AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 14, 2006
eds. Patricia Knezek, Jim Ulvestad, & Joan Schmelz
This week's issues:
1. Camilla Benbow's nomination
2. "Does gender matter?" article in Nature
3. APS Announces Blewett Scholarship Winner
4. Search Beginning for new DIS Division Director
5. Part-time lectureship in Physics/Astronomy, Nottingham Trent University
6. Staff position in astronomy at San Francisco State University
*** FOLLOWING POSITIONS WERE TAKEN FROM WIPHYS ***
7. Associate Division Director, X-ray Science Division (XSD), Argonne
National Lab
8. Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics, Arkansas State University
9. How to submit, subscribe, or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
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1. Camilla Benbow's nomination
From: Ellen Zweibel (zweibel
astro.wisc.edu)
[Eds. note: This comment refers to the second item in the 7 July 2006 issue
of AASWOMEN.]
I can only echo [the] comments on Camilla Benbow. I read some of her work in
the mid 1980s when I was a member of the APS CSWP, and was surprised, when I
went back last week for another look, by how unresponsive she has been to new
data, or to criticism of her work. I really question whether she is open to
other points of view, or whether she listens. So, I signed the petition.
Ellen Zweibel
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2. "Does gender matter?" article in Nature
From: Laura Kay (lkaybarnard.edu), Jayanne English
(englishphysics.umanitoba.ca), and Amy Simon-Miller
(Amy.Simonnasa.gov)
[Eds. note: The Nature article is available free to subscribers, and
available for purchase to others. The Washington Post article is
available for free, but requires registration to access it.]
Commentary: Does gender matter? Ben A. Barres
Editor's Summary
13 July 2006
Gender agenda
Harvard University president Larry Summers was heavily criticized last
year when he claimed that differences in innate aptitude, rather than
discrimination, were behind the failure of women to advance in scientific
careers. Some other academics agreed with Summers' analysis: "rubbish", to
paraphrase the views of female-to-male transgendered scientist Ben A.
Barres.
The suggestion that women are not advancing in science because of
innate inability is being taken seriously by some high-profile
academics. Ben A. Barres explains what is wrong with the hypothesis.
The full text of the article can be accessed from:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v442/n7099/full/442133a.html
- Laura Kay & Jayanne English
The Washington Post published the following interesting article about
Ben Barres, the author of the article in Nature:
Male Scientist Writes of Life as Female Scientist
Biologist Who Underwent Sex Change Describes Biases Against Women
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/12/AR2006071201883.html?sub=new
- Amy Simon-Miller
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3. APS Announces Blewett Scholarship Winner
From: WIPHYS of 12 July 2006
[Eds. note: Dr. Elizabeth Freeland was the subject of an article by Kendra
Snyder called "Breaking for Families" that appeared in the June 2006 issue
of STATUS. It can be accessed from: http://www.aas.org/~cswa/pubs.html]
Elizabeth Freeland has been named the winner of the 2006 M. Hildred Blewett
Scholarship for Women in Physics. She was selected from a field of
well-qualified applicants by a subcommittee of the Committee on the Status of
Women in Physics. Elizabeth is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at
the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, an internationally recognized
institution for undergraduate and graduate study of art and design. She
will work at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory pursuing research in
the field of theoretical elementary particle physics, in particular in the
sub-discipline of lattice gauge theory. Details at
http://www.aps.org/media/pressreleases/071206.cfm
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4. Search Beginning for new DIS Division Director
From: WIPHYS of 12 July 2006
After forty years at Argonne, Tom Wolsko, Director of the Decision and
Information Sciences Division, has decided to retire effective Oct. 1, 2006.
He leaves his division in excellent condition. Argonne will move swiftly to
provide new leadership for the Decision and Information Sciences Division.
The Science and Technology Advanced Recruitment (STAR) Policy and Procedure
will be used to fill this position and a search committee, chaired by David
Lewis, has been formed to find and advise Phillip Finck of candidates well
qualified for the position.
Tom has had a distinguished career at Argonne as an engineer, an analyst, and
a division director. He started in the Reactor Engineering Division where he
conducted fast breeder systems studies and participated in the multi-lab LMFBR
cost/benefit analysis for the Atomic Energy Commission. In 1970 he joined the
Center for Environmental Studies, developing atmospheric diffusion codes and
other tools for environmental assessment. Switching to the Energy and
Environmental Systems Division, he became a group leader and conducted
multidimensional comparative assessments of alternative energy sources. In the
early 1980s he led a team of experts to support the creation of a
national-level energy planning organization in Egypt. In the early 1990s he
led a team of decision analysts in the creation of a Resource Allocation
Support System based on multi-attribute theory that would be used to allocate
the multi-billion dollar Waste Management budget. He became deputy division
director of the Decision and Information Sciences Division (DIS) in the early
1990s and division director in 1998. The DIS research budget has more than
doubled in the past few years as the demand for infrastructure assurance and
other DIS core competencies has grown. Tom leaves behind a substantial legacy
from his time at Argonne.
