AAS Committee on the Status of Women Issue of April 13, 2012 eds. Joan Schmelz, Caroline Simpson & Michele Montgomery This week's issues: 1. What YOU can do to promote gender equality in astronomy 2. Stop Sexual Assault and Violence 3. At M.I.T., Success Comes With Unexpected Consequences 4. This Week on the CSWA Twitter Feed 5. Pregnancy and Science Careers 6. Einstein's Advice to a Little Girl Who Wants to Be a Scientist 7. 2013 Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring 8. AAS Prize Nominations 9. How to Submit to the AASWomen Newsletter 10. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWomen Newsletter 11. Access to Past Issues of the AASWomen Newsletter ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. What YOU can do to promote gender equality in astronomy From: Meredith Hughes via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com [This week's guest blogger is Meredith Hughes. Meredith is currently a Miller Fellow at UC Berkeley. Her research involves using millimeter-wavelength interferometry to study the process of planet formation. - eds.] Sometimes when I think about how to promote gender equality in astronomy, I feel a bit inadequate. My personal life is relatively uncomplicated and I've had a blessedly easy time on the job market so far -- so as a mentor or a crusader, I don't have a lot of experience overcoming adversity to draw on (knock on wood). And I'm already working hard to make a career for myself as an astronomer, so I'm not exactly jumping up and down to start a second career as an activist. At the same time, issues of equality are deeply compelling to me. I've seen friends and colleagues affected by the cultural and sociological barriers that disproportionately limit women's participation in the field. I twitch every time I hear affirmative action backlash. I want to do something. And I imagine I'm not the only one. But what? How can I best use the time, skills, and experience that I have to promote gender equality? To read more: http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Stop Sexual Assault and Violence From: Ed Bertschinger via womeninastronomy.blogspot.com American women and men in astronomy are generally safe against personal violence. However, sexual harassment, assault and other forms of misconduct are a continuing problem for men and women, especially against women. Moreover, our sisters elsewhere are subject to state-sponsored, gender-based violence and discrimination that must not be forgotten. It is fitting that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Universities are not immune to allegations of sexual abuse, including but not restricted to recent high profile cases involving sports coaches and teams. Is this a taboo subject in the astronomical community? I hope not, and was pleased to see that the Yale Women's Faculty Forum, currently led by astronomer Priya Natarajan, was able to increase awareness of and effect change in policies concerning sexual misconduct at Yale. Other universities would benefit from the example of institutional change accomplished by the Yale women described at Change Magazine. http://www.changemag.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/2012/March-April%202012/Imlementing-full.html To read more: http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. At M.I.T., Success Comes With Unexpected Consequences From: Paola Rodriguez Hidalgo via CSWA Facebook page Not incredibly surprising, but I thought it would be good to share this here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/us/21mit.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all At M.I.T., Success Comes With Unexpected Consequences Twelve years after M.I.T. sought to end discrimination against female faculty members, a study shows progress has come with a new perception -- a belief that women are given an unfair advantage. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. This week on the CSWA twitter feed From: Caroline Simpson [simpsonc_at_fiu.edu] A few tweets and retweets from AAS CSWA - go to twitter.com for the embedded links and stories. * Mexicans Silvia Torres & Manuel Peimbert awarded Hans Bethe Prize by APSphysics for outstanding work on Astrophysics (retweeted from Arturo Sarukhan) * Nice list of resources for finding mentors for women in STEM & creating a successful relationship http://www.underthemicroscope.com/blog/how-to-find-mentors-for-women-in-science-technology- engineering-and-math (retweeted from AAUW STEM) * Fighting back against "Imposter Syndrome" - http://womeninplanetaryscience.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/fighting-back-against-imposter-syndrome/ via @WomenPlanetSci (retweeted from STEMinist) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Pregnancy and Science Careers From: Nancy Brickhouse [nbrickhouse_at_cfa.harvard.edu] An article by Sue V. Rosser at insidehighered.com discusses the issue of pregnant scientists: http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/04/essay-issues-facing-aspiring-scientists- who-are-pregnant ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Einstein's Advice to a Little Girl Who Wants to Be a Scientist From: Harley A. Thronson [harley.a.thronson_at_nasa.gov] Charming . . . Women in Science: Einstein's Advice to a Little Girl Who Wants to Be a Scientist http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/04/09/dear-professor-einstein-girl/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. 2013 Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring From: WIPHYS, April 12, 2012 The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is seeking nominations for the 2013 Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring. The award is open to all individuals who are U. S. citizens or permanent residents and to U.S. entities, including academia, corporate, government and non-profits organizations and companies. The application deadline is June 6, 2012. Apply at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11563/nsf11563.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. AAS Prize Nominations From: AAS Electronic Announcement #231 - April 2012 Deadline: 30 June 2012 The AAS needs your help in getting due recognition for our most outstanding colleagues. Nominations for the AAS Prizes for 2013 must arrive in the Secretary's Office by 30 June 2012. Members may obtain the Prize nomination instructions online at http://aas.org/prizes/nominations. Electric submission to aassec@aas.org is encouraged. To obtain a hard copy of the nomination form, please email aassec@aas.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. How to Submit to the AASWOMEN newsletter To submit an item to the AASWOMEN newsletter, including replies to topics, send email to aaswomen_at_aas.org All material will be posted unless you tell us otherwise, including your email address. Please remember to replace "_at_" in the e-mail address above. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. How to Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the AASWOMEN newsletter Join AAS Women List by email: aaswlist+subscribe_at_aas.org Be sure to follow the instructions in the confirmation email. (Just reply back to the email list) Join AAS Women List by link: https://groups.google.com/a/aas.org/group/aaswlist/subscribe?hl=en You will have to create a Google Account if you do not already have one, using https://accounts.google.com/newaccount?hl=en Google Groups Subscribe Help: http://support.google.com/groups/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=46606 Please remember to replace "_at_" in the e-mail address above. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. Access to Past Issues http://www.aas.org/cswa/AASWOMEN.html Each annual summary includes an index of topics covered.