AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of July 17, 2009
eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery
This week's issues:
1. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers?
2. Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science Professors?
3. International Study Shows Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than
Females with Science
4. Request for Numbers
5. South Asian Physics Foundation Student Conference Program Announcement
6. Permanent Faculty Position in Astronomy, Florida Institute of
Technology
7. Two staff positions at NOAO-South, La Serena, Chile
8. How to Submit, Subscribe, or Unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN
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1. Most Inspirational Women Astronomers?
From: Various
[Last week we asked who you would put in the top ten for most
inspirational women astronomer. Here's what you said - Eds.]
From: Jay Pasachoff (Jay.M.Pasachoff
williams.edu)
As for Michele Montgomery's posting of NewScientist's top 10 lists of
most inspirational woman scientists of all time, I am glad to see that
the brief biographies by Naomi Pasachoff (my wife) include #1 on the
list both in the Oxford University Press's Portraits in Science series
http://www.williams.edu/astronomy/solarcorona/naomi.html
and on the American Institute of Physics Website:
www.aip.org/history/curie.
But another of her subjects, Barbara McClintock, could arguably be in
that top 10 list, ahead of some of the people listed.
From: Anonymous
My take on the NewScientist survery was this: why does there have to be
a top 10? Surely if it was put another way - the top 10 males - it
simply could not be done as there are so many who have given their
contributions to science. The same applies to women - there are far to
many to stop at just 10. There would also be a fair few women who are
not widely recognised or known about, and perhaps this is a great
opportunity to bring out the top 100 women in science and/or astronomy
and give a small amount of information about each of them. It would be
a fascinating and inspirational read.
From: Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog
[http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/]
I would also list Caroline Herschel. I like to think that the new
infrared space telescope (which just released some first light images
today!) is named for her. I also think that Vera Rubin is a living
legend in her own right.
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2. Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science Professors?
From: Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog
[http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/]
From the Scientific American: "Why Aren't More Women Tenured Science
Professors?":
Women who apply for tenure-track positions at top-tier research
universities in math and sciences these days have a slightly better
chance of landing the job than their male colleagues, says a new
study funded by the National Science Foundation.
But that's just for those who apply, which is a good tick lower than
those who earn PhDs. In chemistry, for example, women made up 32
percent of newly minted PhDs from 1999 to 2003 but accounted for
only 18 percent of applicants to tenure-track positions.
Link to full Scientific American article at
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=women-tenured-science-professors
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3. Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than
Females with Science
From:Hannah at the Women in Astronomy Blog
[http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/]
From UVA Today: "Citizens in 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking
Males More Than Females with Science":
Implicit stereotypes -- thoughts that people may be unwilling to
express or may not even know that they have -- may have a
powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics
engagement and performance, according to a new study published this
week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The international study involving more than half a million
participants in 34 countries revealed that 70 percent harbor
implicit stereotypes associating science with males more than with
females. Moreover, in countries whose citizens stereotyped most
strongly, boys achieved at a higher level in eighth-grade science
and math.
Full story at http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=9054
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4. Request for Numbers
From: Sharon Traweek [traweekhistory.ucla.edu]
For a proposal research project, I have been seeking data unsuccessfully
on the number of US-based women and/or minority post-PhD researchers now
working in
*space based astronomy
and
*land based astronomy.
Ground and space-based research have different funding ecologies.
Women/minorities might be distributed among those kinds of projects
differently and possibly at different career stages. Within most fields,
participants report that women and minorities are distributed among
subfields in distinctive ways. However, very few databases identify
gender/ethnic distributions among research specializations or by kind of
research facilility.
In lieu of any currently available data I would appreciate any informed
estimates with the usual multiple caveats.
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5. South Asian Physics Foundation Student Conference Program Announcement
From: WIPHYS, July 10, 2009
The South Asian Physics Foundation is pleased to announce our new
Student Conference Program, which provides funds for South Asian physics
students to attend international scientific conferences in South Asia.
