AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of February 23, 2007
eds. Patricia Knezek, Joan Schmelz, Geoffrey Clayton, & Hannah Jang-Condell
This week's issues:
1. Red Hot Debate: From the blog of Luke Strosnider
2. Red Hot Debate: Ellen Zweibel's response
3. Red Hot Debate: TEL-Atomic similar situation
4. Dorrit Hoffleit's 100th birthday
5. Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) sessions at the APS
meeting in Denver
6. Postdoc Position at The 'Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille' (LAM)
7. Faculty Position at Mount Allison University
8. How to submit, subscribe, or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
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1. Red Hot Debate: From the blog of Luke Strosnider
From: Bryan Gaensler (bgaensler@usyd.edu.au)
[Eds. note: These responses stem from items in the last two weeks of
AASWOMEN. The Edmund Optics catalog shows a woman in a tight red skirt
lounging next to optical equipment with the caption, "Red Hot". CSWA has
scanned in some of the images and made them available (for now) at
http://www.dtm.ciw.edu/hannah/CSWA/]
Here is a blog discussion of the catalog cover including responses from
Marisa Edmund:
http://touchingharmstheart.com/?p=87
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2. Red Hot Debate: Ellen Zweibel's response
From: Ellen Zweibel (zweibel@astro.wisc.edu)
Dear Robert & Marisa Edmund;
I have been following some of the discussion about your "Red Hot" ad,
and would like to offer my own observations. By the way, although I am
now a professor of theoretical astrophysics and do not purchase
scientific equipment, as a child I was addicted to your catalog, and was
thrilled when I had saved enough money to order an eyepiece for my
telescope.
I agree with you that it is good for young persons to see attractive
scientists and engineers. Most young people want to be attractive, and
there are too many geek and nerd stereotypes out there. I'm sure there
are a lot of good-looking young men working for you - why not pose some
of them draped seductively over a piece of scientific equipment? It will
reassure your male readers that they needn't sacrifice comeliness for a
technical career, and will provide welcome eye candy to those readers
who like to look at pictures of handsome men.
Or, if you don't aspire to become the "Victoria's Secret" of the
technology sector, why not show both genders in professional poses?
They'll be just as effective as role models.
Best wishes,
Ellen Zweibel
Professor of Astronomy and Physics
University of Wisconsin
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3. Red Hot Debate: TEL-Atomic similar situation
From: Andria Schwortz (aschwortz@qcc.mass.edu)
The recent fervor over the Edmund Scientific "Red Hot" ad reminds me of
a similar situation that I observed in November 2005. I received a
postcard ad from TEL-Atomic for their Computerized Cavendish Balance,
inviting faculty to "demonstrate horizontal gravity with attractive
students." A web-based version of the ad can be found at the below URL.
http://telatomic.com/attractive.html
I sent two letters in response to this - a physical letter to TEL-Atomic
on letterhead, and an email to the professor who appeared in the
advertisement. The letter to TEL-Atomic never received a response; the
letter to the professor did. All are copied below.
--
TEL-Atomic Incorporated
P.O. Box 924
Jackson, MI 49204-0924
(800) 622-2866
November 9, 2005
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing regarding your recent advertisement postcard for a
Computerized Cavendish Balance (TEL PR2111) that I received in the mail
in my role of Instructor of Integrated Science and Physics at
Quinsigamond Community College. I find the sexual innuendoes of this
advertisement to be in poor taste, offensive, harassing, and a shocking
encouragement of the unequal treatment of women in the sciences.
The text of the ad included the sentence "Demonstrate 'horizontal'
gravity ...with 'attractive' students." While it is possible that your
advertisement department wasn't intending to make sexual innuendoes when
writing this ad, I feel the emphasis with quotation marks makes that
unlikely. The phrase "'horizontal' gravity" was probably meant to refer
to gravity between two masses acting in a horizontal direction, however
the implication is of sexual activities. Referring to students as
"attractive" is even worse, as it implies that a sexual or romantic
interaction (including sexual harassment) between students and their
teacher role models is acceptable.
As your corporation should be well aware, science is a field that has
traditionally had difficulty attracting and retaining female students,
as well as helping its female students achieve success. These trends
start from the earliest ages in middle school, continue through high
school and college as women "leak out of the pipeline," and culminate in
low percentages of female science PhDs awarded. Even rates of tenure are
skewed against women faculty members. These trends in science as a whole
are worse in the physical sciences, such as physics and engineering.