Argonne's reputation and pre-eminence has been built by people like Tom. I
want to thank him for his many contributions to Argonne and also for the
support he has provided to the laboratory leadership team. We all wish him an
exciting retirement.
Elizabeth Stefanski, Ph.D.
Assistant to the Laboratory Director
Argonne National Laboratory
Email: stefanl.gov
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5. Part-time lectureship in Physics/Astronomy, Nottingham Trent University
From: Haida Liang (haida.liangntu.ac.uk)
Hi All,
We have a part-time lectureship in Physics/Astronomy for the next 3
years. Please see advert below and pass it on to anyone who might be
interested.
http://www.ntu.ac.uk/vacancies/academic_vacancies/41627.html
Best wishes,
Haida
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6. Staff position in astronomy at San Francisco State University
From: Adrienne Cool (coolsfsu.edu)
The Dept. of Physics and Astronomy at San Francisco State University has
an opening for full-time staff member in astronomy. The new staff member
will play a central role in the observatory, planetarium, and laboratory
facilities which support introductory courses, degree programs, and outreach
activities in astronomy. For further details see:
http://www.physics.sfsu.edu/Jobs/AstroTech.html
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7. Associate Division Director, X-ray Science Division (XSD), Argonne
National Lab
From: WIPHYS of 10 July 2006
ASSOCIATE DIVISION DIRECTOR, X-RAY SCIENCE DIVISION (XSD, ARGONNE NATIONAL
LAB
The X-ray Science Division (XSD) at Argonne National Laboratory is inviting
applicants for the position of Associate Division Director. The successful
candidate will guide, coordinate, initiate state-of-the-art x-ray research
at the X-ray Science Division; initiate and support new and productive
research in collaboration with other academic and industrial partners;
facilitate strong general user programs at the APS beamlines; supervise the
conception, planning, and implementation of synchrotron based equipment, and
guide other scientists in these activities.
This position requires comprehensive knowledge, skills, and experience in
managing complex, technical organizations and in Department of Energy policy
and procedures as it applies to division administration within a national
laboratory. This position requires an outstanding international reputation
in x-ray science; comprehensive skill in managing a diverse group of PhD
physicists; and demonstration of leadership abilities.
Argonne National Laboratory is a multi-program laboratory operated by the
University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy. Argonne's Illinois
site is located about 25 miles southwest of Chicago on a beautiful 1500-acre
campus-like environment. Interested candidates should send a detailed CV,
along with a list of publications, and the names and addresses of three
references through the Argonne website at http://www.anl.gov/jobs, job search
for requisition 310028 XSD.
Argonne is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity in our
workforce.
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8. Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics, Arkansas State University
From: WIPHYS of 12 July 2006
Arkansas State University invites applications for a Visiting Assistant
Professor of Physics position starting Aug. 16, 2006. Arkansas State
University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer with a strong
institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among
its faculty and staff. In pursuit of this commitment, we are seeking a
visiting faculty member with an earned doctorate in physics to teach
introductory and upper division physics and astronomy courses. The successful
candidate will be expected to teach 12 credit hours per semester. Applicants
must have a strong potential for teaching excellence and have a strong verbal
and written command of the English language. The ability to incorporate
instructional technology into the curriculum and experience with alternative
delivery methods of instruction is desired. The successful candidate should
expect to teach across the undergraduate spectrum of courses in physics and
astronomy, and participate in curriculum and program development, student
advising, and university and professional service activities.
Arkansas State University is located in Jonesboro, 65 miles northwest of
Memphis, TN and 130 miles northeast of Little Rock, AR. Jonesboro, with a
population of approximately 55,000, provides an excellent quality of life,
good public schools, and a reasonable cost of living. ASU enrolls
approximately 11,000 students. The Department of Chemistry and Physics
offers Bachelor's degrees in both physics and chemistry, as well as a Master's
in Chemistry. Faculty in the department also take part in the PhD program in
Environmental Science.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the
position is filled. Applicants should submit electronically a letter of
application, their resume, and a statement of teaching philosophy to:
Dr. John M. Pratte (jpratteastate.edu), Chair, Department of Chemistry and
Physics, Arkansas State University, P. O. Box 419, State University, AR
72467-0419, USA.
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