Thursday, December 5, 2024

Cross-post: Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil chases dwarf galaxies

By Toni Feder, for Physics Today


She navigated barriers in Turkey and the US to become an astronomy professor.

picture of Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil
Credit: IF/THEN® Collection



Write an essay on your ideal person. That assignment in middle school set Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil on the path to becoming a scientist. Wondering who the “cleverest person in the world” was, she started reading about Albert Einstein and his science. She became especially interested in astronomy.

That interest took Mutlu-Pakdil from Istanbul, Turkey, where she grew up, to the country’s capital city of Ankara for her bachelor’s degree. She earned her PhD from the University of Minnesota in 2017. An unusual galaxy she studied as a PhD student is informally named after her. Today she is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College. An observational astronomer, she studies tiny, faint dwarf galaxies; she hopes they will reveal secrets about dark matter.


Read more at

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Resources for Astronomers Seeking Academic Jobs

Eds note: November is National Career Development Month, an annual observance dedicated to highlighting the importance of career development and planning. This month, we will post relevant articles related to career development in Astronomy, Planetary Science, Physics, and science in general.


By Floor Broekgaarden


Today’s post is by Dr. Floor Broekgaarden. Dr. Broekgaarden is an Assistant Professor in the Astronomy department at UC San Diego in La Jolla, California. She joined this department in fall 2024 and will be building a research group in Gravitational Wave Paleontology. She enjoys spending time and energy doing several other things for the Astronomy Community including initiating a group to support early-career astronomers. Below she shares her compiled resources with our readers.



Early-career astronomers have to learn to navigate an academic system in permanent evolution. Demystifying the academic job market and securing the next internship or job can be particularly challenging. Many resources for astronomers exist online that have been created by fantastic organizations and people to help understand and demystify many aspects of the process (e.g., where to find jobs, how to write application material, what to expect for interviews, negotiations,.. etc. etc.). 

I created an overview of many of these resources, which you can find in the following links: 


- Astronomy Workshop recordings (recorded workshops on academic skills such as networking, writing, applying for jobs, mental health etc.)



Eds Note: The AAS Committee on Employment has also shared resources (as of October 2023) to help you search for jobs and hire! Also check out the CSWA’s resource page.



Thursday, November 21, 2024

Nat'l Career Development Month - Part 2

Eds note: November is National Career Development Month, an annual observance dedicated to highlighting the importance of career development and planning. This month, we will post relevant articles related to career development in Astronomy, Planetary Science, Physics, and science in general.


Crosspost: How can I break into industry if my CV keeps disappearing into a black hole?

By Miles Lizak

"I’m a postdoc reaching the end of my second two-year contract at a European university. I want to transfer from academia to industry so that I can find some stability and a better work–life balance.

resumes and CVs falling into a black hole
Image credit: cryptojobslist.com
I’ve been looking for a research project-management or data-analysis position ... But I keep receiving impersonal, early-stage rejections (or no response at all) even for positions for which I was sure I had a chance. I’m worried that my CV is getting filtered out by scanning software because of my lack of industry experience, and that it never even gets to a real person.

What can I do to get noticed for these positions? How can I transition out of academia if all the industry jobs want industry experience?"


Nature spoke to three experts to help answer your question, and they said that what you’re experiencing is a common frustration when trying to make the leap from academia to industry. If you feel as if you’re shooting your CV into a black hole again and again without a meaningful response, you should shift your approach. 

Read more at



More information:

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Space for Students - Part 2

In our popular Career Profile series the AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy has compiled dozens of interviews highlighting the diversity of career trajectories available to astronomers, planetary scientists, and those in related fields. 

In a twist on this series, we video-interviewed students in astronomy and astrophysics to highlight their personal and academic career paths. The purpose of this series is three-fold. It aims not only to give a voice and exposure to those who are up and coming in the field but also to give feedback to the Astronomical community at large about the experiences of students who identify as women. The hope is that these interviews will not only share advice and lessons learned but will shed light on how to encourage and inspire more women, from various backgrounds and skill sets, to follow space trajectories, and reach towards the stars.