Although we are slowly making progress, it is an uphill struggle for us
women in a field where we are considered an anomaly. It is severely
disappointing to see that a company that creates and advertises physics
equipment would perpetuate the atmosphere that leads to the poor
retention and success rates of women in physics.
I request that you forward my comments to your advertising department,
as well as whoever handles Equal Opportunity issues and concerns at your
institution, for consideration by both groups as to how your company may
become more inclusive and cease practices that discourage women in the
field of physics. In addition, please remove me from your mailing list
for future products.
If you have any further questions regarding my concerns and opinion
about this inappropriate advertisement, please feel free to contact me
at the above address. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Andria Schwortz
CC: My dept chair; the prof in the ad
Encl: Photocopy of the ad
--
Dr. Frederick D. Trexler,
I would like to bring to your attention an advertisement by the company
TEL-Atomic Inc. for their Computerized Cavendish Balance (TEL RP2111)
that uses pictures of students in the Spring Arbor University Physics
Department. In case you are unaware of the content of the
advertisement, it contains sexual innuendoes - "Demonstrate 'horizontal'
gravity ...with 'attractive' students." I find this content to be
offensive and inappropriate, and it appears to approve sexual
relationships and harassment between faculty and students.
Additionally, the message reflects an attitude that discourages the
retention and success of women in the field of physics.
I have written a letter of complaint to the corporation regarding this
advertisement, and as the use of the images of your students and the
name of your school implies that you condone the content of the
advertisement, including the inappropriate wording, I thought it
appropriate to bring to your attention as well. Please find my letter
to TEL-Atomic Inc. attached in MS Word format - I can send it to you in
a different format if you prefer, including plain text or .pdf, or I can
send you a copy via postal mail or fax. I can also send you a copy of
the advertisement itself if desired.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me at this
email address or by the below contact information. Thank you for your
time.
Sincerely,
Andria Schwortz
--
Dear Ms. Schwortz,
Thank you for making me aware of your concern regarding the Cavendish
Balance advertisement. When I do this experiment with my students, I
tell them that we are actively participating in a demonstration of
Newton's law of gravitation, which says that every mass attracts every
other mass. We do not sense the horizontal gravitational force because
of the much larger vertical force of the Earth on our bodies. But with
the Tel-Atomic Cavendish Balance we can show that our bodies attract the
lead spheres suspended on the tungsten fiber. I think that the slogan
"attractive students" is a clever play on words, and I am shocked that
you would find innuendoes of sexual harassment in them. It suggests to me
that where you live people have re-defined ordinary words to mean dirty
things. I suppose that it is a sign of the times, along with banning
the display of the Ten Commandments and Christmas mangers, that
secular-minded people will see offenses in anything.
Since you know all about the words that offend, how would you re-write
the ad to get across the idea of using the mass our own bodies to
demonstrate horizontal gravity?
Fred Trexler, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics
Chair, Math/Computer Science/Physics
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan 49283
517-750-6376
http://www.arbor.edu
Faith, Living, and Learning
--
I replied to Dr. Trexler a few days later - I don't have the full text
of what I sent, but it was something to the effect of "I did not mean
this as an attack against you, but I thought the ad contained
unnecessary language that may have put your school in a bad light. My
email was intended as a professional courtesy to you in case you were
unaware of the wording in the ad, and my apologies if that did not come
out clearly the first time around." I forget how I suggested rewording
the ad.
TEL-Atomic removed me from their mailing list a couple months later, but
last semester called me to check if I wanted to be back on the list. I
haven't followed up further with them, but the postcard hangs in my
office, and I often show it to students as an example of how we must
each make efforts to stop discrimination, whether perpetuated by
ourselves or others. I will now add this Edmund Optics ad to the
examples.
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4. Dorrit Hoffleit's 100th birthday
From: Meg Urry (meg.urry@yale.edu)
I just wanted to let everyone know that Dr. Dorrit Hoffleit will be 100 on
March 12. I am sure she would be pleased to receive birthday wishes; she
does not have an email address but can receive mail at the Department of
Astronomy, Yale University, PO Box 208101, New Haven, CT 06520-8101. For
details about Dorrit's remarkable career, which included a long stint at
the Harvard College Observatory, see the following links:
http://www.aavso.org/news/dorrittimes.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorrit_Hoffleit
http://www.cwhf.org/hall/hoffleit/hoffleit.htm
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5. Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) sessions at the
APS meeting in Denver
From: WIPHYS February 20, 2007
CSWP/FIAP NETWORKING BREAKFAST FOR WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
The Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP) and the Forum on
Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP) will co-sponsor a networking breakfast
from 7:30-9:30 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at the APS meeting in Denver.
