AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of September 28, 2007
eds. Joan Schmelz, Hannah Jang-Condell & Caroline Simpson
This week's issues:
1. Contributions to STATUS
2. Happiness Advice
3. Michigan State University, Tenure-Track Asst. Prof. of Physics
4. Experimental/Observational Astrophysics Positions at UCSD
5. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
6. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN
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1. Contributions to STATUS
From: Fran Bagenal [bagenal_atlasp.colorado.edu]
Contributions to STATUS are welcome.
Specifically..... I am thinking of putting together a piece on advice to
a recent PhD - "So, you have a PhD - Now what?" For example: how to
prioritize projects, focus or explore, quality vs. quantity in
publishing, when to apply for faculty positions, behind every successful
scientist there's.... what? What else should I be doing (or not doing)?
How do I find out about "alternative" career paths to the "standard"
academic track?
Please pass on any advice you think might be helpful for Dr. Joan Doe,
PhD, Astophysics, TopNotch U.
Previous issues will give you ideas of the type of articles we publish
- see http://www.aas.org/cswa/STATUS.html
Such articles include biographies of women astronomers, articles on women in
science (not just astronomy), opinion pieces, policy issues, advice to young
scientists, book reviews, "snippets", artwork and, last but not least, Notes
from a Life - a short piece describing an incident (preferably with some
lesson learnt) in the writer's life (published anonymously). We try to
include as much original material as possible. But if you see a good article
that you think the STATUS readership may have missed, please drop me a line.
Deadlines: initial submissions are due October 1st for the January issue.
Fran Bagenal
Editor of STATUS
bagenal"at"colorado.edu
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2. Happiness advice from my wife
From: Margaret Hanson [hansonmm
ucmail.uc.edu]
[From the blog Marginal Revolution (http://www.marginalrevolution.com/margi=
nalrevolution/2007/09/advice-from-my-.html)]
Happiness advice from my wife
Alex Tabarrok
My wife, a PhD microbiologist, told me once that when she was at work
she felt guilty about not being at home with the kids and when she
was at home with the kids she felt guilty about not being at work.
This problem may explain a surprising finding from Betsey Stevenson
and one of your leading candidates for "most wanted economist
blogger," Justin Wolfers. Stevenson and Wolfers have a new paper
showing that happiness is up for men but down for women. They write:
By most objective measures the lives of women in the United States
have improved over the past 35 years, yet we show that measures of
subjective well-being indicate that women's happiness has declined
both absolutely and relative to male happiness. The paradox of
women's declining relative well-being is found examining multiple
countries, datasets, and measures of subjective wellbeing, and is
pervasive across demographic groups. Relative declines in female
happiness have eroded a gender gap in happiness in which women in the
1970s typically reported higher subjective wellbeing than did men.
These declines have continued and a new gender gap is emerging~Wone
with higher subjective well-being for men.
One reason is suggested by Stevenson in a NYTimes article on her
research with Wolfers and similar independent research from Alan
Krueger.
Ms. Stevenson was recently having drinks with a business school
graduate who came up with a nice way of summarizing the problem. Her
mother's goals in life, the student said, were to have a beautiful
garden, a well-kept house and well-adjusted children who did well in
school. "I sort of want all those things, too," the student said, as
Ms. Stevenson recalled, "but I also want to have a great career and
have an impact on the broader world."
Opportunity brings opportunity cost.
In the NYTimes article David Leonhardt correctly notes that "Although
women have flooded into the work force, American society hasn't fully
come to grips with the change." Alas, all he has to offer as
solution is the usual platitudes about subsidized daycare and how men
should do more of the housework - peculiar solutions to women's
unhappiness with increased opportunities. Leonhardt should instead
have talked to my wife.
As I wrote this post, I asked my wife about her feeling guilty at
home and at work but she told me she no longer feels this way.
"Really?" I asked, "Why not?"
"I decided to act more like a man and get over it," she responded.
September 26, 2007 at 07:20 AM
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3. Michigan State University, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Physics=
From: Kathie Ellis [elliskmsu.edu]
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: PHYSICS
Michigan State University invites applications for a tenure-track
assistant professor of physics beginning fall 2008 with a joint
appointment in the Lyman Briggs College (LBC) (75%) and either the
Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Natural Science
(PHY) or the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL)
(25%).
Candidates must have a PhD in physics or astronomy. Preference will
be given to applicants with postdoctoral teaching and research
experience, and especially to those who are passionate about working
with undergraduates. Duties include teaching a calculus-based physics
for science majors in the LBC Physics Program, teaching one course
(typically at the upper undergraduate or graduate level) in the
Department of Physics and Astronomy if jointly appointed there, and
maintaining an active research program. Salary is competitive and
commensurate with experience.
Founded in 1967, LBC (lymanbriggs.msu.edu) is a vibrant undergraduate,
residential college focusing on the study of science and its impact on
society. The LBC curriculum integrates its natural and physical
sciences and mathematics courses with courses in the History,
Philosophy, and Sociology of Science.
The joint appointment with the Department of Physics and Astronomy
(www.pa.msu.edu) or the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
(www.nscl.msu.edu) will add to MSU=D5s investment in increasing
cross-college collaboration. The Department of Physics and Astronomy
is looking for candidates who will conduct a vigorous research
program. Research in all areas of physics and astronomy will be
considered; current research areas in the department include
acoustics, astronomy and astrophysics, biophysics, condensed matter
physics, high energy physics, nuclear physics, and physics
education. Successful candidates will have experience with or
demonstrate potential for securing outside funding. The NSCL is
looking for candidates who will play a leadership role in nuclear
science research, and contribute to NSCL=D5s educational programs.
A complete application package consists of a cover letter, curriculum
vitae, teaching statement and portfolio, statement of research
interests, writing sample, and three letters of recommendation (sent
under separate cover). Complete applications should be received by
December 1, 2007; later applications may be considered. This material
should be sent to: Physics Search Committee; Lyman Briggs College; 28
East Holmes Hall; Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI
48825-1107. For further information, contact Ms. Kathie Ellis at
(517) 353-6486 or elliskmsu.edu.
MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. MSU is
committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The
university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of
women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities.
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4. Experimental/Observational Astrophysics Positions at UCSD
From: Joan Grohman [jgrohmanphysics.ucsd.edu]
FACULTY POSITIONS IN EXPERIMENTAL/OBSERVATIONAL ASTROPHYSICS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
The Department of Physics (http://physics.ucsd.edu) at the
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) invites applications for
two junior level faculty positions in experimental (including
particle astrophysics) or observational astrophysics (any
wavelength), starting July 1, 2008. Applicants should have a Ph.D.
in physics, astronomy, or related subjects and an outstanding
record of research accomplishment. Applicants should have ability
and strong interest in undergraduate and graduate instruction. The
appointee is expected to establish a research program and to
participate in the educational programs and other activities of the
Department. An application consisting of a curriculum vitae, list
of publications, summary of research interests, and a future
research plan, should be sent by mail only (no emails will be
considered) to: Faculty Search Committee - Astrophysics, Department
of Physics AST-MW, MC-0354, University of California, San Diego,
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0354. Candidates should
also arrange to have three letters of reference sent under separate
cover. Salary per UCSD pay scales. Applicants are welcome to
include in their cover letters a personal statement summarizing
their contributions to diversity. Review of applications will
begin on December 3, 2007 and continue until the position is
filled. UCSD is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer
with a strong institutional commitment to excellence through
diversity.
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5. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
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6. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN
Past issues of AASWOMEN are available at
http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html
Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.
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