Crosspost: #BlackInAstro from astrobites

Image credit: Astrobites. Credit for the Milky Way picture in the background of the featured image: ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org)

Astrobites, a grad-student led website that summarizes astrophysical journal articles for undergraduates, has been posting articles highlighting the experiences of Black astronomers in their series #BlackinAstro. We highlight the articles here with links to read more.

#BlackInAstro: How Can We Support Black Astronomers?

By Astrobites

This week, the U.S. is rising in protest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery are the most recent in a long history of extrajudicial murders of Black people in the U.S. We at Astrobites stand in solidarity with the protestors, and against the systemic anti-Blackness that continues to enact violence on Black people in this country. We recognize that these same systems pervade academia and our field, and contribute to the inequities present in astronomy.

Why are we discussing these issues on an astronomy website? First, our scientific research is stronger when it comes from a community grounded in respect and diversity. But most importantly, we believe that the people in our community should be prioritized over our science. In order to do so, astronomy must be explicitly anti-racist and actively work to support Black students and researchers.

Read more at

AASWomen Newsletter for June 26, 2020

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of June 26, 2020
eds: Heather Flewelling, Nicolle Zellner, Maria Patterson,
Alessandra Aloisi, and Jeremy Bailin

[We hope you all are taking care of yourselves and each other. Be well! --eds.]

This week's issues:

Photo of Mary W. Jackson from Item 2.

1. Nominate our field’s best for the 2021 AAS Prizes and Honors by June 30

2. NASA Names Headquarters After ‘Hidden Figure’ Mary W. Jackson

3. A Celebration of E. Margaret Burbidge

4. Astrobites #BlackInAstroWeek posts

5. Researchers Address the ‘Leaky Pipeline’ to Academic Science

6. She helps Houston Museum of Natural Science achieve liftoff

7. Black Astronomers Highlight Achievements and Obstacles

8. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter

9. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter

10. Access to Past Issues

Nominate our field’s best for the 2021 AAS Prizes and Honors by July 14**

Dr. Beth Brown, NASA astrophysicist (1969-2008). Learn more about the Beth Brown Memorial Award. Image credit: Jay S. Friedlander, NASA

By Aparna Venkatesan (U. of San Francisco), Ed Bertschinger (MIT), Dara Norman (NOIRLab), Sarah Tuttle (U. of Washington, Seattle)

The COVID19 pandemic and the nationwide protests for racial justice have revealed the longstanding injustices and inequities in our society, as well as in academia and the sciences. The pandemic, which shows no signs of slowing down, has already had a documented fallout on academe’s most vulnerable populations, including women, underrepresented minorities and especially women of color, as they try to navigate a radically altered higher education landscape, canceled interviews, and lost professional or research opportunities. Those most at risk are among our most talented, whose voices we most need in our profession in the years to come.

AASWomen Newsletter for June 19, 2020

Deniz Ikiz Kaya, hired by TUE’s new plan, Item 6.
Image credit: Angeline Swinkels/TUE

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of June 19, 2020
eds: JoEllen McBride, Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Maria Patterson, Alessandra Aloisi, and Jeremy Bailin

[We hope you all are taking care of yourselves and each other. Be well! --eds.]

This week's issues:

1. Meet Central American-Caribbean Astronomy Bridge Program Fellows - Part 2

2. Nominate candidates for the The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) Board of Directors

3. APS Webinar on Making Physics Inclusive & Equitable

4. Meet the first all-female Air Force launch weather team who will work SpaceX Starlink launch

5. Moves are afoot in Africa to keep more women in science careers

6. "It's what students look for": the Dutch university that's only hiring women

7. Combating sexual harassment at the NIH

8. Job Opportunities

9. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter

10. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter

11. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter

Meet Central American-Caribbean Astronomy Bridge Program Fellows - Part 2

The Central American - Caribbean bridge in astrophysics is a program created to mentor and train the next generation of students in astrophysics from that region. This was created because there is an enormous lack of resources and research opportunities for students interested in astrophysics. We hold monthly webinars and invite a speaker every month to talk about their personal life, academic obstacles, and research. The goal is for the students to feel represented, motivated, and capable, especially women in our group. More recently, we began a remote REU-like internship where students are able to complete a mini-project within a four-month period. Last Fall 2019, we had four students from Costa Rica and Honduras who worked with professors from Mexico, Chile, and Brazil. This Spring 2020, we are working with three students from Honduras, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. This opportunity brings research opportunities to these students and connects them to potential advisors and PhD programs.

In this series, we will highlight selected fellows. If you'd like to learn more about the program and ways you can get involved please visit https://cencabridgeastro.weebly.com/

My name is Nicole Stephanie Mejia Cerros. I was born on in Olanchito in the department of Yoro in Honduras. My childhood was a great influence in choosing a career in astronomy. My teachers at school and my parents motivated me to discover and read more about science topics. Many of the books I read were about astronomy in some way, and one of my teachers would always share with me what she had read on the subject. I did my high school in “Inmaculada Concepción” in Olanchito. In my town, there is not much development of science but my teachers always motivated me to pursue my dreams and choose this career. During high school, many questions about physical phenomena and the origin of the universe arose in me, seeking to understand them more thoroughly. Currently, I am a student of Astronomy and Astrophysics and also Physics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH).

AASWOMEN Newsletter for June 12, 2020

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of June 12, 2020
eds: Heather Flewelling, Nicolle Zellner, Maria Patterson, Alessandra Aloisi, and Jeremy Bailin

[We hope you all are taking care of yourselves and each other. --eds.]