By: Libby Fenstermacher


Below is our interview with Latika Joshi, a senior undergraduate Physics and Astronomy major at Mt. Holyoke College in Massachusetts, as of Fall 2024. Latika found her path to the stars after being inspired at the age of nine by the movie Interstellar. Taking notice of this newfound passion, her parents quickly signed them all up for the local astronomy club and fervently supported her inquisitive nature. Now, flash forward to the present day, Latika has a foothold in many areas of astronomical research and outreach. Currently, there are two main areas on which she has her focus: gravitational waves and Mars’ trojan objects. This past summer, Latika worked at the MIT LIGO lab in Cambridge, MA, where she participated in a research project concerning the detection of simulated gravitational wave pipelines via a machine learning platform. As well, she has also been working with her Mt. Holyoke mentor, Professor Thomas Burbine, on research regarding the probability of the origins of Mars trojans, a group of objects that share the orbit of the planet Mars around the Sun. Latika currently has a paper in review related to this work. Outside of academics and astronomy, Latika enjoys swimming, playing the piano, and dancing. Notably, she received a diploma in the Indian classical dance Kathak from the National Institute of Kathak Dance in New Delhi, India in 2020, after ten years of training. 

Watch the video!


“The more I read about astronomy and the folks who've contributed to it, the more I realize 
that women's achievements have been downplayed for a very long time. So really recognizing 
that is very important, you know, because it's important to note that even though this is the 
21st century, there is still a big gender gap in this field. And so there might be young girls who 
would think that, ‘oh well, I like astronomy, but there aren't a lot of people like me in this field, so 
I don't want to continue going…’ But if we start recognizing the achievements of women in this field, 
well, then they would see those women and think, but she did it so I can do it.” - Latika Joshi

Transcript: Libby Fenstermacher and Latika Joshi

Libby: Hi everybody. My name is Libby Fenstermacher and today I'm here with Latika and she's going to tell us a little bit about her background with astronomy and her experiences with being a woman and a student in astronomy. Thank you so much for joining me today. Do you want to share a little bit about your background?

Latika: Yeah. I'm Latika. I'm from India. I was born and raised in India, and I came to the US in August of 2021 to pursue an undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy. I am a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College, which is a historically women's College located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. So, at my college, I am actively involved in the physics and astronomy departments. I served as the secretary of our SPS chapter, the Society of Physics Student chapter the past one year and I will be moving on to serve as the Co-president in the upcoming year. We recently founded an astronomy club, and I am fortunate to be the president of that astronomy club. Our college also has a historic observatory, the Williston Observatory, which was built in 1881, and it has the infamous Clark Telescope built by the famous telescope maker Alvin Clark. And I often volunteer at open houses. We love to have open houses during the academic year there. And you know, outside of academics, I enjoy swimming, playing the piano, and dancing. I'm not on the varsity swim team at my college, but I used to do competitive swimming for eight years and I loved every bit of it. And a fun fact about me, I have a diploma in an Indian classical dance called Kathak. I was trained in it for 10 years and I got my diploma in 2020.

Libby: Wow, that's amazing! What inspired you to choose a path in astronomy and astrophysics in the 1st place?

Latika: So, my journey in astronomy began back in 2014 when I was nine years old, and I watched Interstellar for the first time. So, Interstellar was not my first science fiction movie. You know, I'd seen Star Wars, but I had never really been introduced to the universe before in a movie. Like, because through Interstellar, I remember the first time I watched it, I saw what a black hole was. I saw what a spaceship was, what an astronaut was, and what NASA was, I just had never heard of these things before. And I remember watching that movie and just being left so amazed by how fast and mysterious the universe is. 

Latika: So, I remember coming back home and that night looking at the night sky, because I wasn't one to really look at the night sky. I was not really into astronomy. It was just not something we were taught at school. I mean, I knew about the solar system. I knew about the moon landing, but, you know, they don't really teach us that at school. So, I wasn't really one to look at the stars or, like, find which planet is there in the night sky. But I remember that night after watching the movie, just gazing at the night sky and being left amazed by how beautiful it is. And so, I started borrowing books from a local library and just reading about the different planets. Nothing too complicated, just the different planets, what's in our solar system. You know, things like the Kuiper belt that exists in the outer part of our solar system. I'd never heard of that. And the more I read, the more I was just so fascinated, and I wanted to know what is out there. And my parents sort of noticed that I was beginning to develop this passion in astronomy. So, we all joined this local astronomy club in Delhi where I grew up. And we would go to weekly lectures that were given by physicists and astronomers who had way more knowledge than us, you know, learning bit by bit about what is there in the universe. I remember attending this really cool telescope-making workshop. It was just, it was just so amazing. But oh my gosh. You can actually build these kinds of things like you don't have to be some well-educated engineer with a PhD. It was just so amazing. 

