AAS 213th Meeting: Day 0

Well, here I am in Long Beach!

I plan to live-blog from the AAS Meeting here this week. Tomorrow should be off to a great start: the CSWA Session meets tomorrow at lunchtime. 12:45pm in Room 104B.

Also of note:

• Monday at 3:40pm: Lisa Kewley -- Pierce Prize talk
  
• Tuesday at 11:40am: Penny Sackett -- invited talk
  
• Tuesday at 4:30pm: Andrea Ghez -- invited talk
  
• Wednesday at 3:40pm: Jenny Greene -- Cannon Prize talk
  

My count is 2 of 7 Prize or Named Lecture talks are by women, with the caveat that the Cannon Prize is specifically for women.
Also, 2 of the 7 invited talks are by women. Not too bad a representation. Someone has been paying attention.

Passion and Success

There are few women in the top ranks of scientists. Often, when these highly successful women are interviewed, they talk about their passion for their work, and how that passion enabled them to overcome the sexism, both blatant and subtle, that they had to fight on their way to the top. They and their interviewers probably think it's inspiring to hear about this passion, because it shows that if you truly love what you do, you can succeed at it, despite the odds set against you.

Well.

Passion is a good starting point. I don't believe anyone pursues a career in science without being passionate about the subject, whether you're male or female. Also, I don't want to diminish the achievements of those who have reached the pinnacles of success, whether it be election to the National Academies or a Nobel Prize or just achieving tenure. But I think talking about passion is misleading.

Passion as a requisite for success reinforces the idea that being a scientist is an all or nothing deal. It implies that your rewards are directly proportional to the work you put in. It's the kind of thinking that leads to boasting about how many hours a week you spend at work. It's the same attitude that hurts women who decide to take time off from their careers to have a family.

At the 3rd IUPAP Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP), there were several plenary sessions to devoted to science talks by prominent women physcists from around the world. And on one level, they were inspiring. But on the other hand, it was discouraging to realize how hard they had to work to get where they were.

I would like to hear more from other voices: women who have successfully juggled the demands of a family and a career without giving up themselves to do it. I am also coming to realize that many of these voices are women who have redefined success for themselves. They aren't going for the National Academies or a Nobel Prize, or even a tenured professorship. In astronomy, we might say that they have "leaked from the pipeline," because unlike many other branches of physics, there is no industry counterpart to academia.

It's for this reason that Motherhood: the Elephant in the Laboratory is on my reading list. (I have a copy somewhere, but I seem to have misplaced it at the moment.) It's a collection of essays by women scientists who have had children, and how it affected their careers. I went to a panel discussion about the book last fall. The room was packed and the discussion was thoughtful and interesting and inspiring in a different way than those talks at the ICWIP meeting.

Redefining success for yourself is not easy. I seem to have it well-drilled into my head that success is defined as tenure at one of 5 or so universities in this country. It's easy for me to say, "well, she can define success however she wants, and I'm glad to see that she's so happy doing what she's doing, but it's not good enough for me." I am slowly learning to stop viewing life as a zero-sum game, that it's not about sacrificing being a good scientist to be a good mother or vice versa, but trying to be the best human being I can be.

AAS Meeting: CSWA Town Hall

Here's a plug for the CSWA Town Hall, on Monday, January 5, at 12:45-1:45 in Rm 104B. This year's session will feature a panel of women astronomers at various stages in their careers. The idea is to reflect on how far we've come and where we're going in terms of gender equity in astronomy. The panelists will be

• Virginia Trimble
  
• Meg Urry
  
• Jennifer Hoffman
  
• Jane Rigby
  
• Ginny McSwain
  
• Caty Pilachowski
  

I'm sure it will be a great discussion, so come on by!

AAS Meeting

It's late December. Christmas is past, universities are on winter break, and New Year's is just around the corner. It's a special time of year for astronomers in particular, because...

... next week is the AAS Meeting!!!