Both men and women are welcome to attend. Enjoy a delicious full breakfast
and hear an informal talk by Lisa Dhar of InPhase Technologies. Cost:
$15. $5 for physics students, thanks to FIAP's generosity. Please
pre-register at http://www.aps.org/meetings/march/special.cfm as there
may be only limited space for walk-ins. The breakfast will be held in
the Convention Center (Room 107) to allow those who wish to attend
invited sessions.
CSWP INVITED SESSION J6
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 11:15AM - 2:15PM. Session J6 'Women in Academic
Science: Balancing Career and Children' Colorado Convention Center, Room
207 This panel discussion will bring together five women who span a
range of stages in their faculty careers and who all have children. They
will discuss practical strategies that they have adopted to address the
challenges of career and family, as well as their views on what departments
and institutions can/should do to help. Speakers will be Susan Coppersmith,
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Marija Drndic, University of Pennsylvania,
Ka Yee Lee, University of Chicago, Nadya Mason, University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign, and Katherina Vollmayr-Lee, Bucknell University.
COM/CSWP DESSERT RECEPTION
Enjoy a dessert buffet, learn about the work of the Committee on Minorities
in Physics and the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics, network
with colleagues, and unwind after a long day of sessions. This event
will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 7:00-8:00 pm in the Adams Mark Hotel
(Governor's Square 16).
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6. Post Doc Position at The 'Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille' (LAM)
From: Lia Athanassoula (lia@oamp.fr)
The 'Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille' (LAM), part
of the 'Observatoire Astronomique de Marseille Provence' (OAMP),
offers a post-doc position in the area of Dynamics of Galaxies.
The successful candidate will work with Dr. Lia Athanassoula
on a project to model the formation and secular evolution of disk galaxies.
More details on the project can be found at
http://www.oamp.fr/dynamique/halobar.html
Candidates should have a PhD in Physics or Astronomy by the
time of the appointment. Experience with N-body and hydro codes is
desirable.
The position is for two years, with a possibility of extension
of one more year. Starting date is in the fall of 2007. Funds
for travel are available in addition to the salary. Computing
means available include access time on supercomputers, and
a dedicated cluster, partially equipped with GRAPE boards.
Applicants should send a CV, a list of publications, and a research
statement, and arrange for three letters of recommendation, all to be sent
to lia_AT_oamp.fr
Applications should be received by March 31, 2007.
Applications from women are encouraged
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7. Faculty Position at Mount Allison University
From: Robert Hawkes (rhawkes@mta.ca)
We are in particular seeking applications from women for the following
position. Mount Allison offers a dynamic and friendly small (6 faculty,
1 teaching support staff, 2 post-doctoral fellows currently) liberal
education setting with an active studio style of instruction in a number
of our courses and a vibrant undergraduate research program.
The Department of Physics at Mount Allison University invites applications
for a nine-month sessional appointment (sabbatical replacement position)
at the rank of Lecturer or Assistant Professor effective August 1, 2007,
subject to budgetary approval. The successful candidate will teach four
undergraduate physics courses (two each term) and their associated
laboratories. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications. A Ph.D.
in physics is preferred, and teaching experience is desirable. Applications
will include a curriculum vitae, a statement regarding teaching
interests and qualifications with respect to four or more courses taught
by the department (refer to http://www.mta.ca/academic_dept/physics.html ,
ideally the following subsection of courses: Astronomy, General Physics
I & II, Thermodynamics, Classical Mechanics and Relativity, Statistical
Mechanics), as well as complete contact information for three referees.
Applications should be forwarded to:
Dr. Mohammad Ahmady
Chair of the Search Committee
Department of Physics
Mount Allison University
67 York St.
Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1E6
Email: physics@mta.ca Fax: 506-364-2583
It is preferred that applications be submitted as pdf attachment by email
to physics@mta.ca. Consideration of applications will commence on March
16, 2007, and will be accepted until the position is filled.
Mount Allison University welcomes diversity in the workplace and encourages
applications from all qualified women and men, including aboriginal
peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians
and permanent residents will be given priority. Canadian and permanent
residents should indicate their citizenship status in their application.
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8. How to submit, subscribe, or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
[Please remember to replace "
" in the below e-mail addresses.]
To submit to AASWOMEN:
send email to aaswomenaas.org
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 majordomoaas.org, with message in the BODY subscribe aaswlist yourusername_at_youraddress
To unsubscribe to AASWOMEN:
send email to majordomoaas.org, with message in the BODY unsubscribe aaswlist yourusername_at_youraddress
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