Latika: And in 9th grade, which is April of 2017, I went to my first stargazing event. The club used to do multiple stargazing events and my father, and I went to the outskirts of Delhi, and this is the first time I looked through a telescope. So, before I had always looked at stars and planets through a pair of really, really old pairs of binoculars that my dad owned. Like he owned that since he was 10 years old. So, they've been around for like a good 40 years. They were definitely, they definitely were not of good quality. So, I looked through a telescope for the first time and I looked at Saturn. And I remember just
Alvan Clark Telescope at Mt. Holyoke.
Image Credit: Latika Joshi.

feeling so amazed, like, wow, I am looking at Saturn the way it is right now at this very moment. And I remember it was like spinning so fast. You know, it was out of the line of sight in like 2-3 seconds, and we had to readjust the telescope. But it was just such an amazing feeling, you know? And I sort of knew then that this is what I want to do in college, in my life. And yeah, I have. Loved astronomy since then.

Libby: Oh, so inspirational. I remember that feeling of looking through a telescope for the first time. It was Jupiter for me and just amazing. So, what are your aspirations with astronomy and astrophysics?

Latika: Yeah, so I am very much interested in doing research, you know, building that up as my career. I'm currently doing research on gravitational waves, and you know, I just hope to be able to meaningfully contribute to this research in the future. There are some other cool topics that I'm interested in, like studying black holes or trying to find the existence of dark energy and dark matter. So, I really hope to be in a position someday in the future where I can, you know, work with this, do research in this. Likewise, I also enjoy teaching. You know, back in high school, I used to teach at a local NGO. I would teach like students who were in first, and second grade, basic English, math, and science. But it was just so fun teaching them, helping them out. And I do want to be in a position someday in the future where I can teach and hopefully inspire the younger generation.

Libby: Well, you're doing that right now with this blog post. And, you're going to be great at whatever you end up doing with your path. But what are you currently working on?

Latika: This summer I am working at the MIT LIGO lab in Cambridge. LIGO stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory. It's simply an observatory that works towards detecting gravitational waves. So, gravitational waves are simply created as a result of the collision of two massive objects in the universe. Think of two neutron stars colliding or two black holes colliding. They will emit energy, and that energy is emitted in the form of these gravitational waves, which are simply ripples like…Ripples that are created when you throw a pebble into a pond, and it creates ripples. That's exactly what gravitational waves are. And because of the highly advanced instruments that we have, which is called an interferometer, which is the eye in LIGO, we can detect these gravitational waves. So back in 2015, there was this very, very groundbreaking detection of the very first gravitational waves that were detected from. The collision of two black holes, 1.3 billion light years away. And this detection proved what Einstein had theorized about gravitational waves back in 1915. So, it's some really cool, amazing work that we're able to do. And since 2015, we've definitely detected a lot more gravitational waves from. Different objects like neutron stars or gravitational waves between neutron stars and black holes, like really cool stuff. And now we're advancing to using machine learning in this project. So, for the summer I'm working with a team of folks who are using machine learning to create this model that will simulate gravitational wave bursts from different pipelines and localize them. What that means is a lot of big words I can, I can explain.

Libby: Oh it’s just that, that's so exciting.

Latika: Yeah, yeah, it's really cool stuff. What we're doing with pipelines. Think of pipelines as like different channels, for example, the TV, has all these different channels, different networks that are broadcasting their TV. So, think of the different channels as the pipelines in your TV as your night sky. So, these different pipelines are picking up that gravitational wave burst from the sky. In this case, it's not actually the sky, it's just simulation and it's mapping that, localizing that, basically pointing out from what part of the sky that gravitational wave burst came. And because we have these different pipelines and these different channels that are picking up the gravitational waves, we want to make sure they are efficiently working. So that's sort of the whole purpose of creating this machine learning model. So that is, that is one project that I am currently working on.