It's sometimes said that a year's worth of astronomy gets done in the last week of the year, and that probably isn't too far off. However, my poster is already ready to go, since I'm recycling one from a previous conference. But the conference I presented it at last wasn't a pure astronomy conference, so I'm not cheating, right?

I always find the January AAS Meeting to be overwhelming in size. It's hard to take in everything. Then again, if you compare the 3000 or so who descend on the AAS Meeting to the tens of thousands who go to the AGU Meeting every year, maybe I shouldn't complain.

I'm not alone in my feelings about big meetings. Science Woman feels the same way about the AGU.

It's not the science, it's the meeting (people). As DrugMonkey says over and over again, it's all about the networking.

So this AGU, my poster was the excuse to spend the money on the plane ticket, hotel, registration and food. (San Francisco is not cheap!) And this AGU, I did listen to some really amazing scientific talks and read some excellent posters. But mostly, I wanted to talk to the movers and shakers and rising stars in my subdisciplines.

Yeah, that sounds about right. So, on Sunday I'll be off to Long Beach, pre-displayed poster on hand, off to meet and greet. You know, it's funny, we women are supposed to be such social animals, always chatting with our friends and using our great communication skills. Yet, when it comes to the networking that leads to opportunities and success, we somehow get left our of the loop. What's with that anyway?

Grand Re-opening

Welcome to the Women in Astronomy blog!

Yes, this blog has been around for several months already, but now we're going to dust it off, clear out the cobwebs, and use it as part of our effort to bring the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA) into the 21st century, at long last.

One idea is to move the AASWOMEN newsletter away from an email distribution list to an RSS feed.  Our first step toward doing that will be to post that newsletter here on this blog.  We will also be posting other items of interest from time to time.

Please bear with us as we figure out this new-fangled technology.  I already have at least one blog post formulating, along the lines of passion for science, and whether that's necessary or even helpful for promoting women and minorities in science.

AASWOMEN for December 12 & 19, 2008

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of December 12 & 19, 2008
eds. Joan Schmelz, Hannah Jang-Condell & Caroline Simpson

This week's issues:

1. CSWA Website Adds 'Advice' Link

2. CSWA Town Hall at the Long Beach AAS Meeting

3. New Women and Minority Fellows of the American Physical Society

4. AWIS Educational Foundation Awards for Undergraduates

5. APS Scholarship Program for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors

6. Postdoc Positions at Berkeley

7. Tenure-Track Position at Columbus State University

8. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

---

1. CSWA Website Adds 'Advice' Link
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelz_at_memphis.edu]

CSWA is pleased to announce the implementation of its new 'Advice' link.

Often, certain issues regarding women in astronomy occur over and
over again. This page is designed to give some advice on these issues
from CSWA members. We are starting with the following topics, but
plan to expand this list and elaborate on the contents.

1. Top Ten Ways to be a Better Advisor for Graduate Students
2. Advisors, How Do You Deal with Student Tears?
3. Yes, Virginia, Discrimination and Harassment Do Still Happen
4. Advice on When to Raise a Family
5. Advice for Postdocs Applying for Tenure-Track Positions
6. The 2-Body Problem: New Advice for an Old Problem?

The advice document is posted at:

http://www.aas.org/cswa/advice.html

Our thanks to John Feldmeier, CSWA member and web manager, for
implementing the updates.

---

2. CSWA Town Hall at the Long Beach AAS Meeting
From: Geoff Clayton [gclayton_at_fenway.phys.lsu.edu]

"To know the road ahead, ask those coming back" (Chinese Proverb)

We are a century removed from the days of the Harvard Computers,
Williamina Fleming, Henrietta Leavitt, and Annie Jump Cannon.
Obviously, we've come a long way but where are we exactly, and how
much further do we have to go? The CSWA is convening a panel at the
Long Beach AAS meeting to discuss this topic. The panel will be a mix
of senior astronomers who have knocked their heads against the glass
ceiling, as well as junior astronomers who assume that the sky's the
limit.