Image credits: https://www.particlesforjustice.org/ and Academics for Black Survival and Wellness

This week's issues:

1. Call to Participate in Strike for Black Lives and Black Survival and Wellness Week

2. Meet Central American-Caribbean Astronomy Bridge Program Fellows - Part 1

3. How Is the Pandemic Affecting AGU Journal Article Submissions?

4. The L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Prize Applications Open

5. A list of postgraduate resources for minority students hits the mark

6. Astronaut Kathy Sullivan is first woman to dive to deepest point on Earth

7. Media stereotypes confound kids' science ambitions

8. Why we can't let women's STEM gains fall victim to COVID-19

9. Scientists condemn racism and take action with #StrikeforBlackLives this week

10. Job Opportunities

11. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter

12. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter

13. Access to Past Issues

Meet Central American-Caribbean Astronomy Bridge Program Fellows - Part 1

The Central American - Caribbean bridge in astrophysics is a program created to mentor and train the next generation of students in astrophysics from that region. This was created because there is an enormous lack of resources and research opportunities for students interested in astrophysics. We hold monthly webinars and invite a speaker every month to talk about their personal life, academic obstacles, and research. The goal is for the students to feel represented, motivated, and capable, especially women in our group. More recently, we began a remote REU-like internship where students are able to complete a mini-project within a four-month period. Last Fall 2019, we had four students from Costa Rica and Honduras who worked with professors from Mexico, Chile, and Brazil. This Spring 2020, we are working with three students from Honduras, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. This opportunity brings research opportunities to these students and connects them to potential advisors and PhD programs.

In this series, we will highlight selected fellows. If you'd like to learn more about the program and ways you can get involved please visit https://cencabridgeastro.weebly.com/

---

My name is Natalia Ramirez Vega. I am from a small town in Costa Rica called Tres Rios. Since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to study the universe. Thus, all my professional decisions have been made based on that goal. I am a Computer Systems Engineering student at University Fidelitas in Costa Rica. I really enjoy creating new things that will somehow help other people. I also love art; I feel there is a strong connection between science and art. I like drawing in my free time especially if I can do it in a place near a waterfall or a nice view. A fun fact is that I want to get a pilot license in the upcoming years just because I want to say I know how to fly an airplane.

Call to Participate in Strike for Black Lives and Black Survival and Wellness Week

By Gregory Rudnick

Image credits: https://www.particlesforjustice.org/ and Academics for Black Survival and Wellness

As a community and society we are grieving the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, James Scurlock, Manuel Ellis, and so many others who have been victims of the institutionalized and systemic anti-Black racism that deprives Black people regularly of their lives and livelihood. In this moment of grief and anger we must also confront the ingrained racism within our departments, institutions, disciplines, and communities.

We must harness the anger and thirst for change and justice that we are feeling and convert this moment into a movement that is grounded in action at all levels of society. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start with such an endeavor. One way is to start locally, inspired by a global movement. The chance to do this is now.

On June 10th, there will be a global day of action, affirming that Black Lives Matter in academia as well as in our communities. This day of action is organized by Particles for Justice and led by physicists Dr. Brian Nord Jr and Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein.

If you are interested to learn more, please read this Dear Colleagues letter from Dr. Nord. The call is asking for academics to not work on anything related to their research, administration, or teaching missions on June 10, in order to give Black academics a break and a chance to breathe. Particles for Justice folks started a petition in order to collect signatures. To quote from the particlesforjustice.org web page:

AASWomen Newsletter for June 5, 2020

Former astronaut Nicole Stott orbits Earth aboard the International Space Station (Credit: NASA)

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of June 5, 2020
eds: Heather Flewelling, Nicolle Zellner, Maria Patterson, Alessandra Aloisi, and Jeremy Bailin

[We hope you all are taking care of yourselves and each other. Be well! --eds.]

This week's issues:

1. Cross-Post: AAS President Calls on All Members to Support Black Americans Now

2. Women Leading Pandemic Research Through Time

3. Physicist Tesla Jeltema wins Mentorship Award from American Physical Society

4. Retired astronauts discuss the future of spaceflight ahead of SpaceX Crew Dragon launch

5. Deep Biases Prevent Diverse Talent from Advancing

6. Trailblazers: Lorena Soriano, STEM Diversity Advocate

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

Cross-Post: AAS President Calls on All Members to Support Black Americans Now

By Megan Donahue

As AAS President, I wish to comment on the tragic and brutal murders of Black Americans Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor. As scientists, researchers, educators, and human beings we have a responsibility to respond, to see and name these injustices, and to empathize and acknowledge our different human experiences and reactions to these events. We stand together with our Black members, their students, and their families. We stand with our Black AAS employees and volunteers from whom we have asked so much during these difficult and challenging times.

Read more at

https://aas.org/posts/news/2020/06/aas-president-calls-all-members-support-black-americans-now/

Women Leading Pandemic Research Through Time

Coronavirus infected cells | Photo credit: Dr. Susan Weis

By Sethanne Howard

Medical schools routinely have 50% female students. Does that mean women are equal participants in the field? Let us consider the issue and start with the current pandemic. Women are leading research teams studying the novel COVID-19 virus. There is Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, MD at the National Institutes of Health who is leading a team developing a vaccine for the virus. Dr. Susan Weiss, PhD, along with Dr. Frederic Bushman, PhD, directs the Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens. The goals of the Center are to: expand the research, centralize information on the research, and compile sources for new funding for research on SARS CoV-2.

So we can see that today there are women leading research teams studying this class of virus. Were they active before then? Let’s look back at the wonderful women who came before!