Latika: I'm also doing a more planetary science project on the side. So, for the last one year, I have been working with a professor from Mount Holyoke College, Thomas Burbine, on this very cool project where we're looking at Mars Trojans and trying to possibly determine their origin. So, Mars Trojans are simply asteroids that are revolving around Mars, and we don't really know where they came from. The most obvious solution that one could think of is, well, they probably came from Mars. You know, it's quite possible a high-impact event took place and as a result of that, rocks were ejected out from the surface of Mars, and they got caught in the planet's gravity and they're just revolving around it. But it's also quite possible that there were asteroids that were just traveling through space, and they happened to pass by Mars, and they got caught in its gravity. So, we don't really know where they came from. We don't know their origins. So, Thomas and I were trying to use what is called the chi-square statistical technique. To determine what the possible origins could be. And well, our results show that all pointed towards Mars. But you know, this is not definitive, the chi-square technique. It's one tool, but it's not fully reliable, especially because in today's world, we are now able to use machine learning to create models to do a lot of work. So, this was one thing that Thomas and I did, and I wrote a paper and it is currently under peer review.

Libby: Congratulations

Latika: Thank you. But now this summer we are working on the second part of this project, which is basically to use machine learning to determine the origins of these Mars Trojans. So, these are the very two cool summer projects I'm working on.

Libby: That's such a unique use of chi-square. As a sociologist, you know, I’ve used it within my work. But yeah, I never thought about using it in that way. So that's really, really exciting.

Libby: Speaking of exciting, what about astronomy excites you?

Latika: There is so much, so much out there that we don't know. I'm just so amazed by how vast our universe is and how complex it is and that there's just so much left to be discovered. You know, we know so little about this universe that we live in. There are phenomena out there waiting for us to discover them. And for me, it's just. It's so thrilling, so exciting to know that I am part of something where we can really find out what is out there, and discover these things. So, for me to be given this opportunity to find these unknowns, it's just so thrilling. It just makes me so happy, so happy every single day. 

Libby: I'm so happy for you and I want you to keep me in the loop of everything you discover along your way. So, let's see, you already told me about what you're currently working on. So, your future plans, what are they, and where do you see yourself?

Latika: Yeah, I definitely hope to pursue a PhD in either astronomy or astrophysics or physics. And so, I'll be applying to PhD programs in September this year. I very much enjoy the research that I'm doing with gravitational waves. So, you know, I do see myself continuing this research somewhere in the future. And as I mentioned before, I love teaching. It's just so fun.

Libby: It is so fun.

Latika: So, you know, if in the future, say I were to get into a PhD program, I would love to teach college students or like. A little far into the future. Once I have a degree, I would also love to teach science to, you know, little kids. 

Libby: It's so fun and inspiring. Yeah, I work as a graduate assistant teacher and I absolutely love it. I love grading. I love giving advice. It's just so rewarding. And I can tell that you'll succeed at that if that's the direction that you end up going.

Libby: So, what advice would you give to someone looking at a trajectory similar to yours?

Latika: Yeah, so well, first and foremost, I believe in this field, in a scientific field, it's very important to be passionate about your interests and really stay curious, especially because there are like so many times when you'll fumble or you'll, you know, face some sort of obstacle. You're stuck, you're getting frustrated, and annoyed. But if that passion is there, you know that will sort of keep you going. And I can say from first-hand experience that happened so many times, but I just love wanting to know more of what is out there. And so, I can tell myself that I can keep going. So definitely be passionate, be curious. I also believe it's very important to take advantage of every opportunity that is out there to learn, to gain hands-on experience, whether it's through research projects or TA ship positions. You know, this is a very good way to build, like all sorts of skills that will be useful in the future and really see the behind-the-scenes work. 

Latika: I also believe it's very important to build a strong network of mentors and peers. And I know that can be difficult for some folks. That was very difficult for me. Like, I hesitated to, like, talk to my classmates. I hesitated to go to office hours or like, ask professors questions because I am naturally a very shy person. Back in high school, my teachers always complained to my parents that she's so smart, but she doesn't talk. So that was my weakness. But you know, it's scary. It's scary. You're putting yourself out there. You're taking that first initiative, but just do it because these are the people who will be there for you, who will guide you and you want to build that network of mentors and peers. And I also believe it's very important to seek help when you're facing challenges. You know, just say it. I am stuck. I need help. Especially because we're college students, we're not expected to know everything. You know we are in the learning stage in our lives and our professors know that people we're doing research with know that, our peers know that. So don't be afraid to ask for help and be open to new experiences. For me, working at MIT this summer is a very new experience because this is the first time in three years that I'm really working off campus. So, to be in this new city with these new people, and my peers here at MIT are mostly just graduate students and research scientists. So, to be in this new environment, it was a little nervous, but I got used to it. I met some really cool people. So be open to new experiences.