Please join us on Monday, January 5, 2009 12:45 - 1:45 pm for a panel
discussion on how far we've come and where we go from here.

---

3. New Women and Minority Fellows of the American Physical Society
From: WIPHYS December 15, 2008

Congratulations to the seventeen women and four minorities who are
among the 225 new Fellows of the American Physical Society:

Peggy Cebe, Tufts University
Bulbul Chakraborty, Brandeis University
Christine Coverdale, Sandia National Laboratory
Elisabeth Guazzelli, CNRS-Paris
Anna Hasenfratz, University of Colorado
Ann Heinson, University of California, Riverside
Vassiliki Kalogera, Northwestern University
Qi Li, Pennsylvania State University
Alenka Luzar, Virginia Commonwealth University
Carmen Menoni, Colorado State University
Amy Mullin, University of Maryland
Giulia Pancheri-Srivastava, INFN Lab Natl of Frascati
Amanda Petford-Long, Argonne National Laboratory
Norna Robertson, Stanford University
Annabella Selloni, Princeton University
Leslie M. Smith, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Lucy M. Ziurys, University of Arizona

Pablo Laguna, Georgia Institute of Technology
Stephen C. McGuire, Southern University and A&M College
Sekazi Mtingwa, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Allen Sessoms, University of District of Columbia

Details on all APS Fellows and how to nominate an individual to
fellowship can be found at

http://www.aps.org/programs/honors/index.cfm

---

4. AWIS Educational Foundation Awards for Undergraduates
From: WIPHYS December 16, 2008

New this year! The AWIS Educational Foundation has re-focused its
grant giving priorities. New scholarships are available for
undergraduate women in science. Application Deadline: January 23,
2009. Click here for more information:

http://www.awis.org/careers/2009UndergradAwards.html

---

5. APS Scholarship Program for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors
From: WIPHYS December 11, 2008

The American Physical Society is once again pleased to offer the APS
Scholarship Program for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors. This
excellent, highly competitive scholarship program not only provides
funding to students, but also a great deal of student support. We
encourage all eligible students to apply right away using our new
online application.

Eligibility includes:
-African Americans, Hispanic Americans, or Native Americans
-High school seniors, college freshmen or sophomores
-US citizens or permanent legal residents
-Physics majors and those planning to major in physics

Award:
-$2,000 for new students, and $3,000 for renewal students
-A local physics mentor
-An APS physics mentor

To Apply:
-Check out the new, easy-to-use online application.
-www.aps.org/programs/minorities/honors/scholarship/
-Deadline: February 6, 2009. The online application form must be
completed and all supporting documents must be postmarked by the
deadline date

Questions? Email minorityscholarship_at_aps.org

---

6. Postdoc Positions at Berkeley
From: Don Backer [dbacker_at_astro.berkeley.edu]

The following postdoctoral positions will be open until filled:

members.aas.org/JobReg/JobDetailPage.cfm?JobID=25192

This is position that Joeri van Leeuwen held. Requirement is
involvement with the ALFA pulsar search program that ranges from
acquiring data, to searches with supercomputing resources, to follow-
up. We started a pulsar program at the Allen Telescope Array, and
have about $50k for a small compute cluster there to do real-time
signal processing of phased array beam, which Joeri & visiting
student Peter MacMahon started.

members.aas.org/JobReg/JobDetailPage.cfm?JobID=25194

This position is to conduct next steps with PAPER experiment whose
goal is detection of power spectrum of 21cm brightness temperature
fluctuations during epoch of reionization. Effort involves fieldwork,
analysis development using AIPY and other software toolkits, possibly
real-time imaging/calibration, could include use of array for
transient source discovery.

