AAS Committee on the Status of Women 
Issue of November 7, 2008 
eds. Joan Schmelz, Hannah Jang-Condell & Caroline Simpson 
 
This week's issues: 
 
1. What I Wish I Knew Before Grad School 
 
2. Finding Childcare at Conferences 
 
3. Science Impact of Astronomy PhD Granting Departments in the United States 
 
4. Professional Skills Development Workshops 
 
5. Childcare Grants at APS Meeting 
 
6. CSWP/FIAP Networking Breakfast at APS Annual Meeting 
 
7. Postdoctoral Position in Exoplanets, Wesleyan University 
 
*** FOLLOWING POSITION WAS TAKEN FROM WIPHYS *** 
 
8. Two-year visiting Assistant Professor Positions, Denison University 
 
9. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN 
 
10. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN 
 
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1. What I Wish I Knew Before Grad School 
From: Joan Schmelz [jschmelzmemphis.edu] 
 
I'm visiting CfA for a year, and I love to take advantage of the wonderful 
opportunities available here. For example, I attend many lunchtime seminars 
in order to "overdose" on astronomy because when I return to the 
University of Memphis, I will once again be to only astronomer in the 
Physics Department. I also attend the CfA Women in Science meetings 
organized by Andrea Dupree. In looking over the CfAWIS web site, I found a 
link to one of the first topics addressed by the group, "What I wish I knew 
before Grad School" The discussion was lead by Cara Rakowski, Karen 
Masters, and Sukanya Chakrabarti, who were at the time (Aug 2006) all 
CfA postdocs. Female summer REUs were specifically invited to join in. I 
got permission from Andrea to share the web site with you, and ask you 
to please share it with your undergrads: 
 
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/cfawis/Gradlist.html 
 
The web site includes such topics as: (1) How to find which schools are 
good; (2) Think about the number of women faculty; (3) ADS is your friend; 
(4) Talk to current graduate students; (5) Find out about course 
requirements; etc. 
 
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2. Finding Childcare at Conferences 
From: Karen Masters [Karen.Mastersport.ac.uk] 
 
Is there any good advice out there for how to go about finding childcare 
at a conference? Specifically I'm interested in finding childcare for my 
almost 2 year old for the January AAS meeting in Long Beach, but I think 
compiling a list of general advice from those who've "been there, done that" 
would also be a useful thing to do. 
 
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3. Science Impact of Astronomy PhD Granting Departments in the United States 
From: Geoff Clayton [gclaytonfenway.phys.lsu.edu] 
 
An article by Anne L. Kinney 
 
Abstract: The scientific impact of the research of 36 astronomy PhD 
granting departments is measured and ranked here. Because of the complex 
nature of Universities, this study looks at the Universities in two ways; 
first analyzing the impact of the published work over a 10 year period of 
the Department which grants the PhD and; second, looking at the impact of 
the published work as a whole including Laboratories, Centers, and Facilities. 
The Universities considered in the study are drawn from the 1992 NRC study 
on Programs of Research, Doctorate in Astrophysics and Astronomy with three 
Universities added. Johns Hopkins, Michigan State, and Northwestern all host 
substantial astronomical research within their Departments of Physics and 
Astronomy and so are included here. The first method of measuring impact 
concentrates on tenured and tenured track faculty, with the top quartile 
being 1. Caltech, 2. UC Santa Cruz, 3. Princeton, 4. Harvard, 
5. U Colorado, Boulder,6. SUNY, Stony Brook, 7. Johns Hopkins, 8. 
Penn State, and 9. U Michigan, Ann Arbor. The second method additionally 
includes "soft money" scientists in research and adjunct faculty positions, 
with the top quartile being 1. UC Santa Cruz, 2. Princeton, 3. Johns Hopkins 
4. Penn State, 5. SUNY Stony Brook, 6. U Michigan, Ann Arbor, 
7. New Mexico State, 8. UMass, Amherst, and 9. U Virginia. Both methods 
reveal important aspects of Universities, representing both the depth and 
the breadth of the science available at the University. Finally, a 
comparison is made of the total articles published in the 10 year period, 
both from the departments alone and from the larger universities. 
Three Universities have both impact index in the top quartile, and have 
more than 1000 publications in a decade; UC at Santa Cruz, Princeton, 
and Johns Hopkins. 
 
http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/0811.0311 
 
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4. Professional Skills Development Workshops 
From: WIPHYS November 5, 2008 
 
The American Physical Society will offer one-day workshops for women 
post-docs and senior tenured women faculty in physics on March 15 
(Pittsburgh) and again on May 1 (Denver), in association with the 2009 
APS annual meetings. Women of color are especially encouraged to apply. 
Deadline to apply for the March workshop is December 5, 2008 and the 
deadline for the April workshop is January 5, 2009. First consideration 
will be given to applications received by the deadlines. 
 
The workshops will offer professional training on effective negotiation, 
communication and leadership skills, as well as a special opportunity for 
networking at the reception afterwards. There will be separate sessions for 
post-docs and women faculty. All participants may receive a stipend of up 
to $850 towards hotel and travel expenses. Details are now posted at 
 
http://www.aps.org/programs/women/workshops/skills/index.cfm 
 
To ensure maximum interaction, the workshops will be limited in size. Please 
share this information with women physicists who might be interested. 
 