Libby: Yeah, we're all on this rock together. We're all on the same journey. You know, let's. Let's figure it out together. That's awesome. That's great advice. 

Libby: Speaking of mentorship, what mentorship did you receive along your path? And can you share any advice that you've garnered?

Latika: Yeah. So, I feel very fortunate to have met some amazing people at Mount Holyoke, some amazing professors and peers. And Thomas, Thomas Burbine, with whom I'm doing my project in planet race science. He's given me some really great advice. So, Thomas has known me since my very first semester at Mount Holyoke, and he's seen me grow inside the classroom, outside the classroom, and he's really taught me the importance of perseverance and resilience, whatever work you're doing because it is natural to face setbacks. It is natural to face challenges. But what's important is you keep going no matter how hard it is. You might have one bad day; you might have 10 bad days. I hope not, but it's quite possible you might have a bad day. You know, it just happens. But you have to keep going because the reward is going to be so sweet. You’re going to feel so good at the end of it. So, it's very important to persevere. 

Latika: I also learned from a lot of the physics professors at Mount Holyoke that collaboration is so important. And not just in research, but also in the classroom. That was something that was very new to me because growing up in India, I always worked by myself. I did homework by myself. I was by myself in school. I didn't really work with other students or seek help from others. So, to me, when I started taking my first few physics classes and the professor said, you know, you should join study groups, I thought that was so strange. Why would you work like that? Why? But then I joined one and I realized, oh my gosh, this is, this is so important because when you collaborate with each other, you're getting different perspectives on everything. And that improves problem-solving. You know, everyone's bringing something new to the table and it just makes everything easier. You get a new and a better perspective, on what you're looking at. 

Libby: Absolutely, diversity is 100% key because we all come from our different realities, and we all have different things to share and things to add.

Libby: What, if any, changes would you like to see for women in astronomy?

Latika: Yeah, I definitely would want to see an increased representation and support for women in astronomy. This could be through more funding and opportunities for women-led research projects, or even starting mentorship programs that are specifically designed to help women at different stages in their career. And I think this is very important because when I was part of my college's APS IDEA committee, I learned a lot that I did not know about women in this field. So, APS IDEA is the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance of APS, the American Physical Society. I was the student representative on that committee and the rest of the committee comprised of the physics faculty. And that was sort of my first time really seeing how the gender gap was so big in this field, how there are so few women that will get a PhD like it was… it was eye-opening. 

Latika: And one of the things that made me want to do was start a mentorship program at Mount Holyoke. So, Mount Holyoke is a historically women's college. So, you know, we may not necessarily face the gender bias that you would face at a co-ed institution, but I also felt it was important. That women in a historically women's college feel supported in this institution and that they feel prepared for academic institutions that may look and feel slightly different. So, we started that mentorship program, and it was a great success. So, I really feel strongly about creating mentorship programs for women in different stages of their career.

Latika: I also think it's very important to recognize the achievements of women in this field. The more I read about astronomy and the folks who've contributed to it, the more I realize that women's achievements have been downplayed for a very long time. So really recognizing that is very important, you know, because it's important to note that even though this is the 21st century, there is still a big gender gap in this field. And so there might be young girls who would think that, oh well, I like astronomy, but there aren't a lot of people like me in this field, so I don't want to continue going in. But if we start recognizing the achievements of women in this field, well, then they would see those women and think, but she did it so I can do it. So, it's very important to recognize the achievements of women in this field.

Libby: Yeah, absolutely. If you, if you can see it, you can be it.

Latika: Exactly. Yeah.

Libby: Speaking of representation, I'm just segueing myself today. What is your favorite movie TV show slash TV show?

Latika: Well, Interstellar used to be my favorite movie for a very long time. I've watched it four times and I loved it every single time. However, I watched Contact. I don't know how many people have heard of Contact, but the movie was released in 1997 and stars Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.

Libby: I have seen that. I couldn't recall it, but now I'm going to have to watch it tonight.

Latika: Yeah, yeah. I saw it for the first time in two years. I'd never heard of that movie, but I saw it two years ago and I just loved it. I have rewatched it. I usually rewatch it a couple of…every couple of months, just cause I love that movie, because I'm just so amazed by how it explores the intersection of science and faith and the search for extraterrestrial life and the way the movie portrays the sort of dedication and perseverance that's required in scientific research, which is very evident in Jodie Foster's character. It's just, it's so inspiring. Like the first time I watched that movie, I remember just envisioning myself and her like, wow. Wow. It's an amazing movie. Yeah. Wow.