---

7. Tenure-Track Position at Columbus State University
From: Zodiac Webster [webster_zodiac_at_colstate.edu]

The Department of Chemistry and Geology at Columbus State University
invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track appointment at the
level of Assistant Professor to begin teaching in August 2009.
Teaching duties will include courses and laboratories for
introductory Physics, Physical Science for elementary school
teachers, and courses to support the Physics minor and proposed Earth
and Space Science degree. Candidates must be committed to quality
teaching; continued scholarly and instructional development; and
active involvement with recruiting, educational outreach, and other
service duties. Applicants should hold a doctorate degree in Physics
Education, Physics, Astrophysics, or related field by the time of
appointment.

Review of complete applications will begin January 20, 2009.
Applicants should submit all of the following: a letter of interest,
a curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy, a statement
of research interests applicable to a primarily undergraduate
institution, a reprint of a recent publication(s), unofficial
transcripts, and evidence of successful teaching experience.
Applicants should arrange for letters from at least three references
who may be contacted. Applications may be submitted electronically to
williams_rosa_at_colstate.edu, or by mail to: Chair, Physics Science
Search Committee, Department of Chemistry and Geology, Columbus State
University, 4225 University Avenue, Columbus, GA 31907. Applicants
must provide official transcripts at the time of interview.
Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. Columbus State
University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. See
full details about this position at

http://hr.colstate.edu.

---

8. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

[Please remember to replace "_at_" in the below e-mail addresses.]

To submit to AASWOMEN: send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org
All material sent to that address will be posted unless you tell us
otherwise (including your email address).

To subscribe or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN go to
http://lists.aas.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaswomen and fill out
the form.

If you experience any problems, please email itdept_at_aas.org

---

9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at

http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.

AASWList mailing list
AASWList@aas.org

AASWomen for June 27, 2008

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of June 28, 2008
eds. Joan Schmelz, Hannah Jang-Condell & Caroline Simpson

This week's issues:

1. Gender Issues In Science/Math Education

2. Celebrate Women In Physics Poster

3. MIT'S Midcareer Acceleration Program

*** FOLLOWING POSITIONS WERE TAKEN FROM WIPHYS ***

4. Two-Year Half-Research Half-Teaching Post-Doc

5. Postdoctoral Fellowship Program For Recent PHDs, University Of
Michigan

6. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

7. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. GENDER ISSUES IN SCIENCE/MATH EDUCATION
From: WIPHYS, June 17, 2008

"Gender Issues in Science/Math Education (GISME)" [Hake & Mallow
(2008)].

This 11.8 MB compilation of over 700 annotated references and 1000
hot-linked URL's provides a window into the vast literature on Gender
Issues in Science/Math Education. The present listing is an update,
expansion, and generalization of the earlier 0.23 MB "Gender Issues
in Physics/Science Education (GIPSE)" by Mallow & Hake (2002).

Of course, Jeffry Mallow and I would be very interested in any
comments any of you might care to make on GISME.

To access GISME, please click on
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>, scroll to item 55, and then
click on [GISME-5k-Part1.pdf] for Part 1 and [GISME-5k-Part2.pdf] for
Part 2.

The earlier "Gender Issues in Physics/Science Education (GIPSE)"
[Mallow & Hake (2002)] can be found on the APS website
http://www.aps.org/programs/women/resources/gender.cfm

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. CELEBRATE WOMEN IN PHYSICS POSTER
From: WIPHYS, June 23, 2008

CSWP has a new Celebrate Women in Physics Poster! This full-color
poster http://www.aps.org/programs/women/index.cfm highlights women
physicists actively pursuing their work. The poster is 16 inches x 20
inches and fits easily on a door or bulletin board. To order, please
send an email to women_at_aps.org and include your full mailing address.
We reserve the right to limit quantities.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. MIT'S MIDCAREER ACCELERATION PROGRAM
From: WIPHYS, June 23, 2008

Information Session - July 2, 2008. MIT's Midcareer Acceleration Program
(MAP) is designed to help students sharpen the skills essential to
prepare for career reentry, for those who left the workforce and now
wish to return, and career retooling, for those who want to prepare for
a challenging new position or transition into a new industry. The
program incorporates career and personal development, a semester-long
MIT course, and an internship or research project.

