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Greetings!
Serving in leadership roles in professional organizations like AWIS
provides women with invaluable opportunities to network and gain
marketable skills while exchanging ideas and experiences with other
women in STEM from around the country. (Think "resume building.")
In late September, AWIS will be holding annual elections and the Nominating Committee is searching for leaders to join the National Executive Board. As a member, you can submit nominations--or nominate yourself. We are looking to fill two Councilor positions, the office of Secretary and the office of Treasurer.
For more information about the nomination process or for a description of duties, visit:
http://www.awis.org/news/newsnational.html
Best regards,
Janet Bandows Koster
Executive Director
koster@awis.org
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| Education |
Nature Guides Science Mentors
In any field of study, having a good mentor early can have a large impact on your career. In this article, Nature provides a guide for science mentors which contains tips for mentoring including: personality characteristics of good mentors, skill development, effective networking and building communities among others.
For more on this Article...
Numbers Show That Minority Students are Closing the Education Gap, Yet Future Price Increases May Reverse the Tide
A
growing African-American and Hispanic population in the is
accountable for the booming number of minorities enrolled in Southern
colleges. As the number of
African-Americans and Latinos attending college increases, so does the
price of attendance. Since these groups have historically held the
least amount of economic power, researchers fear that the
fastest-growing student population will soon be the least able to pay.
Find out more about the "Gap"...
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Government
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H.R. 151, The National STEM Scholarship Database Act Amends Public Health Service Act
Earlier last month, the House of Representatives amended the Public Health Service Act to ensure that
projects funded through the National Institutes of Health comply with
wage rate requirements commonly referred to as the "Davis-Bacon Act". The bill also directs the Secretary of Education to establish and maintain a public web database of scholarships, fellowships and other financial assistance for the undergraduate and graduate-level study of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering.
See VIDEO of a Representative in Favor or the Bill...
See Actual Bill...
Science Policy News; FY08 Appropriations Roll In
Appropriations committees from both the Senate and the House have passed legislation authorizing $450 million toward the funding of math and science programs. These funds will be used to improve the performance of students in the areas of math and science by bringing math and science teachers together with scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to increase the teachers' subject-matter knowledge and improve their teaching skills.
More on this Article....
Important Women's Rights Abandoned in the Supreme Court as Term Ends
The 2006-2007 Supreme Court term ended Thursday, June 28, 2007 under extreme scrutiny by women's advocates. According the the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) this past year has had "disastrous consequences for women's rights" and thus, is an example of how powerful an impact the court as on women's lives. Marsha Greenberger, Co-president of the NWLC claims that "our worst fears have been realized" due to the stance that the court majority turned its back on long-standing constitutional rights.
For More on this Issue...
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Science and Health
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Chemistry is Going Green: Ethics or Obligation?As many colleges and companies claim to "go green", scientist believe that attention given to the chemicals that come in and out of college and research laboratories is destined to grown. Some researchers believe that the chemicals one brings into the lab is a matter of ethics, while others believe that external pressures to teach a "greener chemistry" is growing. Ethics or Obligation...
Extra Body Fat may be Positive for Women with Type I DiabetesPeople with diabetes tend to develop cardiovascular disease at a much younger age than non-diabetics. However, studies show that patients with type I diabetes, the inherited form, have lower mortality rates if they have a little more fat under the skin. More on Body Fat...
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| Careers
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The Myths of Career NetworkingAccording to Quintessential Careers, networking among professionals is a "misunderstood concept" that often proves to be intimidating. In this article, QC breaks the myths of career networking by pin-pointing communication strategies and strategies on forming relationships that will lead to effective networking. For More on Networking...
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| International
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L'Oréal Chile Awards First Scholarships "For Women of Science"In late June, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean and L'Oréal Chile presented the three winners one of the world's most prestigious scientific awards ever granted in Chile. The three women whom these awards were given are current doctoral candidates in Chiliean Universities. More on the Mile-Stone for Women in Science Abroad...