Libby: Oh, my goodness. OK, so that is. I'm putting that on tonight and I'll let you know how it is later. Is there anything else that you want to share before we go? 

Latika: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You know, I feel so grateful. To have this opportunity, this platform, to share my journey and my aspirations with you, I want to take a moment to recognize the Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy for the amazing work that they are doing to support and promote women in this field. You know, their work is so impactful and significant, not only for women today but also for women and young girls to come in the future. And I just feel so honored to be part of their initiative. And thank you to you, Libby, for recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women in the field of astronomy. Thank you.

Libby: Absolutely. Thank you so much. And thank you for doing this interview. This has been fabulous. And I can't wait to share your story with the world. It's been amazing. Have a good one.

Latika: You too.

Libby: Bye.

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Career Profile: From NASA Engineer to Aerospace Consultant: Navigating Unexpected Trajectories

The AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy has compiled dozens of interviews highlighting the diversity of career trajectories available to astronomers, planetary scientists, etc. The interviews share advice and lessons learned from individuals on those paths.

Below is our interview with Dr. Jill Seubert, a spacecraft navigation engineer who focuses on deep space mission design and navigation. She is based in Sydney, Australia, where she founded Australis Space Navigation. She earned her Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

What were the most important factors that led you to leave astronomy and/or academia?

I had a strong desire to work on NASA Mars missions. Acknowledging my strengths and weaknesses, I felt that I would be most impactful and professionally fulfilled if I applied cutting-edge space research to real life applications.  While I enjoyed performing research at the first principles level, what really fascinated me was the gap that exists between the optimal analytic solution and the reality of the universe, and the implications of those differences.  For example, in spacecraft navigation the spacecraft may be following the optimal trajectory, but an unexpected solar flare might perturb the trajectory in unmodeled ways.  It’s my job to appropriately quantify the uncertainty around that analytic trajectory to capture all the unknown unknowns.


If you have made a career change, what was your age at the time?

I haven’t made a career change, but I did make a major employer change at age 38.  I left NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and began consulting. 


What has been your career path since you completed your degree?

Following my Ph.D., I immediately went to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. I spent 10 years there working as a deep space navigator, responsible for planning, determining and maintaining spacecraft trajectories so the spacecraft can safely arrive at its intended target. I’ve supported numerous Mars missions, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, InSight Mars Lander, and the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover.  I also served as the Deputy Principal Investigator for the Deep Space Atomic Clock Technology Demonstration Mission, which advanced space clock technology such that it may be used for spacecraft navigation in the future.  Following my departure from JPL, I founded Australis Space Navigation to allow me to continue working on deep space navigation from my new home in
Australia.


What have been particularly valuable skills for your current job that you gained through completing your degree?

The most valuable skill that I gained through my graduate studies extends far beyond my studies: effective communication and being comfortable presenting my work. Communication is often undervalued as a “soft skill”, but I've found it to be my superpower that has undoubtedly played a large part in my professional success. It doesn't matter how good your work is if you cannot tell people about it, and tell them why it matters.  The good news is that anyone can learn how to make communication their own personal superpower.


What is your level of satisfaction with your current job?

For better or worse, I am one of those people who really love their jobs. I thoroughly enjoy the technical work, the people I work with, and applying my expertise to real-life space missions. I particularly delight in the nature of spacecraft navigation as it requires me to delve into systems design, analytics models, software design and development, data processing, astrophysics and science.  I find it's impossible to grow bored when there's always more to learn.


What are the most enjoyable aspects of your job?

One might expect rocket launches and Mars landings to be my favourite, and those events do rank high on my list. But, hands down the best part of my job is working through challenging technical issues with my talented colleagues.  No matter how frustrating it may be in the moment, it's just so rewarding when you work together to design and implement a solution (and it actually works)!



What advice do you have for achieving work-life balance (including having a family)?

It's taken me two kids and moving from full time to part time, but I finally have a healthy work-life balance.  My advice is to be realistic and acknowledge that you cannot do everything everywhere all at once. For every commitment, something else has to give. There are times when I'm focusing on my career but my family life is a bit lacking; I counterbalance this with times when I deliberately focus on my family and don't push so hard at work.  Sometimes I get to consciously choose which to focus on, but oftentimes life makes that choice for me.  The important thing is being cognizant of that balance. I always know the balance is perfect when I feel rewarded in both life and work.


