Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2001 17:00:37 -0400 (EDT)
To: aaswlist
stsci.edu
Subject: AASWOMEN for August 24, 2001
Cc: aaswomenstsci.edu
Sender: owner-aaswliststsci.edu
AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Bi-weekly issue of 08/24/01, eds. Meg Urry & Patricia Knezek
This week's issues:
1. Volunteer needed for quick astronomy-statistics job
2. Grants available to early-career physicists to attend IUPAP
3. Christian woman scientist needed for doctoral committee
4. Sweats and Tees from National Women's History Project
5. AIP (American Institute of Physics) Fellowship Opportunities
6. Postdoc/predoc at the Astronomical Observatory in Padova
in galaxies in high-redshift clusters
7. Postdoc in stellar astrophysics at the University of Victoria
8. Full Professorship in Astrophysics at University of Munich
9. How to subscribe to the WIPHYS, the Women in Physics listserv
10. How to submit or subscribe to AASWOMEN
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1. Volunteer needed for quick astronomy-statistics job
From Meg Urry (meg.urryyale.edu) and Lisa Frattare (frattarestsci.edu):
We (the editors of STATUS) are looking for a volunteer to crunch
a few numbers. The January issue will include an article by
chemist Valerie Kuck, which compares women and men (graduate
students and new hires) in top physics and chemistry departments.
We would like to include similar numbers for astronomy. The scope
is to determine, for each of the top 25 ranked departments:
# graduate students in the years 1988-1992 (male & female)
# Ph.D.s produced in the years 1994-1998 (ditto )
% women asst. profs. in the year ~2000
For astronomy, the first two items should be available from the NSF;
the last can be taken from the STScI astronomy survey (see STATUS
June 1999).
The numbers for chemistry and physics are very interesting and not
entirely intuitive. The "yield" from individual graduate schools
(# PhD granted / # grad students enrolled) varied widely (even though
it is an average over 5 years), and was generally lower for women than
for men, but with notable exceptions. Furthermore, at the top 10 schools,
the yield for women was on average higher than in the next 15 schools.
It is obviously of great interest to look at these same statistics for
astronomy -- it should be of interest to the departments and to
prospective students.
We estimate that this is about one day's work. Please pass this on
to students who might be interested. Volunteers should contact the
STATUS editors.
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2. Grants available to early-career physicists to attend IUPAP
Conference on Women in Physics (Paris)
The IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics)
Conference on Women in Physics will be held March 7-9, 2002
at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Applications are sought from
early-career physicists (both men and women) who would be
active participants in the meeting and who would have a firm
commitment to following up on recommendations/ideas that emerge.
Information and an application form are available at
http://www.aps.org/educ/cswp/index.html
Deadline for the application (by email) is September 21, 2001.
Information on the conference itself is available at
http://www.if.ufrgs.br/~barbosa/conference.html
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3. Christian woman scientist needed for doctoral committee
(We received this message last week; it has been edited slightly
to reduce the size):
My name is Richard Christensen and I am an ordained minister who
has an MS in Geology. I am trying to find a Christian woman with
a Ph.D. in a field of natural/astronomical sciences for inclusion
on my doctoral committee as an adjunct professor. I am currently
pursuing my doctoral degree in Science and Religion at The Union
Institute in Cincin, Ohio; my dissertation focuses on an individual's
emotional and/or intellectual struggles in dealing with their
scientific learning and religious beliefs especially relative to
the issue of origins (cosmological and biological). I will interview
leading scientists in the field, of the Christian faith, regarding
their life experience in how they dealt with having to formulate a
new belief system. From the dissertation I will have enough
information to eventually publish a book to assist science-oriented
Christians in delving into the field of science.
As part of the Ph.D. requirements, my doctoral committee should be
fairly diversified. However, it's very difficult to find Christian
women who are involved in the sciences at a Ph.D. level. If any of
your readers could be of any assistance please let me know.
Rev. Richard Christensen (RichC1962aol.com)
[Eds. Note: There was some discussion about this item, and a brief
exchange with the author, which we reproduce here.]
Meg Urry to Richard Christensen:
I must say, I hesitated slightly before agreeing to post this, as this
newsletter serves scientists independent of their religious beliefs,
and it feels odd to include that criterion. (Why would it not be valid
to have, on your dissertation committee, an atheist or a Buddhist?
Implicit in the scientific method, at least as I understand it, is that
there is critical scrutiny of any idea. Thus it seems odd to restrict
a committee to a pre-ordained view, pardon the pun.)
Anyway, I expect you will get some responses (about 600 astronomers
read this newsletter) and I also expect we'll get some comments on
the posting!
Response from Richard Christensen:
Dear Meg:
Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I did appreciate the pun, it was
quite cute.
Regarding the aspect of faith, I thought the committee appointment would be
appropriate from the standpoint that the potential adjunct would have a
better understanding over the conflict over faith and science. This
conflict/issue will be a central focus of my dissertation.
If you do not feel comfortable with the inclusion of request in the upcoming
newsletter I totally understand. I do not want to put you or your
organization in an uncomfortable position.
Again thank you for your time and effort.
Sincerely,
Richard Christensen
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4. Sweats and Tees from National Women's History Project
From Tara McLoughlin (TmcLoughlinpsych.org):
[reprinted from WIPHYS]
"Science is Women's Work" sweats and tees are on sale ---
are 50% off ($11 and $8) --- at The National Women's
History Project site. Check it out at
http://www.nwhp.org/events/movingsale/bargains.html
NWHP is a great non-profit group that supports women's history
projects, including National Women's History Month, so your
purchase would also support a good cause.
