name is typed on the original bill is part of the format of the bill itself, a reminder about who has historically made laws in the United States and who has not. It would be almost 20 years before the Equal Pay Act (EPA), introduced by a man, was signed by John F. Kennedy on June 10, 1963. More than 50 years later, the gender pay gap remains stubbornly in place in science and technology as much as any other field, and part of the reason may have to do with the limitations of the EPA itself."

13. What Girls Really Need to Succeed in STEM
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

By Kiara Nirghin

"In this op-ed, Kiara Nirghin speaks to Jennifer Gates, daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, about what girls need to succeed in STEM fields.

For Jennifer Gates, neither a knack for chemistry nor the confidence to feel she belonged in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field came immediately. For many girls, this lack of confidence coupled with unsupportive environments can push them further away from a career in science and tech.

'Entering Stanford, I thought I would be able to handle the undergraduate chemistry courses. I did not realize how difficult these courses would be, and I felt ashamed to not understand the material upon first glance or pass. After one quarter of chemistry, I felt defeated,' Jennifer said. 'I thought I wasn’t good enough to complete the courses necessary to become a doctor, and that maybe social work was a better career for me even though I yearned to practice medicine.'"

14. By age 6, kids tend to see white men as more 'brilliant' than white women
From: JoEllen McBride [joellen.mcbride_at_gmail.com]

By Amina Khan

"Picture a brilliant person and odds are a white man will come to mind. That idea gets into kids’ heads as early as the age of 6, a new study finds.

Researchers who polled more than 200 New York kindergartners and first-graders found that they had already begun to believe that white men are more 'brilliant' than white women. That notion helps lay the groundwork for a pervasive stereotype that privileges white boys, and may have implications for the future careers and lives of other children, scientists said."

15. 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

- Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Observation Exoplanet Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN http://www.astro.indiana.edu/jobsearch2020.shtml

- Assistant Professor in Astronomy, Smith College, Northampton, MA https://apply.interfolio.com/70255

- Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Astronomy and Astrophysics, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL https://facultyjobs.ua.edu/postings/45966

- Director of Operations at Apache Point Observatory, southern New Mexico https://jobs.nmsu.edu/postings/37031

- Software Development Engineering Manager, STScI, Baltimore, MD https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/SPA1004AURA/JobBoard/93330e50-7b3a-4ba8-94f2-6f32360aa4e1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=2a3bf915-dcea-4785-a56a-15e10dda7322&sourceId=1cb2fbec-6075-475c-a941-fb938e12b734

- Test Engineering Manager, STScI, Baltimore, MD https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/SPA1004AURA/JobBoard/93330e50-7b3a-4ba8-94f2-6f32360aa4e1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=2aad437d-343f-458c-a168-fa3b8a396c5b&sourceId=1cb2fbec-6075-475c-a941-fb938e12b734

- Peter A. Strittmatter Fellowship in Astronomy and Astrophysics at Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ https://uacareers.com/postings/42475

16. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter

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18. Access to Past Issues

https://cswa.aas.org/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.

	Katie Eckert
	Regina Jorgenson
	JoEllen McBride
	Christina Richey
	Joan Schmelz

Women In Astronomy

Friday, October 25, 2019

AASWomen Newsletter for October 25, 2019

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