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| Opportunities
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Trends in America's Scientific and Technical Workforce
The Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology will host a national
conference on November
1-2, 2007 in Washington, DC.
The conference will bring together policymakers, higher education
administrators, corporate hiring mangers, non-profit and business executives,
workforce analysts, and others to address major issues impacting
America's scientific and technical workforce. Plenaries and panel
presentations featuring experts on science and engineering data, policy and
practice will focus on innovation and the STEM workforce, scientific workforce
trends, skills and the global market, and cross-national supply and demand.
The conference will draw in part on data derived from CPST's Alfred
P. Sloan Foundation-funded STEM Workforce Data Project. Click here for the latest
project reports and white papers.
There is no charge to attend the conference, but registration is
required. To register, or for more information, visit the CPST website at
http://www.cpst.org.
UCS, CELEBRITY JUDGES REVEAL FINALISTS IN SECOND EDITORIAL CARTOON CONTEST
CAST YOUR VOTE FOR BEST CARTOON!
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) kicked off voting for its second annual "Science Idol" editorial cartoon contest. The competition draws attention to the growing problem of political interference in federal government science on issues as diverse as drug safety and global warming.
Click here to view all 12 "Science Idol" cartoons and cast your vote. Voting continues through July 23. Voters will have the chance to win limited edition T-shirts plus copies of the 2008 UCS scientific integrity calendar.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has offices in Berkeley, California, and Washington, D.C. For more information, contact:
Emily Robinson
Press Secretary
Union of Concerned Scientists
1707 H St NW, Suite 600
Washington DC 20006-3962
202-331-5427 (direct)
202-285-6909 (cell)
202-223-6162 (fax)
Protein Development and Discovery Summit to Be Held in September
Abstracts are now being accepted for GTCbio's Protein Development and Discovery Summit in Bethesda, Maryland September 6-7, 2007.
The conference will feature speakers from government, industry and academia discussing the progress of protein design, array, and therapeutics among others. ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 6, 2007 For More Information Visit the Official Conference Site...
Geriatric Gastroenterology Awards for Junior Faculty The objective of the Designated Outcomes Award is to promote research by young investigators in the area of outcomes studies examining clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, quality of life, economic evaluation, quality of care, functional status, appropriateness of care, conformance of recommended/desirable standards of performance, or change in practice patterns.
Eligibility for applicants is listed on the official award site.
The deadline for all application materials is September 10, 2007
Funderburg Research Scholar Award in Gastric Biology Related to Cancer
The Funderberg grant of $25,000 per year for two years (total $50,000) is awarded to an established investigator working on novel approaches in gastric cancer, including the fields of gastric mucosal regeneration and regulation of cell growth.
The Funderburg Research Scholar Award seeks to support an active, established investigator in the field of gastric biology who enhances the fundamental understanding of gastric cancer pathobiology in order to ultimately develop a cure for the disease.
Applicants must hold faculty positions at accredited North American institutions and must have established themselves as independent investigators in the field of gastric biology. * Women and minority investigators are strongly encouraged to apply. * Applicants must be Members of the AGA. Visit here for member information.
The deadline for receipt of applications without exception is September 5, 2007.
Visit the Official Award Site for More Information.
Attention Women Physicists: Ann Arbor Michigan to Host Fourth Annual International "Very High Cycle Fatigue" Conference
Registration Deadline is July 19, 2007 for this 4th annual international conference. The First conferences held in Paris, Vienna and Japan, respectively focused on the fatigue of structural materials in the long life regime. The Fourth to be held on August 19-22, 2007 is hosted by the University of Michigan and seeks to farther expand previous studies.
For More Information and Registration Details...
UNESCO/L'ORÉAL International Fellowships for Young Women in Life Sciences
Each year since 2000, as part of the L'ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science partnership, 15 international UNESCO-L'ORÉAL International Fellowships are allocated to young women researchers in the Life Sciences, at the doctoral or post-doctoral level, whose promising projects have been accepted by a reputable institution outside their home country.
