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Greetings!
Do you like to write? Do you have a few hours to spare each month? We're looking for a new editor of the "Washington Wire."
If you've got an interest in writing, public policy, and women's issues and you'd like to volunteer, please give me a call at 202.326.8940 or send me an e-mail at koster@awis.org.
Best regards,
Janet Bandows Koster
Executive Director |
| Education
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Working Poor Find Barriers When Seeking College Access
"Despite the fact that the working poor who take college courses think of themselves as students first and employees second, their work place commitments, financial stressors and familial obligations pose particular challenges to full-time attendance and degree completion..." - Inside HigherEd
More on the Working Poor...
STEM Disciplines Stand Out in Ph.D. Completion Study
Researchers are narrowing down the reasons why Ph.D. students are taking longer and longer to complete their doctoral programs and why some never finish at all. Preliminary data released by the Council of Graduate Schools suggests that there is less attrition in the science and engineering disciplines than in the humanities but that the main factor in completion across the board is money. Visit the Ph.D. Completion Project Web Site... |
| Government
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Former Cal-State Volleyball Coach Wins $5.85 Million in Title IX Suit
Linda Vivas, a Fresno State women's volleyball coach, has been on the front lines of gender equity issues in the Cal-State system for over 12 years. Last week, a California court awarded her over $5 million in past and future economic damages due to alleged retaliation she received from the California State system for her efforts to ensure gender equity in sports on campus.
More on Title IX Lawsuit...
Congressional Briefing Highlights Need for More Support of Women and Girls in STEM
On July 18th, AWIS co-sponsored a briefing in the House of Representatives with Women's Policy, Inc., the Society for Women Engineers, and a number of other organizations to highlight barriers facing girls and women in STEM disciplines. Presenters including Dr. Jaquelynne Eccles from the University of Michigan and Dr. Laurel Haak, who worked on last year's report by the National Academies of Science "Beyond Bias and Barriers."
View Their Presentations...
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| Science and Health
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Food For Thought and SightYou've always heard that carrots were good for your eye sight but is it true? If so, how does science prove it? This article shows how women can keep their eyes healthy by increasing the intake of certain nutrients. Seeing the Light...What Do Al Gore and Starbucks Have In Common?Starbucks - like Al Gore - is now working on reducing it's carbon emissions footprint. Company executives are trying to be more energy efficient by controlling and managing carbon emissions from energy used in retail stores. Read More in Forbes...
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| International
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Teaching Science InternationallyAs STEM teachers in Brazil, China, India and South Africa deal with instructor shortages, low wages and limited resources, universities are coming up with unique strategies to enhance undergraduate science education. In these articles, Science Magazine identifies the varying approaches taken by each country. South AfricaIndiaBrazilChina
Who Is In the Science Lab?"Members of Congress love to talk about investing in science and technology so that American researchers can outperform those in other countries. A new study suggests that approach may miss the point - because a growing percentage of the papers by American scientists are written with authors from other countries..." - Inside HigherEDMore on International Collaboration...
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| Careers
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Dealing with Difficult People
Everyone has worked with their share of bullies, badies,and whiners. In this last article in the series penned by the X-gals, a group of nine women who met regularly in graduate school to provideone another mutal support, the archetypes of the academic work world are laid out.
Archetypes in Academe...
Eleven Reasons to LOVE Being a Working MomIn the opinion of one working mom, the benefits far outweigh the challenges of balancing work and kids. Missed recitals and a messy household aside, this working mom would never trade in her briefcase for an apron. Are These Your Reasons...?
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| National and Chapter Announcements
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East Bay AWIS Chapter
All meetings take place Thursday 6:30 PM-8:00 PM, with networking and a light dinner followed by a talk. Meetings are FREE and open to the public. See www.ebawis.org for more information and directions. Date: July 26, 2007 Time: 6:30 PM (Light Supper) 7:00 PM Meeting Begins Location: University of California, Berkley Event: "A Crooked Career Path Can Still Provide Rewards" Date: September 27, 2007 Time: 6:30 PM Location: University of California, Berkley Event: Mina Bissell, Distinguished Scientist, LBNL. She is a pioneering breast cancer researcher and former head of LBNL Life Sciences Division. Date: November 29, 2007 Time: 6:30 PM Location: Novartis Event: Christina Galitsky, LBNL inventor. She is helping women in Darfur and water quality in India and China, and was named one of MIT Review's 35 top inventors under 35 in 2006.
