Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 21:01:05 -0400 (EDT)
To: aaswlist
stsci.edu
Subject: AASWOMEN for July 12, 2002
AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Weekly issue of July 12, 2002, ed. by Meg Urry and Patricia Knezek
This week's issues:
1. Updates to Committee on the Status of Minorities in
Astronomy (CSMA) Website
2. "Girls' Higher Grades Come with Emotional Price Tag"
3. Washington Post Article on men falling behind (06/25/02)
4. Marie-Helene Ulrich: thoughts about the status of women
5. Expanding Your Horizons Survey
6. 100 Minority Scholarships
7. AAUW Fellowships
8. Ohio State University Dean of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
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1. Updates to Committee on the Status of Minorities in
Astronomy (CSMA) Website
The Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA)
website has recently been updated to include information on a
variety of issues relevant to minorities in the sciences and
in higher education. This information can be found by following
the "Minority Issues" link on the CSMA homepage at:
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/csma
The Minority Issues page presently includes articles in the
following areas: Research on the Benefits of Diversity in Higher
Education; Minority Faculty Recruitment, Promotion and Tenure;
and Affirmative Action. Future updates/expansions are planned.
[Eds.: If you haven't already seen the SPECTRUM article on
"Stereotype Threat" read it today. It is a fascinating summary
of research showing the effect of climate on performance. Every
student and every teacher should be aware of this research.]
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2. "Girls' Higher Grades Come with Emotional Price Tag"
An article in EurekAlert! on June 26 says:
"The long-term cost may be that as girls get older, despite their
stellar academic performance, their internal distress stops them
from pursuing higher education and careers in fields such as
engineering and science."
Go to
http://www.eurekalert.org/
and search on "Girls' Higher Grades"
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3. Washington Post Article on men falling behind (06/25/02)
"At colleges and universities across the US, the proportion of
degrees awarded to women reached a post-war high this year at an
estimated 57 percent. The gender gap is even greater among
Hispanics -- only 40 percent of that ethnic group's college
graduates are male -- and African Americans, who are now seeing
two women earn bachelor's degrees for every man."
The article is now archived, unfortunately, so you have to
pay to see it. (www.washingtonpost.com)
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4. Marie-Helene Ulrich: thoughts about the status of women
Marie-Helene Ulrich (mhulricheso.org) sent this letter to
me recently, and because I felt it would be of interest to
the readership of AASWOMEN, I asked her permission to post
it here. She has some very interesting thoughts on the status
of women and on future directions that we (interested parties)
should take. I hope someone will volunteer to gather the data
she describes (her third point) -- it would make an excellent
article for STATUS (or maybe a fascinating book)! -- Meg Urry
Dear Meg,
I hope that this message will find you well and send you my warmest
congratulations for your appointment at Yale. As for me you probably
know that I have taken early retirement on April 1.
I have followed, although not closely, the debates on women working
outside home, in STATUS and in the AAS bulletin. Here are some
comments which come to my mind, among others.
First, women fall in different situations/ categories which
correspond to different needs, attitudes of the men colleagues etc.
For example, the poor, the middle class, the suburban women, the
creative, etc. For the poor and some categories of low middle class,
the status of women in the work place and in the society in general,
is of crucial importance for economic reasons (thus for their
freedom), and not only for justice (equal pay for equal work) or
dignity (talents must be recognized). It is the poor and
middle-class who will benefit most from equality between genders.
On the other hand, it is a tradition (and a duty) of the educated
class (many of us) to fight for all women of all conditions, like
the suffragettes did successfully.
Second, there are differences between jobs. Scientists are like
performing or creative artists and bankers in the sense that, beyond
a minimum number of hours per week (~ 40 hours), our output and
success are strong functions of the time devoted to the job. This is
where motherhood really can hurt (quite independently from the
question of equal pay for equal results) unless one has a thoroughly
egalitarian husband and cooperative children.
Third, I would advocate assembling and analyzing relevant data on the
families of successful contemporary women astronomers. The data have
to be relatively detailed, specific and quantitative, e.g., number of
hours per day when each parent alone takes care of the children,
what are the arrangements when the mother goes to meetings? How often
does this happen? What were the circumstances in the weeks and months
following the children's births? One could then identify the favorable
conditions in the life of the successful women scientists. This analysis
is important because it has the potential to change the attitude of men
(and women) regarding the equality of gender at work and at home.
