Friday, July 26, 2024

AASWomen Newsletter for July 26, 2024

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 26, 2024
eds: Jeremy Bailin, Nicolle Zellner, Sethanne Howard, and Hannah Jang-Condell

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

This week's issues:

1. Cross-post: Vera Rubin found a lifetime of wonder in the dark skies   
2. Physicist, 98, honoured with doctorate 75 years after groundbreaking discovery
3. Female Scientists Are Leaving Academia Mid Career. Why It’s Important And What We Can Do About It.
4. IAU WiA Gender Equity Survey
5. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter
6. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter
7. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter

An online version of this newsletter will be available at http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ at 3:00 PM ET every Friday.

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1. Cross-post: Vera Rubin found a lifetime of wonder in the dark skies
From: Nicolle Zellner via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com

By Elizabeth Gamillo

A century ago galaxies in our universe perplexed astronomers. Just a decade after the realization of what galaxies are, astronomers first noticed that spiral galaxies were rotating strangely. Their outer areas were rotating around the galactic centers nearly as quickly as their inner “hubs.” Something must have been helping the rotation along. In 1933, astronomer Fritz Zwicky first suggested that an unseen component, which he called dark matter, must exist.

Three decades after dark matter was hypothesized, in a breakthrough moment, one astronomer collected the first direct evidence of dark matter’s existence. Her name was Vera Rubin, and her work helped to revolutionize astronomy in the middle part of the 20th Century.

Read more at

https://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/2024/07/cross-post-vera-rubin-found-lifetime-of.html

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2. Physicist, 98, honoured with doctorate 75 years after groundbreaking discovery
From: Jeremy Bailin [jbailin_at_ua.edu]

By Mabel Banfield-Nwachi

A trailblazing physicist who gave up her PhD 75 years ago to have a family has received an honorary doctorate from her former university.

Rosemary Fowler, 98, discovered the kaon particle during her doctoral research under Cecil Powell at the University of Bristol in 1948, which contributed to his Nobel prize for physics in 1950.

She has now been awarded an honorary doctor of science by the University of Bristol chancellor, Sir Paul Nurse, in a private graduation ceremony close to her Cambridge home.

Read more at

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/22/physicist-rosemary-fowler-honoured-doctorate-75-years-after-discovery

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3. Female Scientists Are Leaving Academia Mid Career. Why It’s Important And What We Can Do About It.
From: Nicolle Zellner [nzellner_at_albion.edu]

By Bonnie Marcus

There is a disturbing trend in academia. Female scientists are leaving academic institutions at the peak of their career.

The equal representation of women in research is important for the overall quality and performance of our academic institutions. Diversity of thought stimulates discussion and facilitates the creation of new ideas and perspectives. The loss of an entire gender’s input represents a loss of half the best and brightest minds in science, and puts the quality of scientific research in jeopardy.

In our recent conversation, we discussed some of the major reasons women at the peak of their careers are leaving their academic institutions.

Read more at

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniemarcus/2024/07/24/female-scientists-are-leaving-academia-mid-career-why-its-important-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/ 

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4. IAU WiA Gender Equity Survey
From: Sethanne Howard [sethanneh_at_msn.com]

In alignment with our commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in astronomy, we kindly request your participation in the Gender Equity Survey organized by the IAU Women in Astronomy Working Group. This survey aims to provide National Astronomy Communities (NACs) and institutions with an updated overview of global efforts to ensure equal opportunities for individuals of all genders in astronomy. The insights gathered will help us adopt best practices to promote diversity and inclusion in the field.

Please take a moment (max 7 mins) to complete the survey using the following link:

https://forms.gle/qjZ4h3w1A2Hgqfdi6 

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5. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter

To submit an item to the AASWOMEN newsletter, including replies to topics, send email to aaswomen_at_lists.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.

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6. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter

Join AASWomen List through the online portal:

To Subscribe, go to https://aas.simplelists.com/aaswlist/subscribe/ and enter your name and email address, and click Subscribe. You will be sent an email with a link to click to confirm subscription.