Please join us for our last information session of the year. The
information session will be an overview of MAP, including a
discussion of:
* the goals of the program,
* experiences of the people who participated in the program,
* resources available at MIT, and
* support available to you while going through the program.

To RSVP for the July 2 information session, please submit your
request here: http://midcareer.mit.edu/?source=map1 . If you or someone
you know could benefit from this program, please review the MAP program
website, read the profiles, and take a look at the program curriculum
to learn more. http://midcareer.mit.edu/?source=map1

If you will be unable to make the July 2 Info Session but still wish
to discuss how this program may work for your unique situation,
please email Midcareer_at_mit.edu with your request.

Dawna S. Levenson
Associate Director, Academic Programs
MIT Professional Education Programs

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Two-Year Half-Research Half-Teaching Post-Doc
From: WIPHYS, June 27, 2008

The College of Wooster invites applications for a two-year Post-
Doctoral Research position in physics beginning August 2008 or
January 2009. This position will involve half-time research and half-
time teaching. The qualified candidate will typically teach one
course and one lab each semester, have the opportunity to guide
student research, and conduct research in collaboration with our
departmental faculty. This position supports recent PhDs
transitioning from graduate school to permanent academic positions
and provides mentoring in both teaching and the development of an
independent research program. Teaching opportunities include both our
introductory and advanced courses. PhD in physics or related field
expected.

Our department is an inclusive community that emphasizes cooperation
over competition. A June 2004 report by the American Institute of
Physics lists our department in a short table of physics programs
with high student satisfaction and high bachelor's degree production.
Our physics club has won national awards for its elementary school
outreach program. Our NSF-REU summer program has attracted students
from 18 states and 37 institutions to work closely with faculty on
research projects. Each Wooster student completes a yearlong senior
thesis project in our nationally recognized senior capstone program.
Wooster ranks in the top 3 percent nationally as the baccalaureate
origin of PhDs when compared with other 4-year institutions.

Send cover letter, CV, unofficial graduate transcripts, and three
letters of recommendation to Dr. John Lindner, Physics Chair, at
JLindner_at_Wooster.edu. Consideration of applications will begin
immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

The College of Wooster is an independent college of the liberal arts
and sciences with a commitment to excellence in undergraduate
education. The College values diversity, strives to attract qualified
women and minority candidates, and encourages individuals belonging
to these groups to apply. Wooster seeks to ensure diversity by its
policy of employing persons without regard to age, sex, color, race,
creed, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual
orientation, or political affiliation. The College of Wooster is an
Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. Employment is subject
to federal laws requiring verification of identity and legal right to
work in the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and
Control Act. Drug-free workplace.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Postdoctoral Fellowship Program For Recent PHDs, University Of
Michigan
From: WIPHYS, June 27, 2008

The Michigan Society of Fellows invites applications to its postdoctoral
fellowship program for recent PhDs in the humanities, arts, sciences,
and professions. These three-year positions at the University of
Michigan are open to recent PhDs who wish to pursue research
opportunities while teaching at a major research university. Eight
fellowships are available, with an annual stipend of $51,500. Four of
these fellowships will be awarded in the humanities, with the support of
the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Applications must be submitted
electronically by midnight September 30, 2008. The online application
is available at www.rackham.umich.edu/Faculty/sof.html. Questions may be
submitted to society.of.fellows_at_umich.edu

Myron Campbell
Chair, Physics Department
University of Michigan

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN

[Please remember to replace "_at_" in the below e-mail addresses.]

To submit to AASWOMEN:
send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org
All material sent to that address will be posted unless you tell us
otherwise (including your email address).

To subscribe or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
go to http://lists.aas.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaswomen
and fill out the form.

If you experience any problems, please email itdept_at_aas.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN

Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at

http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html

Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.