AAS Committee on the Status of Women
Issue of January 12, 2007
eds. Patricia Knezek, Joan Schmelz, Geoffrey Clayton, & Hannah Jang-Condell
This week's issues:
1. AAS Council & AIP fund first Longitudinal Study Survey
2. CSWA/CSMA statement: "After the Senior Review: Considerations for
Optimizing the Workforce"
3. CSWA Logo
4. Deadline Extended for APS Senior Women Workshop in April
5. M. Hildred Blewett Scholarship for Women Physicists
6. APS Scholarship Program for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors
7. How to submit, subscribe, or unsubscribe to AASWOMEN
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1. AAS Council & AIP fund first Longitudinal Study Survey
From: Patricia Knezek (knezek
noao.edu)
The CSWA and the Longitudinal Study Working Group are pleased to announce
that at the January 2007 AAS Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously
to provide funding for the first survey of a planned 10+ year longitudinal
study of the career paths of astronomers. The AIP is also participating by
providing in-kind contributions. This study is the result of one of the
recommendations from the document "Equity Now: The Pasadena Recommendations,"
which the AAS Council endorsed in January 2005. The first survey will be
directed at current astronomy and astrophysics graduate students, and will
be sent out this spring. A report of the findings from the first survey is
planned for early 2008. More details will be announced soon.
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2. CSWA/CSMA statement: "After the Senior Review: Considerations for
Optimizing the Workforce"
From: Keivan Stassun (keivan.stassunvanderbilt.edu) & Patricia Knezek
(knezeknoao.edu)
Respectfully submitted by Keivan Stassun and Patricia Knezek, on behalf
of the AAS Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA)
and the AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy (CSWA).
Second only to "optimizing the science," the NSF Senior Review
Committee identified "optimizing the workforce" as a core principle
in carrying out its charge of examining NSF AST's portfolio of
facilities and other discretionary activities. Quoting from the report:
"The implementation of the proposed program should consider diverse
workforce needs within the Division of Astronomical Sciences supported
observatory system and should provide for the training of the next
generation of scientists and engineers."
The AAS CSWA and CSMA endorse this key principle as the astronomical
community moves forward with the recommendations of the Senior
Review Committee. The small absolute numbers of women and
minorities (particularly the latter) within the discipline, and
their concentration at the early stages of the professional ladder,
implies that these constituencies may be particularly vulnerable
to breaks in continuity of career trajectory that may naturally
arise from divestments of current facilities and redistribution of
resources. At the same time, with adequate forethought and deliberate
planning, the vigorous new investments planned for the next generation
of AST-supported facilities and activities represents a promising
opportunity for the community to recommit to encouraging and enabling
broadened participation of a diverse workforce. The Senior Review
Committee's fifth principle -- "engaging the university community"
-- will likely be important to achieving this goal.
The AAS CSWA and CSMA urge NSF AST and the astronomical community at
large to keep these core principles at the fore as we move forward
with optimism following the Senior Review.
`
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3. CSWA Logo
From: Patricia Knezek (knezeknoao.edu)
The CSWA has recognized that it would be very useful to have a logo. If
you might be interested in creating a logo, please contact Patricia Knezek,
CSWA chair, knezeknoao.edu by January 31, 2007. The creator of the
selected logo will be credited on all publications where it is used.
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4. Deadline Extended for APS Senior Women Workshop in April
From: WIPHYS of January 11, 2007
The deadline has been extended to apply for the American Physical Society's
one-day workshop for senior women physicists in industry and government labs
on Friday, April 13 (Jacksonville, FL). The new deadline is Friday,
January 19.
The workshop will offer professional training on effective negotiation,
communication and leadership skills, as well as a special opportunity for
networking. All participants may receive a stipend of up to $800 towards
hotel and travel expenses. For more information, please go to
http://www.womeninphysics.org and click on Professional Skills Development.
We encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity! Past
workshops (2006 and 2006) were extremely successful. Please feel free to
share this information with anyone who might be interested. Questions?
Please contact Sue Otwell otwellaps.org .
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5. M. Hildred Blewett Scholarship for Women Physicists
From: WIPHYS of January 12, 2007
This scholarship has been has been established to enable women to return to
physics research careers after having had to interrupt those careers for
family reasons. The scholarship consists of an award of up to $45,000. The
applicant must currently be a legal resident of the US or Canada. She must
be currently in Canada or the US and must have an affiliation with a
research-active educational institution or national lab. She must have
completed work toward a PhD.
Applications are due June 1, 2007. Announcement of the award is expected to
be made by August 1, 2007. Details and on-line application can be found at
http://www.aps.org/programs/women/scholarships/blewett/index.cfm .
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6. APS Scholarship Program for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors
From: WIPHYS of January 12, 2007
The American Physical Society is pleased to offer the APS Scholarship Program
for Minority Undergraduate Physics Majors. The goal of the program is to
encourage minority students to major in physics and graduate with physics
degrees. The scholarship consists of $2,000 for new students, and $3,000 for
renewal students. The hosting department receives $500. In addition,
students will be paired with professional physicists who will serve as mentors.
Any African American, Hispanic American, or Native American high school
senior, college freshman or sophomore, who is a US citizen or permanent
resident, and who is majoring or planning to major in physics, may apply.
We ask for your help in identifying and encouraging minority physics students
to apply for this scholarship. If you have established relationships with any
high schools, please also share this information with them. The postmark
deadline for completed applications is February 2, 2007. Applications and
more information on this scholarship can be found at
http://www.aps.org/programs/minorities/honors/scholarship/index.cfm. For
questions, please contact me using the information below.
Thank you for your help,
Arlene Modeste Knowles
Outreach Programs Administrator
American Physical Society
301-209-3232
301-209-0865 fax
knowlesaps.org
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