The data could be presented in STATUS or elsewhere in a guaranteed
anonymous fashion if the woman astronomer so wishes, with names and
affiliations changed when necessary.
Best regards, Marie-Helene
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5. Expanding Your Horizons Survey
Did you attend an Expanding Your Horizons in Science and
Mathematics Conference as a student anytime since 1976? If so,
please complete the brief survey at the website below to record the
effect it had on you and your subsequent career path:
http://echo.gmu.edu/surveys/contribute.php?survey=horizons
Thank-you for your time and consideration, the survey will remain
at the above website for many months. The latest information
about the Math/Science Network and Expanding Your Horizons
can be found at http://www.expandingyourhorizons.org
Cherrill Spencer
Math/Science Network Board Member and EYH Organizer
cherrillSLAC.Stanford.EDU
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6. 100 Minority Scholarships
The following website created by BlackExcell,contains a list of
links to 100+ scholarship programs for minority students. Please
feel free to circulate this list to anyone who might find it useful.
www.BlackExcel.org
Scott Gilbert, Program Associate
AAUW
gilbertsaauw.org
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7. AAUW Fellowships
Two fellowships from the Association of American University
Women (AAUW):
Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Fellowships
Open to K-12 women public school teachers, Eleanor Roosevelt
Teacher Fellowships for professional development provide up to
$5,000 for workshops, courses, or conferences, including a
dynamic, five-day summer Teacher Institute in Washington, D.C.,
in July 2003. Fellowships also provide seed money for planning a
project to advance gender equity in classrooms and schools.
Also available in 2003-04, Project Implementation Grants provide
up to $10,000 to support a classroom or school gender-equity
program. Women teachers may apply as individuals or as lead
members of teams that include men and women, teachers and
administrators.
Applications available: July 1, 2002. Application POSTMARK
deadline: January 10, 2003. For more information and an
application (after June 1st), visit www.aauw.org/fdnfelgra.ertf.html
call 319/337-1716, or write to:
AAUW Educational Fellowships
AAUW announces the availability of fellowships in selected
professions (including architecture, computer/information sciences,
mathematics/statistics, and engineering). Women graduate students
in designated fields traditionally under-represented by women can
receive one-year fellowships from the American Association of
University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation. Awards
range from$5000-$20,000. Applications will be available beginning
August 1, 2002. Complete information is available at
http://www.aauw.org/3000/fdnfelgra/selectprof.html
For an application, contact:
AAUW Educational Foundation
c/o Customer Service Center, Dept. 143
2201 N. Dodge St.
Iowa City, IA 52243-4030
Phone: 319-337-1716, ext. 143
AAUW Educational Foundation
C/o Customer Service Center, Dept. 206
2201 N. Dodge St.
Iowa City, IA 52243-4030
www.aauw.org
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8. Ohio State University Dean of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
From Kris Sellgren sellgrenastronomy.ohio-state.edu
Ohio State is looking for a dean for our Mathematical and Physical
Sciences college. Our astronomy department and our physics department
both fall under MAPS. It would be great to have some qualified women
applicants, especially in astronomy or physics, although women are
underrepresented throughout the college at the faculty level.
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR MAPS DEAN
-- Provost Ray has announced the formation of a search committee --
chaired by Randall B. Ripley, dean of social and behavioral sciences --
for the position of dean of the College of Mathematical and Physical
Sciences. The dean, as the college's chief executive officer, will report
directly to Ray. Qualifications for the position include a distinguished
record in research and teaching plus demonstrated leadership and
administrative ability. Candidates must qualify for a tenured
appointment as professor in one of the departments in the college. The
position is available July 1, 2003. Salary and other considerations will
be competitive and consistent with the university's commitment to
recruiting the best-qualified individual. The search committee will
begin screening dossiers on Oct. 15 and will continue to receive
applications until the dean is selected. Information about the search,
including college highlights, is available online.
-- > CONTACT: mailto:davis.436osu.edu
-- > SEE: http://www.mps.ohio-state.edu/deansearch/
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