Starting with 2006 Fellows, the length of the Fellowships was doubled. Each is now worth a maximum of $40,000 and may cover a period of up to two years.
The Fellowships give a boost to promising research in the Life Sciences, helping the beneficiaries, who have already distinguished themselves by their talent and commitment, to pursue promising research at what may be a critical point in their scientific careers.
The Deadline for Submitting Applications is September 14, 2007.
For More information on this award....
Carbon Markets USA Conference Comes to San Francisco September 11-12
This unique meeting will bring together the leading US and International experts together for two days of intense, information rich presentations, debates and networking. Understand how one of the World's largest future commodity markets will develop and impact upon your business.
As the GHG market transitions from voluntary trading to compliance with
state (and surely soon federal) requirements, projections are that the
annual global volumes of GHG credits will increase from $21.6m (2006)
to reach $60 billion and may eventually top $1 trillion.
Learn from 25 Global Carbon Experts including:
Commissioner James Boyd, Vice Chairman, California Energy Commission,
Terry Tamminen, Energy & Environmental Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger
For Official Conference Site...
AFAR-GE Healthcare Junior Investigator Award for Excellence in Biomarker Research
The AFAR-GE (American Federation for Aging Research) award will recognize the most innovative biomarker research related to aging and age-related diseases. Candidate biomarkers include tools for: diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, patient risk assessment and screening. There are no limits to the biomarker modality to be used for this purpose. The award program was established in conjunction with AFAR's scientific conference, Seeking Biomarkers of Aging and Diseases of Aging, taking place on October 2, 2007.
The deadline to apply is August 1, 2007.
Eligible candidates must have a maximum of 5-years post doctoral experience by October 2, 2007, and one published paper (or paper accepted for publication) exemplifying current work.
For more information about this award...
2008 Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.
This program is open to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents and offers a competitive stipend as well as insurance, relocation, and travel allowances. The program offers one to three-year postdoctoral fellowships designed to increase the involvement of scientists and engineers from academia and industry to scientific and technical areas of interest and relevance to the Navy.
* The program has a rolling admission.*
For More on This Fellowship...
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JOB OPPORTUNITY
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The AWIS National Office, located in Washington DC, is looking for a Program Associate to support a wide variety of national initiatives. This position supports a broad range of activities across the association and requires excellent customer service working with members, chapters, vendors, and the general public. Strong communication and multi-tasking skills are essential. In addition, the person in the position must be detail-oriented, organized, and passionate about women's issues. To view a full job description, visit:
http://www.awis.org/careers/AWIS.htm
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Chapter Member Spotlight
Natalia Melcer, M.S.- Washington, DC
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A native of Fernie, British Columbia, Canada (population 4,000), Natalia Melcer has traveled the world. Now, after studying abroad in Manchester, England, researching in Holland, and traveling in Southeast Asia, Natalia calls Washington D.C. home.
After her trip to Southeast Asia following her senior year of college, Natalia perused her master's in Chemistry from the University of Michigan, where she was first introduced to AWIS. Eventually, she became the president of the University of Michigan chapter in Ann Arbor.
According to Natalia, it was through networking with other AWIS members that she was lead to D.C. where she became a science policy fellow for government affairs through the American Chemical Society.
When asked about her job in science policy, "I love it", she replied in an AWIS interview. "I advocate for funding in research, and I really believe in the need for science for the future of the nation."
Melcer is specifically interested in the congressional relations aspect of science policy; I.E., "the actual creation of science policy", or lack thereof.
Outside of work, Natalia is passionate about Yoga and dance. She has been practicing yoga for three years now, which undoubtedly contributes to her black belt in Karate.
Natalia Melcer is a true AWIS advocate. " I have gotten through my career path through networking with AWIS", she claimed. " I will continue to be involved wherever I go because I see the value in the Association for Women in Science."
Currently, Natalia works with at the National Academies of Science in Washington, D.C. where she continues her work in science policy on the Board of Physics and Astronomy with the National Research Council.
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