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5. AIP (American Institute of Physics) Fellowship Opportunities
From Flory Gonzalez (fgonzaleaip.org):
AIP is now accepting applications for two fellowship programs, the AIP
State Department Science Fellowship and the AIP/APS Congressional Science
Fellowship:
AIP STATE DEPARTMENT SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP - This fellowship program
represents an opportunity for scientists to make a unique and substantial
contribution to the nation's foreign policy. Each year, AIP sponsors one
fellow to work in a bureau or office of the U.S. State Department,
becoming actively and directly involved in the foreign policy process by
providing much-needed scientific and technical expertise. Application
deadline is November 1, 2001. For more information, visit:
www.aip.org/mgr/sdf.html
CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP - The American Institute of Physics and
the American Physical Society are accepting applications for their
2002-2003 Congressional Science Fellowship programs. Fellows serve one
year on the staff of a Member of Congress or congressional committee,
learning the legislative process while lending scientific expertise to
public policy issues. Application deadline is January 15, 2002. For more
information, visit:
www.aip.org/pubinfo or www.aps.org/public_affairs/fellow/index.shtml
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6. Postdoc/predoc at the Astronomical Observatory in Padova in
galaxies in high-redshift clusters
The Astronomical Observatory in Padova, Italy, announces the
availability of a research position, either at the postdoctoral or
at the predoctoral level, open to applicants of all nationalities.
The successful candidate will work on a program aimed at studying
galaxy evolution in clusters up to redshift 1. The project is based
on a photometric and spectroscopic dataset of galaxies in 10 clusters
at z=0.8 and 10 clusters at z=0.5, obtained with FORS2 at the
Very Large Telescope. The successful applicant will collaborate
to the acquisition, reduction and analysis of the spectra, will
contribute developing an automated method for measuring spectral
features, and will be involved in the interpretation of the data
and the scientific outcomes.
She/he will mostly work in collaboration with Dr. Bianca Poggianti in
Padova, where the astronomical community consists of 60+ astronomers
working in the field of galaxy and stellar evolution, and will be part
of the international team carrying out this project (EDisCS,
http://www.MPA-Garching.MPG.DE/~ediscs). She/he will also have the
opportunity to be involved in other cluster projects currently pursued
at the Observatory in Padova.
The initial appointment will be for one year, starting as soon as
possible, and it is renewable for up to two more years, subject to
the availability of funds. Applicants should fill in the two forms
that can be found at
http://www.pd.astro.it/firstlevel/secondlevel/thirdlevel/bandi/bando_english.htm,
where further informations are given. All applications received by
October 15, 2001 will receive full consideration. Informal enquiries
to Bianca Poggianti (poggiantipd.astro.it) are welcome.
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7. Postdoc in stellar astrophysics at the University of Victoria
Applications are invited for a post-doctoral position in theoretical stellar
astrophysics at the University of Victoria (Dept. of Physics & Astronomy).
Applicants should have expertise in one of the following three areas:
stellar population models, convection and mixing processes in stellar
interiors, or stellar rotation. This appointment will be for two years,
with the possibility of renewal for a third year, contingent upon performance
and the availability of funds. The successful candidate will be expected to
pursue innovative independent research as well as to participate in
collaborative work with Don VandenBerg, whose research grant is funding
this position. Outstanding applicants may also be nominated for a CITA
National Fellowship.
At present, the astrophysics group at University of Victoria consists of
8 faculty members (A. Babul, J.A. Burke, A. Gower, F.D.A. Hartwick,
J. Navarro, C. Pritchet, C. Scarfe, and D. VandenBerg), and 5 postdoctorai
fellows/research associates. See http://astrowww.phys.uvic.ca/ for more
information on our group.
Interested applicants should send their curriculum vitae, bibliography,
and statement of research interests, as well as arrange for three letters
of recommendation to be sent, to:
Dr. D.A. VandenBerg
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
University of Victoria
Elliott Bldg, 3800 Finnerty Rd
Victoria, BC V8W 3P6
Canada
For full consideration, applications and letters of recommendation should
be received in Victoria by November 1st, 2001. Applicants must have a Ph.D.
by the start date, which is flexible, but preferably as soon as possible
after Dec. 31, 2001. Please do NOT send documents by fax or e-mail.
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8. Full Professorship in Astrophysics at University of Munich
The faculty of physics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
offers the position of a Full Professor in Astronomy and
Astrophysics (C4).
Applicants should have an outstanding and internationally recognized
research record. They are expected to establish and lead their own
research group and to participate in the management of the University
Observatory Munich. Ability to provide comprehensive teaching in
astrophysics is required. Qualified women are especially encouraged
to apply.
The University Observatory Munich has guaranteed observing time at the
Hobby-Eberly-Telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope, and it operates
the Wendelstein Observatory. It has furthermore access to most major
European ground-based and satellite observatories. Extensive computing
capacities for data reduction and numerical simulations are available
at the University Observatory or through access to the Leibniz-
Computing-Center Munich, one of the leading computing centers in Europe.
Information on the activities at the University Observatory Munich and
the Physics Faculty of LMU can be found at www.usm.uni-muenchen.de and
www.physik.uni-muenchen.de, respectively.
Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications
and a research plan until Nov.15 to the:
Dekan der Fakultaet fuer Physik
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet
Schellingstr. 4
80799 Muenchen
Germany
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9. How to subscribe to the WIPHYS, the Women in Physics listserv
To subscribe to WIPHYS:
send email to majordomoaps.org, with message in the BODY
subscribe wiphys
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10. How to submit or subscribe to AASWOMEN
To submit to AASWOMEN:
send email to aaswomenstsci.edu
All material sent to that address will be posted unless
you tell us otherwise (including your email address).
To subscribe to AASWOMEN:
send email to majordomostsci.edu, with message in the BODY
subscribe aaswlist yourusernameyouraddress
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