To unsubscribe from AASWomen by email:

Go to https://aas.simplelists.com/aaswlist/subscribe/ , in the "My account and unsubscriptions", type your email address. You will receive an email with a link to access your account, from there you can click the unsubscribe link for this mailing list.

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7. Access to Past Issues

http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/search/label/AASWOMEN  

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Cross-post: Vera Rubin found a lifetime of wonder in the dark skies

Eds. Note: On July 23, Vera Rubin would have turned 96.


By Elizabeth Gamillo for Astronomy magazine

Image Credit: Mark Godfrey (PNAS).


A century ago galaxies in our universe perplexed astronomers. Just a decade after the realization of what galaxies are, astronomers first noticed that spiral galaxies were rotating strangely. Their outer areas were rotating around the galactic centers nearly as quickly as their inner “hubs.” Something must have been helping the rotation along. In 1933, astronomer Fritz Zwicky first suggested that an unseen component, which he called dark matter, must exist.

Three decades after dark matter was hypothesized, in a breakthrough moment, one astronomer collected the first direct evidence of dark matter’s existence. Her name was Vera Rubin, and her work helped to revolutionize astronomy in the middle part of the 20th Century.


Read more about Vera Rubin and her legacy at

https://www.astronomy.com/science/vera-rubin-found-a-lifetime-of-wonder-in-the-dark-skies/


Read the 2016 astrobites article at

https://astrobites.org/2016/12/27/how-one-person-discovered-the-majority-of-the-universe-the-work-of-vera-rubin/

Friday, July 19, 2024

AASWomen Newsletter for July 19, 2024

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 19, 2024
eds: Jeremy Bailin, Nicolle Zellner, Sethanne Howard, and Hannah Jang-Condell

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

This week's issues:
Dorothy Vaughan, a "hidden figure"
Dorothy Vaughan, a "hidden figure"
Credit: NASA

1. Celebrating Apollo-era Women    
2. AAS seeking plenary speakers for AAS 245
3. Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science Program Soliciting Proposals 
4. Black Space Week 2024 Recordings Available 
5. This Month in Astronomical History: July 2024   
6. Sloan Research Fellowships 
7. Mary-Lou Pardue, MIT professor whose anti-bias efforts lifted women in science, dies at 90
8. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter
9. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter
10. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter

An online version of this newsletter will be available at http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ at 3:00 PM ET every Friday.

Thursday, July 18, 2024

Celebrating Apollo-era Women

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will rename “Building 12,” on Friday, July 19, the eve of the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, in honor of "hidden figure" computer Dorothy Vaughan, who is acknowledged as NASA’s first African-American managerOther women of Apollo will also be recognized with activities marking their achievements.
A portrait of Dorothy Vaughan.
Credit: NASA

At 9 a.m. CDT, NASA Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche will begin with a discussion about the importance of Vaughan and the women of Apollo’s contributions to the agency’s lunar landing program and their significance to today’s Artemis campaign. Other highlights include a “Women in Human Spaceflight” panel discussion moderated by Debbie Korth, the agency’s Orion Program deputy manager. 


Read more at



Further reading:

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Meet Central American-Caribbean Astronomy Bridge Program Fellows - Part 8

The Central American - Caribbean Bridge in Astrophysics (Cenca Bridge) is a nonprofit organization established in the state of Tennessee in the United States with the mission to create and develop astronomy research opportunities in Central America and the Caribbean. Opportunities to pursue astrophysics in the region are few with only a handful of programs offering master’s in physics with a concentration in astronomy.  Cenca Bridge connects undergraduates from Central America and the Caribbean to mentors and advisors overseas in hope that they have the choice to pursue astrophysics as a profession. Every year, Cenca Bridge holds the remote internship program, where undergraduate students from the region apply to be selected for a 3-month long paid research internship. As the only organization to provide a paid research remote internship, it is important to highlight the contributions that many women in astrophysics from Central America and the Caribbean have already contributed to our field.