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5. Childcare Grants at APS Meeting 
From: WIPHYS November 5, 2008 
 
Small grants of up to $300 are available to assist March meeting attendees 
who are bringing small children or who incur extra expenses in leaving them 
at home (i.e., extra daycare or babysitting services). Details at 
 
http://www.aps.org/meetings/march/services/childcare.cfm 
 
There will also be a quiet room for parents and their children to relax 
(no supervision, however) and an electronic bulletin board for parents to 
share information about childcare. (Similar grants will also be available 
for the April meeting in Denver). 
 
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6. CSWP/FIAP Networking Breakfast at APS Annual Meeting 
From: WIPHYS November 5, 2008 
 
CSWP and the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics will once again 
co-sponsor a networking breakfast for women (and others) in physics. This 
year, it will be on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., at the 
Westin Hotel, Pittsburgh. Enjoy a delicious full breakfast and hear an 
informal talk by a woman physicist in industry. Cost: $15. $5 for physics 
students. Both men and women are welcome. Space is limited, so Preregister 
at 
 
http://www.aps.org/meetings/march/events/receptions/cswp-fiap.cfm 
 
by March 2, 2009. After that you must purchase tickets on site at the main 
APS Registration Desk in the Convention Center (adjacent to the hotel), as  
long as tickets are available. 
 
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7. Postdoctoral Position in Exoplanets, Wesleyan University 
From: Seth Redfield [sredfieldwesleyan.edu] 
 
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position in exoplanets at 
Wesleyan University. The successful candidate will work in collaboration 
with Seth Redfield primarily on high resolution optical spectra of transiting 
exoplanets obtained with the 9.2-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The project 
is focused on characterizing the atmospheres of extrasolar planets using this 
rich observational dataset. Other related research areas of mutual interest 
may include gas absorption in edge-on debris disks and the structure of the 
local interstellar medium, using ground-based, Hubble, and Spitzer 
observations. Wesleyan has a Planetary Science Group that includes faculty 
from several departments. The successful candidate will be encouraged to 
interact with other faculty and to carry out independent research with full 
access to observational facilities available to Wesleyan. Experience with 
data reduction and analysis, high resolution spectroscopy, and observational 
studies of exoplanets will be helpful. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in 
astronomy or astrophysics at the start of the appointment. 
 
Wesleyan University is located between New York City and Boston, and has a  
small but active astronomy program, which emphasizes involvement of 
undergraduate and M.A. students in main-stream astronomical research. We 
are particularly interested in candidates who feel that they could both 
contribute to and flourish in this unique educational environment. The 
postdoc would have the opportunity, if desired, to take advantage of this 
setting to develop educational skills through mentoring students in research 
and possibly teaching. Initial appointment would be for two years, with 
funding for at least one additional year available. The starting date is 
Summer/Fall 2009; some flexibility can be accommodated. The salary is 
competitive, and health and retirement benefits and travel allowance are 
provided. Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, 
bibliography, statement of research experience and interests, and arrange 
for three letters of reference to be sent to the address below by 12 
December 2008. 
 
Wesleyan University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer 
M/W/D/V and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities. 
 
URL1: https://wesfiles.wesleyan.edu/home/sredfield/web/ 
 
URL2: http://www.wesleyan.edu/astro/ 
 
URL3: http://www.wesleyan.edu/planetary/ 
 
URL4: http://members.aas.org/JobReg/JobDetailPage.cfm?JobID=3D25040 
 
Email Submission Address: sredfieldwesleyan.edu 
 
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8. Two-year visiting Assistant Professor Positions, Denison University 
From: WIPHYS November 4, 2008 
 
The Denison University Department of Physics and Astronomy invites 
applications for a two-year visiting assistant professor position, with 
possible continuation to a third year, beginning Fall 2009. A second, 
two-year position may also be available, pending approval. We seek candidates 
who are vitally interested in teaching physics and/or astronomy at both the 
beginning and advanced levels. Ph.D. degree in Physics preferred, but ABD 
may also be considered. Teaching experience is preferred. 
 
Denison University is a highly selective national liberal arts college of 
2100 students, located in Granville, Ohio, 30 minutes from Columbus, Ohio. 
The department consists of six faculty, a technical assistant, and a 
secretary. Facilities include excellent equipment for both teaching and 
research, first class on-site experimental labs, a link to the Ohio 
Supercomputer, an observatory, a planetarium, and a well-equipped machine 
shop. Additional information may be obtained from our web site at 
 
http://www.denison.edu/physics/ 
 
Applicants should submit vita, undergraduate and graduate school 
transcripts, a description of teaching interests and experience, and 
three (3) letters of reference online at 
 
https://employment.denison.edu 
 
Applications complete by 5 January 2009, will receive full consideration; 
applications may be accepted until the position is filled. Denison's 
commitment to foster a diverse community is central to our liberal arts 
mission; therefore candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups are 
strongly encouraged to apply. Denison is an Affirmative Action, Equal 
Opportunity Employer. 
 
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10. 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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