What do you do for fun (e.g., hobbies, pastimes, etc.)?

I try to make time for both music and exercise.  My job can be quite stressful, and I find that making music through playing the piano and singing with a community women’s choir provides a venue to focus entirely on something unrelated to my work.  Conversely, going for a long run allows me to focus on nothing more than putting one foot in front of the other.   Regular practice of both keeps me mentally balanced  and more productive at work.  I also practice yoga to clear my mind, which gives me greater mental clarity in my work.

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Nat'l Career Development Month - Part 1

Eds note: November is National Career Development Month, an annual observance dedicated to highlighting the importance of career development and planning. For the next several weeks, we will post relevant articles related to career development in Astronomy, Planetary Science, Physics, and science in general.


Crosspost: How researchers and their managers can build an actionable career-development plan

By Tomasz Głowacki

Having navigated both [industry and academia], I’ve realized that one area in which industry particularly excels is in providing employees with structured and specific career advice, tailored to their specific interests and goals. This is often done through a career-development plan, something that I think could also be effective for academics.

Making a plan is generally a collaborative effort, requiring buy-in from your manager or mentor. But this doesn’t mean that they have to initiate the process. Try to express interest in discussing your career path and invite them to share their suggestions. Involve them by showing how this exercise could enhance your effectiveness and engagement at work.

Be open about your strengths and weaknesses, and the direction in which you want your career to develop, and ask for their perspective on your work habits and performance. If, for example, you’d like to move towards more of a leadership role, say that you are a good organizer, manage your time well and help your team members to plan their activities. However, you might also need to learn more about giving feedback or improve your assertiveness skills.

Moreover, seek input from your team, collaborators, students and other faculty members (or 360-degree feedback, in professional-development jargon) to understand their perspectives.

Learn more about creating a career-development plan at



More information:

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Tips for Writing

Nature recently published some tips and advice for honing skills in the thing we do nearly every day: write. 

Image Credit: awarenessdays.com


Check out the links below to learn how to write more successful grant proposals, more compelling letters of recommendation, better manuscripts (and manuscript reviews), and inspiring personal statements. Got anything to add? Share it in the comments.



Friday, October 25, 2024

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Meet Your CSWA!

Since 1979, over 100 people have been members of the CSWA and have worked to to recommend to the AAS Board of Trustees practical measures that can be taken to improve the status of women in astronomy and encourage their entry into this field. The CSWA's Resources page and External page have a plethora of information to help women advance in the field. 

Thank you to the past members of the CSWA and the work you have done for us. Current members are



Name:
Jeremy Bailin
Institution: University of Alabama
Specialty Research Area: Galaxy Formation, Globular Clusters
Something Interesting: Former radio DJ







Name: Alessandra Aloisi
Institution: NASA HQ & STScI

Specialty Research Area: resolved stellar populations, star-formation histories and chemistry of the multi-phase ISM in nearby star-forming galaxies

Something Interesting: I speak four languages, including my mother tongue, Italian.








Name:
Regina A. Jorgenson
Institution: Maria Mitchell Association, Director of Astronomy
Specialty Research Area: Galaxy Formation and Evolution

Something Interesting: I’m an ethical and compassionate vegan.













                                                       

Name: Stella Kafka

Institution: American Meteorological Society

Specialty Research Area: Variable stars, Cataclysmic Variables

Something Interesting: I have a 4-yo yorkie, called Ruru. I work for him






Name: Dr. Karly Pitman (she/her/hers)

Institution: Chair, AAS CSWA

Specialty Research Area: planetary & ISM dust; radiative transfer & laboratory astrophysics

Something Interesting: I design and sew clothing.








Name:
Rayna Rampalli
Institution: Dartmouth College

Specialty Research Area: Galactic Archaeology 

Something Interesting: I swim with the UV Rays master's team in White River Junction, VT  (which is part of the upper valley, or UV, region hence our team name). 








Name:
Sukanya Chakrabarti
Institution: UAH

Specialty Research Area: precision measurements to constrain dark matter

Something Interesting: I am starting to do karate again after about 7 years and am currently on my way to a karate camp 😀






Name: Eric Hooper
Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Specialty Research Area: AGN and galaxy connection; radio surveys.
Something Interesting: I've been a downhill skier since my 6th birthday.












We also acknowledge James Keane and Hannah Jang-Condell. Thank you for your service on the CSWA!