CSWA Resources for Astronomers

In order to use our time effectively during the CSWA Meet and Greet panel at the 2020 Summer AAS Meeting, we conducted a survey to see what topics we would discuss. There were 14 concerns about being (or knowing) a woman and/or underrepresented minority in astronomy or planetary science (or another STEM field) that our respondents could choose. The top 10 concerns are listed below. The CSWA wanted to make sure that the community is aware of the resources available to them to approach some of these issues and others. Links to the relevant resource pages or blog posts are provided below if available.

1. Unconscious biases on abilities (based on who may or may not have "more" to contribute), 68.7% of the votes
   • According to our website “More concrete obstacles having been overcome, this issue may be one of the most important obstacles to women's professional success today.” It would appear our survey respondents back up this claim.
2. Work-life balance, Imposter syndrome, and inequities in the workplace, 66.7% of the votes
   • Imposter syndrome is grouped in with unconscious bias on our website. Although it is thought of as mainly a women’s issue, men report feeling like imposters as well. Our work-life balance page focuses on both individuals and caregivers (usually parents).
3. Mansplaining/manterrupting/bropropriating (for definitions click here), 58.7% of the votes
   • Some additional resources for combating these issues can be found here and here.
4. Excessive expectations (e.g., participation in too many committees, being a go-to person for women and minorities, etc.), 55.6% of the votes
5. Mental Health, 54% of the votes
6. Discrimination/harassment in the workplace and/or conferences, 52.4% of the votes
   • Our harassment resource page is organized by content relevant to employees, students, and employers.
7. Microaggressions, 47.6% of the votes
8. Diversity and inclusivity in the workforce, 44.4% of the votes
   • We discuss the benefits of diversity and inclusion and offer ways to increase diversity in your workplace.

There were also a few free responses concerning the two-body problem and mentoring. We recently started a series highlighting the personal experiences of dual-career couples. We work with the other AAS diversity committees such as the Working Group on Accessibility and Disability (WGAD), the Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA), and the Committee for Sexual-Orientation & Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA). Resources and information on other important topics can also be found on the CSWA Resources page.

Stay tuned for a summary of the Meet and Greet!