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| Opportunities
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L'Oréal USA Fellowships A national offshoot of the L'ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women In Science program, the L'Oréal USA Fellowships program is open to women at post-doctorate level in physical/material sciences, engineering, technology and mathematics. The L'Oréal USA Fellowships For Women in Science enable young scientists to continue working toward breakthroughs in their research. Applications available: Aug. 1-Dec. 15, 2007 Application deadline: December 15, 2007Grant year: July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009 For More Information About This Fellowship... Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies ConferenceAMOS
is an unclassified conference consisting of pre-conference tutorials,
optional tours, featured speakers, a technical program, and poster
session. Opportunities for networking and side meetings abound
throughout the week. The AMOS conference offers an ideal venue
for networking and technical exchange among scientists, engineers, and
technical managers from academia, industry, government, and military
programs. Over 140 technical papers will be presented in topical areas
including adaptive optics, astronomy, imaging, lasers, metrics,
non-resolved object characterization, orbital debris, Pan-STARRS, SSA
programs and systems, and telescopes and sensors. For conference information, please visit our website!Dates: September 12-15, 2007AAUW Career Development Grants Career Development Grants support women who hold a bachelor's degree and are preparing to advance their careers, change careers, or re-enter the work force. Special consideration is given to AAUW members, women of color, and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields. Grants provide support for course work beyond a bachelor's degree, including a master's degree, second bachelor's degree, or specialized training in technical or professional fields. Funds are available for distance learning. Course work must be taken at an accredited two- or four-year college or university, or at a technical school that is fully licensed or accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Funds are not available for doctoral-level work. For More on This Grant... ACS Award in Pure Chemistry The ACS Award in Pure Chemistry is intended to recognize and encourage fundamental research in pure chemistry carried out in North America by young men and women. The award consists of $5,000 and a certificate. Up to $1,000 for travel expenses to the meeting at which the award will be presented will be reimbursed. A nominee must have been born after April 30, 1973 and must have accomplished research of unusual merit for an individual on the threshold of her or his career. Special consideration is given to independence of thought and originality in the research, which must have been carried out in North America. Due Date: November 1, 2007
More on This Award in Chemistry...
Outsourcing Preclinical Toxicology Studies Conference to be Held in Costa MesaThis course is ideal for those in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies who are involved in or support outsourcing preclinical toxicology studies. Toxicologists (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies), Outsourcing professionals, Senior and operational management, Clinical veterinarians, and CRO management and scientists should attend. Attendees will learn how to evaluate their outsourcing needs and how to develop a cost-effective strategy that will lead to a successful outsourcing experience. Participants will also receive detailed instruction on how to inspect, select, and build relationships with a CRO. For More Information on This Conference...L'ORÉAL-UNESCO AWARDS FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE The
Laureates, who work across the spectrum of the Material Sciences, are
chosen based on their groundbreaking achievements and potential
contributions to scientific progress. The L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards
Laureates are selected by an international jury of 14 eminent members
of the scientific community. Chosen in recognition of her exceptional
achievements, one Award Laureate is named from each of five continents:
Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America. The
Laureates receive individual awards of $100,000. Material Sciences and
Life Sciences are recognized in alternating years. Deadline: October 31, 2007
For More On This Award...