Its purpose is to encourage international contacts, collaborations and
broadened perspectives among South Asian physics students while
supporting promising research and scholarship. The program is open to
all South Asian undergraduate or graduate students in any field of
physics who are currently attending university in a South Asian country.
Participants will have a unique opportunity to present a scientific
paper or poster at a physics or physics-related conference in a South
Asian country other than that of the student's university or
citizenship.
For more information and an application, please visit our website at
www.southasianphysicsfoundation.org.
SAPF is a new nonprofit organization supporting international
collaboration in physics in South Asia. We welcome comments and
suggestions on this topic.
-- Jessica Hirschfelder and Vidhya Ramachandran, founders
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6. Permanent Faculty Position in Astronomy, Florida Institute of Technology
From: Terry Oswalt [toswaltfit.edu]
The Department of Physics and Space Sciences at the Florida Institute of
Technology invites applications for a permanent faculty position that
preferably will begin in August 2009. This position may be at any rank,
assistant through full professor. Preference will be given to
candidates with expertise in observational astronomy and an interest in
serving as director of the Ortega Observatory on the FIT campus. The
successful candidate will also have guaranteed access to the SARA
facilities at Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo. Candidates with experience in
astronomical instrumentation, planetary, galactic and/or extragalactic
research are particularly encouraged.
Florida Tech is located on the eastern coast of central Florida, just
south of the Kennedy Space Center. Information about the Department can
be found at http://cos.fit.edu/pss/.
To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, statement of research and
teaching experience, and the names of at least three references to
searchpssfit.edu or via regular mail to
Faculty Search Committee
Dept. of Physics and Space Sciences
Florida Institute of Technology
150 W. University Blvd.
Melbourne FL 32901
USA.
The review of applications will begin on June 15th, however applications
will be accepted until the positions are filled. FIT is an equal
opportunity employer.
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7. Two staff positions at NOAO-South, La Serena, Chile
From: Nicole S. van der Bliek [nvdbliekctio.noao.edu]
Assistant or Associate Astronomer, Job No. 949
Scientist, Job No. 950
Excerpt of the job postings
For full postings see: http://www.ctio.noao.edu
The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) invites
applications for two scientific staff positions, both based
at NOAO-South, the site of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American
Observatory (CTIO), in La Serena, Chile.
The astronomer position is a tenure track position, with up
to 50% time for individual research and 50% time devoted to
observatory duties. The scientist position is a parallel
track position, with up to 20% for individual research and
80% time devoted to observatory duties.
The ideal candidates will be observational astronomers with
several years of experience in astronomical instrumentation
and instrument support. Specific interest in opical
spectroscopy and/or infrared imaging and spectroscopy is
advantageous, but all skill sets relevant to CTIO will be
considered. Familiarity with modern observatory operations
and scientific data management will also be favorable
considered in the selection process.
Applicants will be considered at all levels. NOAO is an
equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. AURA and
NOAO actively support efforts to broaden participation
in all Observatory activities. Women and candidates from
underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged
to apply.
Applications received prior to September 1, 2009 are
assured of full consideration; however, the position
will remain open until filled. Applications should
include a curriculum vita; a statement of current
professional interests and how those interests align
with the NOAO program; and the names of three references.
When applying for this position please refer to the job
title and job number above. Application materials should
be submitted electronically (preferred) to hrnoaonoao.edu,
or by mail to address below.
Further details can be obtained from the Director for CTIO,
Dr. R. Chris Smith (directorctio.noao.edu). Profiles of
some NOAO Scientists and Astronomers have been posted on
the NOAO webpages, to give potential applicants a snapshot
of what these positions involve and what it is like to
work at NOAO. Please see
http://www.noao.edu/staffdir/profiles.php
Send resume to:
Human Resources Office
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
P.O. Box 26732
Tucson, Arizona 85726-6732
Email: hrnoaonoao.edu
FAX: 520-318-8494
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9. Access to Past Issues of AASWOMEN
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http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html
Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.
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