The AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy maintains this blog to disseminate information relevant to astronomers who identify as women and share the perspectives of astronomers from varied backgrounds. If you have an idea for a blog post or topic, please submit a short pitch (less than 300 words).
The views expressed on this site are not necessarily the views of the CSWA, the AAS, its Board of Trustees, or its membership.
AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of January 10, 2025
eds: Jeremy Bailin, Nicolle Zellner, Sethanne Howard, Ferah Munshi, and Hannah Jang-Condell
[We hope you all are taking care of yourselves and each other. Happy New Year!--eds.]
CSWA Sessions & Events at AAS National Harbor 2025
by Karly Pitman, CSWA Chair
We look forward to seeing you at the 245th American Astronomical Society meeting to be held January 12-16, 2025 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
CSWA will be hosting and co-hosting several events early in the week. Please come by to meet your CSWA representatives, network, and support the advancement of women in our field.
AAS and CWSA Meeting Schedule:
Sun. Jan. 12:
AAS Grad School & REU Fair
Prince George’s Exhibit Hall E
5:30-7:00 p.m. ET
Come hear about CSWA's strategic plan and current activities and how you can get involved with AAS at the CSWA table!
Mon. Jan. 13:
CSWA Hackathon - Take Action for Equity
Chesapeake 6
1:00-3:15 p.m. ET
The AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA) has recently authored several papers with recommendations by and for our community on ways to support gender equity and the success of women in astronomy. In this interactive, solutions-oriented session, attendees will choose from a menu of canonical and systemic problems facing women in our field (e.g., issues impacting employment pipeline and retention, compensation, two-body problem, workplace civility, barriers to power and leadership, etc.) and collaborate in real time to brainstorm practical and tactical solutions to address them. We all know what the problems are - what we need is dedicated time together to solve them. If you don’t have time to volunteer for a committee but want to effect change and take action, this is your opportunity.
Tue. Jan. 14:
1400 Degrees and AAS CSWA Networking Event at AAS245
(Offsite event at Rosa Mexicano, RSVP link below; 6:30-9:00 p.m. ET)
1400 Degrees is partnering with the American Astronomical Society’s Committee for the Status of Women in Astronomy for an evening networking and community-building event at the AAS245 meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, on January 14th, 2025. Connect over dinner and beverages with scientists from different institutions, career stages, and scientific sub-disciplines within physics and astronomy in a casual and comfortable environment. Feel free to share this invitation with your (21+) women and gender minority colleagues attending the AAS conference. Space is limited, so make sure to RSVP quickly. We hope to see you there!
AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of January 3, 2025
eds: Jeremy Bailin, Nicolle Zellner, Sethanne Howard, Hannah Jang-Condell, and Ferah Munshi
[We hope you all are taking care of yourselves and each other. --eds.]
On November 24, 2024, Emily Calandrelli, an aerospace engineer and popular science communicator, became the 100th woman to reach space. Calandrelli joined five other passengers on Blue Origin’s ninth space tourism flight. Blue Origin streamed the launch and Calandrelli’s reaction, which brought hundreds of supportive comments online, but Calandrelli also received some toxic and sexist comments disparaging her response.
Seeing our planet for the first time, a dream decades in the making.
You’re seeing so many emotions intertwined. Excitement, awe, and pride - but to be honest a little fear and confusion too. You just launched on a rocket and you’re seeing something you’ve never seen before… pic.twitter.com/HlL85ENshC
Calandrelli received degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of West Virginia. She then attended MIT and earned master’s degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics and Technology and Policy in 2013. Calandrelli also interned at NASA.
Since 2013, Calandrelli has worked as a science communicator, advocating for STEM education, particularly for girls, through various media. She is the host of Xploration Outer Space, part of Fox’s Xploration Station, which targets pre-teens and teens with mainly STEM-based programs. Calandrelli had already filmed YouTube videos with the engineering department at the University of West Virginia and had a growing online following as The Space Gal on her social media channels when Fox tapped her to host the program.
Calandrelli also pursued writing with Ada Lace, a STEM adventure series for kids. This six-book series follows 8-year-old Ada Lace as she uses science to solve problems. Calandrelli has also written a picture book, Reach For The Stars, and two science experiment books for kids.
In 2020, Calandrelli took her passion for STEM education a step further. She pitched the idea for a children’s science show to Netflix and the company picked up the show. Calandrelli, who was pregnant with her first child, got to choose whether she wanted to film the series pregnant or wait until after delivery. The science communicator took the opportunity to film the entire series of Emily’s Wonder Lab while 36 weeks pregnant.
In an interview with Parentaly, Calandrelli said, “On TV, you don’t usually see someone who is pregnant doing something other than being an expectant mother - or hiding it.” While the show wasn’t renewed for a second season, it still ranks high on Netflix’s list of shows.
Calandrelli has continued to support STEM education and careers for girls and women through her YouTube channel, recently launching Emily’s Science Lab, where she demonstrates science experiments for kids. Calandrelli also maintains active social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and Bluesky, where she reaches several million followers as The Space Gal.
When Calandrelli traveled past the Kármán line in November, fulfilling a long-held dream to travel to space, she posted her reactions online, despite the risk of all-too-familiar disparaging comments from internet trolls. Calandrelli posted on Instagram, “I refuse to give much time to the small men on the internet.” Instead, she continues to focus her efforts on advocating for STEM and space exploration for all, particularly for girls and women.