Protein Discovery & Development Summit Coming to DC in SeptemberOnline submission for abstracts is now open for GTCbio's Protein Discovery & Development Summit. This event will feature 4 full conferences aimed at discussing the progress and promise of: Protein Design, Modeling and Bioinformatics Protein Array, Interaction, and Proteomics Protein Therapeutics Protein Expression, Formulation and Production The protein therapeutics market has more than doubled in the last five years- jumping from $25 billion to $51 billion. According to a recent survey, the protein therapeutics market should reach $87 billion by 2010. Protein therapeutics have revolutionized modern medicine. If you are involved in Protein Discovery or Development, we invite you to submit a 250 word abstract. For More Information on This Conference...Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in AthleticsThe Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics programs were developed by the NCA Committee on Women's Athletics and the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee. The NCAA awards 13 scholarships to ethnic minorities and 13 scholarships to female college graduates who will be entering their initial year of postgraduate studies. The applicant must be seeking admission or have been accepted into a sports administration or related program that will help the applicant obtain a career in intercollegiate athletics, such as athletics administrator, coach, athletic trainer or other career that provides a direct service to intercollegiate athletics. For More Information On This Scholarship... American Physiological Society Research Enhancement AwardThe APS Research Career Enhancement Award is designed to enhance the career potential of its regular members. The award can be used to support short-term visits to other laboratories to acquire new specific skills and to support attendance at special courses devoted primarily to methodologies appropriate for both a new investigator and a more senior investigator entering a new field of research. The award of up to $4,000 allows an individual in the early phases of his/her career to obtain special training; the award also allows an individual in the later phases of his/her career to develop new skills and to retrain in areas of developing interests. The award does not include any indirect cost reimbursement. For More Information on This Award...Travel Fellowships: Integrative Physiology - May 14-16, 2008, The New York Academy of SciencesThe New York Academy of Sciences is proud to offer travel fellowships to their international symposium "Integrative Physiology." This 2.5-day conference has been designed to explore the genetic basis of the known functions of many organs, the identification of novel physiological functions for various organs and the definition of genetic cascades leading to frequent degenerative diseases such as metabolic syndrome, heart failure and osteoporosis. Individuals applying for a fellowship will be expected to author a poster presentation (sole or first authorship is not required). Please refer to our site for further information. *Deadline: March 14, 2008*
"Boost the Budget" to come to DC September 10-11
The AIMBE Council of Societies' 2nd Annual Federal Symposium, Boost the Budget: Invest in Medical and Biological Engineering, will be September 10-11, 2007, in Washington, DC, at the Executive Conference Center, 440 First Street, NW. Attendees will meet with strategic leaders in Washington to discuss the immediate impact of current federal initiatives, including budget, programmatic priorities, funding opportunities and more. Most importantly, participants will learn effective advocacy techniques and how to communicate the importance and impact of federal programs on personal research initiatives and business ventures to legislators. For More Information on This Event...
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Member Spotlight
Mara Jeffress, Ph.D. East Bay
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How many women do you know who have hiked 1,000 miles alone?
Now you can add Mara Jeffress to your list of extraordinary women scientists whose community and philanthropic efforts are nothing short of amazing.
The daughter of an engineer, Mara was born with science in her blood. "I guess that is why I was interested in science as a child," she commented in a recent interview with AWIS. "When I was younger, we went on a lot of father-daughter science outings to museums and things like that."
Growing up, Mara never really had a hometown, but instead lived all around the United States as well as in Australia.
After graduating from high school, she returned to her birth-state of California to attend the University of California Santa Cruz where she majored in biology and philosophy. After graduation, Mara took an unusual step for many women in science and took time off from school
to work in industry and travel. "I took five years off after undergrad and I am glad that Itook that time to figure things out about myself."
Eventually, Mara decided to enter a Ph.D. program in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Washington. After graduation in 2004, she participated in a science and technology fellowship with the National Academy of Sciences gaining her initial interest in science policy.
Following her first fellowship in the summer of 2005, Mara took time off to hike 1,000 miles (From Canada to California) in order to raise money for Doctors without Borders, an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people in more than 70 countries.
Her 1,000 mile trek, which she performed alone, was not her first hiking expedition. Mara's love for the outdoors includes rock climbing, and skiing, as well as hiking.
On the science spectrum, Mara's interests are mostly concentrated in the area of post-doctoral issues. Currently, Mara is a post-doctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories. Thus, she both witnesses and experiences the post-doctoral issues which she is passionate about first-hand.
"I am mostly concerned with policy issues surrounding pay and equity, recruiting more women and minorities to science, and scientific funding", she commented. Mara travels to Washington, DC once every other year to bring these issues before Congress.
As a scientist perfecting her craft, Mara has practical advice for students who are questioning their next move, "Take your time figuring out what you want to do and then go for it."
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