A Message on COVID-19: Activities and Ways You Can Help While Social Distancing

By JoEllen McBride and Katie Eckert

We realize this message comes late in the COVID-19 pandemic and there have already been many posts by those more qualified to write about viruses and pandemics. But we wanted to reach out to our community as the virus continues to spread. Like us, you may be worried about your health, the health of your family and friends (near and far), your jobs and research, figuring out working from home potentially on top of caring for children or parents, the general state of the country and the world. We encourage you to do what you need to stay safe.

In this era of social distancing and shelter-in-place orders, we have put below some suggestions for staying connected, keeping engaged, and entertaining children. We welcome your suggestions (please comment below), which we will add to the list below. If you have other concerns, please reach out to wia-blog AT lists.aas.org.

• SLOOH free webcasts
• Franklin Institute interactive brain
• Skype a Scientist
• Live Animal Cams
• Virtual theater, museum tours, zoos, and more!
• Audible free kids books
• Free Amazon Kids Shows
• At Home Environmental Activities
• Free Movement classes on Instagram
• Kennedy Space Center
• Disney Imagineer Box
• Kid friendly educational YouTube channels by WeCreateEdu
• Science Take-out from Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network
• Facebook Live Classes by Crunch Fitness-Round Rock
• Crowd Fight COVID-19 - volunteer your skills!
• Find a Mutual Aid Group near you!
• Some neighborhoods are putting rainbows in their windows as a scavenger hunt for kids. Some are also creating chalk art on sidewalks and driveways.
  You could create window and chalk art that includes Astro facts to share with the kids as they get some outdoor time.
  There are resources for creating your own geocaching activities if you search around!
  
  

AASWomen Newsletter for March 20, 2020

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of March 20, 2020
eds: JoEllen McBride, Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Maria Patterson, and Alessandra Aloisi

This week's issues:

1. CSWA Endorsement Policy Finalized

2. Women Are The Key To Scaling Up AI And Data Science

3. JKX Comics: Dr. Aomawa Shields

4. HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19

5. Emmy Noether and the Myth of Genius

6. The Accusations Were Lies. But Could We Prove It?

7. Better late than never

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

From Item 3

AASWomen Newsletter for March 13, 2020

AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of March 13, 2020
eds: JoEllen McBride, Nicolle Zellner, Heather Flewelling, Maria Patterson, and Alessandra Aloisi

Mary Golda Ross, from Item 3.
Image credit: SWE Photograph Collection,
Walter P. Reuther Library

This week's issues:

1. Two-Body Problem Series: Priorities Change

2. Nominate your colleagues for DPS Prizes!

3. Honoring the women who helped humans go to space

4. Research: To Reduce Gender Bias, Anonymize Job Applications

5. Elsevier global analysis on gender gap in research and innovation

6. An interesting Kickstarter project...

7. Astronomy's continuing harassment problem

8. These 10 National Parks Wouldn't Exist Without Women

9. Women with career gaps are being tapped for talent pool

10. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter

11. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter

12. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter

Meet Your CSWA, Patricia Knezek

Patricia Knezek joined NSF in 2013 and served as the Deputy Division Director of Astronomical Sciences, and then as a Senior Advisor in Mathematical & Physical Sciences. She spent time in Advanced Cyberinfrastructure and the Office of Diversity & Inclusion. She is now beginning her third year on assignment to NASA HQ in the Astrophysics Division. Prior to joining the NSF, she had been at NOAO as a staff scientist since 2001.

Pat has been active in issues of diversity and inclusion for her entire career. She previously served on CSWA, where some of her activities have included leading the development of “Equity Now! The Pasadena Recommendations for Gender Equality in Astronomy” and launching (with Rachel Ivie of the American Institute of Physics) the ad hoc group that developed the Longitudinal Study of Astronomy Graduate Students. Currently, she is co-chair of the CSWA and also a member of the AAS Ethics Task Force.