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 Lynne-Flore Simy, patriot, the youngest of five siblings. I'm speak Creole and French, and I'm learning English. 
Lynne-Flore Simy

My journey into the world of science has been an exciting one. I was born in Haiti, a country rich in culture, but where science is not part of my initial universe. When I finished high school, I  was faced with a dilemma: I clearly knew what I didn't want to do, but I was still searching for my true passion - so much so, in fact, that I had to change direction six months after starting university, and wisely wait at home for the academic year to come to an end before reorienting myself. 

It was then that a cousin advised me to consider computer science as an option. At the time, I  had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I decided to follow her advice. It was the best  decision I ever made! As soon as I started to delve into the world of computer science, I felt a  deep connection with the discipline. 

I decided to pursue a degree in computer science, and it was there that I discovered my true passion: data engineering. Manipulating data, understanding it, and using it to solve complex problems is the best thing ever. Regardless of the field in which the data is manipulated, it's noble and appealing. 

In 2021, when I had just joined the school, the director offered me a course in Astronomy, which was to be my first step into astronomy. I spent almost a month learning Python on Google Colab, without really delving into the big concepts of astronomy. My determination, however, guided me through academic and professional challenges, and I persevered and tried to deepen my knowledge on a daily basis. It was incredible to see how a seemingly insignificant decision to follow my cousin's advice propelled me into a career, a world that excited me more and more every day. 

And then I landed this astrophysics internship at Cenca Bridge. It was an opportunity I was really excited about. I seized it with enthusiasm, because it was a unique chance to explore a whole new field. I wanted to understand the relationship that coexisted between the cosmic world, terrestrial evolution and technological innovations. Ultimately, I'd like to become a technology figure in Haiti so I can help more young people, more girls, to find their way. That's why I co-created a women's technology club, TechnoLead-Women, inaugurated on February 11, 2023. We provide training in a number of digital fields, such as digital marketing, graphic design, virtual and augmented reality, and data. At the moment, we have 10 girls in training. 

I'd like to encourage more young people in my country to learn about and consider science. It's all very well to have an enriching culture, but without science, without technology, we'll never achieve the progress we all dream of. I make time to take part in scientific conferences when I have the opportunity, and I make time for the women's technology club. For all this, I sacrifice part of my sleep. I tell myself that as long as there are more young people with digital training, there's a chance, however small, of getting things moving a bit. 

At 22, I'm realizing that the sky is no longer the limit, but rather the starting point of my exceptional career in astronomy and data engineering. I'm convinced that my passion for these fields will lead me to new and exciting discoveries, and I can't wait to continue exploring the  mysteries of our world and the universe. 

Thursday, July 4, 2024

4th of July Stars of All Stripes

Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1921)
Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1921)
Image Credit: William Henry



On the 158th anniversary of her birth, we celebrate Henrietta Swan Leavitt and other stars. 

Swan Leavitt was one of the many Harvard computers who catalogued hundreds of thousands of stars and made important contributions to advances in Astronomy. Her particular contribution was measurements of the relative brightness of Cepheid variable stars, which helped scientists to determine distances to stars. After her death from cancer in 1921, her work was used by Edwin Hubble to determine that the Milky Way is not the only galaxy in the observable universe. Exercises utilizing the Leavitt Law are common in Astronomy classes around the world.

It seems appropriate that Henrietta was born on the 4th of July. Afterall, Cepheids get brighter and fainter in the sky just like fireworks.


Happy Birthday, Henrietta!



two women astronauts
(L) Shannon Lucid on Mir.
(R) Susan Helms in the Spacelab module.

In 1996, two women astronauts unknowingly donned the same celebratory socks, as they flew in space on different stations on the 4th of July. Shannon Lucid was aboard the Russian space station Mir, and Susan Helms was in the Spacelab module during the STS-78 mission. 



The sky never fails to deliver a fantastic show, even if clouds get in the way. Check out some of the July 4th posts at Astronomy Picture of the Day.



Be safe out there.