| Greetings!
Save the Date!
We'll be rolling out the first of many career development workshops around the country on October 11, 2008 in Indianapolis. The goal is to provide early to mid-career women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with the personal and practical tools they need to be successful in their professions. The one-day seminar will offer workshops focused on skill-building and work/personal life integration as well as networking opportunities.
We hope to see you there!
Best regards,
Janet Bandows Koster
Executive Director |
| Education |
Where's the Diversity in STEM?
Two recent reports highlight the need to increase diversity in America's STEM disciplines. "Confronting the "New" American Dilemma, Under-Represented Minorities in Engineering: A Data-Based Look at Diversity," a study commissioned by the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), shows that rates of participation by African Americans, American Indians, and Latinos in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have flat lined, and in some cases have actually declined.
And, according to "STEM Professions: Opportunities and Challenges for Latinos," the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S. also suffers from a worse gender gap in STEM careers compared with Asians and African Americans. According to the National Science Foundation, since 1997, the numbers of U.S. Hispanic women who earned bachelors' degrees in computer science have more than doubled. However, their representation in the computing workforce continues to be disproportionately low. In 2003, Latinas represented less than 1 percent of the nearly 2 million employed in computer and information sciences.
About African-Americans in STEM
"Tacky Women" Can't Stop Schlafly
Phyllis Schlafly, hard-line anti-feminist who once noted that women "are too emotional to handle intellectual or scientific debate," is to receive an honorary degree this weekend from her alma mater Washington University in St. Louis. Protests have been launched by both faculty and students. As the president of the school's Association of Women Faculty noted: This protest is about protesting Schlafly receiving this honorary doctorate, not protesting Schlafly's views or her right to speak.
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| Government |
| Candidates Mum on Science
The majority of U.S. adults - 83% - say it is important that the candidates talk about how science and scientific research will affect their policy-making decisions if they are elected according to a recent poll by Research!America and Science Debate 2008. Among the most serious long-term issues facing the country, 76% rate health care the most serious, followed by alternative energy sources (69%), education (67%) and national security (61%). Issues also considered serious by a majority of U.S. adults include global economic competition (55%), poverty (53%) and climate change (53%).
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| Science and Health |
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Are You Physically Fit?
The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has created an on-line adult fitness which incorporates several of the exercises that millions of students undertake each year as they aim for a certificate signed by the president. The test involves three basic components: aerobic fitness, muscular strength and flexibility. The test is for people 18 and older who are in good health. Take the challenge
Americans Popping Lots of Pills
Almost two-thirds of women 20 and older use prescription drugs according to a new study by Medco, a leading pharmacy benefit manager. From anti-depressents to prescription medicines for diabetes, and asthma, Americans buy more medications per person than any other country. Medco's data show that last year, 51 percent of American children and adults were taking one or more prescription drugs for a chronic condition, up from 50 percent the previous four years and 47 percent in 2001.
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| Careers |
Women's Flight from Scientific Workforce Confirmed in New Study
A study published today in the Harvard Business Review, called "The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering and Technology," finds that While 41 percent of scientists, technologists and engineers on the "lower rungs of the corporate career ladder" are female, 52 percent of those women drop out. The study, which followed the careers of 1,000 women in America with qualifications in science, engineering or technology, surveyed 3,000 similar international employees and organized 28 focus groups around the world, confirmed what AWIS has known for some time -- things are not looking good for female scientists.
We'll make a copy of the study available on www.awis.org as soon as we get the full report.
Teach Dentistry and You'll Be Happy
It seems dental educators are quite a happy lot. A recent study by the American Dental Education Association found that faculty at US dental schools are very satisfied in their careers and enjoy a good work-life balance. A key reason? The "change-readiness" of dental education.
The secret to a happy workplace |
| Chapter News and Events |
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Event: "Clinical service - Translational research. Can we do it all?" by Karen Nelson, Ph.D., Director, Immunogenetics, Puget Sound Blood Center
Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: UW SouthLakeUnionBuilding, First Floor Auditorium, 815 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA98109
AWIS East Bay Chapter Chapter Website
Event: "Career Opportunities in the Life Sciences Industry: Finding your Niche." Toby Freedman, Ph.D., will discuss some of her findings from her recently released book, Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, which is based on interviews with over 200 industry professionals. She will provide information about the hidden opportunities and areas currently experiencing high demand as well as job search strategies.
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2008
Time: 6:30 p.m. Light Dinner, 7 p.m. Talk, 8p.m. Book signing
Location: Novartis*, 4560 Norton St, Emeryville, CA
* Novartis security procedure requires check in at the guard station on 53rd St. at Chiron Way prior to parking; Meet in Building 4 (5300 Chiron Way), Room 104. Enter at the doors nearest the big yellow stucco ball.
Receive a 10% discount on the book at the chapter meeting. One book will be raffled off to a lucky attendee!
A contribution of $5 (members) to $10 (non-members) to cover cost of food is encouraged.
Scientists, non-scientists, men, women are all welcome!
To add your chapter activities to the Washington Wire and the AWIS web site, please email your listins to chapters@awis.org. |
| Opportunities |
Summer School on GPUs and Multicore for S&E Grad Students
The Great Lake Consortium for Petascale Computation's Virtual School of Computational Science and Engineering is pleased to announce its first annual Summer School, Accelerators for Science and Engineering Applications: GPUs and Multicore to be held at NCSA August 18-22, 2008
Applications deadline: May 19,2008
Visit the website for more info.
M. Hildred Blewett Scholarship
To enable early-career women to return to physics research careers after having had to interrupt those careers for family reasons. The applicant must currently be a legal resident or resident alien of the United States or Canada. She must be currently in Canada or the United States and must have an affiliation with a research-active educational institution or national lab. She must have completed work toward a Ph.D. Amount: up to $45,000/year.
Deadline: June 2, 2008
Visit the website for more information.
NCWIT Academic Alliance Seed Fund
The NCWIT Academic Alliance Seed Fund awards members of NCWIT's Academic Alliance with start-up funds (up to $15,000 per project) to develop and implement initiatives for recruiting and retaining women in computing and information technology. Startup funding is provided by Microsoft. Information about the Seed Fund program, including proposal requirements, the review process, and how to become an eligible Academic Alliance member, is available at www.ncwit.org. Proposal deadline: June 1, 2008
Mary Fieser Postdoctoral Program for Women and MinoritiesHarvard University will award 12 new postdoc fellowships in chemistry this spring that are aimed at increasing the number of women and minority Ph.D.'s who become professors. Fellows will study for a year in Harvard's department of chemistry and chemical biology, and will have the opportunity to apply for a second year of fellowship money. Click here for a copy of the postdoc application) or apply here. Deadline: July 15, 2008
Announcement is made on August 15, 2008.
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| AWIS Advocacy |
AWIS Attends Hearing on Women in Academic Science and Engineering
On May 8, the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a hearing on the Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Act of 2008. Look who's talking |
AWIS Contributes to Equal Pay Day Press Conference on Capitol Hill
April 23, 2008 - AWIS attended a national press conference on Capitol Hill to urge Senate members to pass the Fair Pay Act of 2007, also known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 2831). AWIS provided a report on the Pay Gap in the STEM Professions. To learn more about the legislation, click H.R. 2831. (NOTE: The Senate failed to pass the bill that evening, with 4 votes short of the 60 needed to move it forward. Click here to read more). |
| Featured Jobs |
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
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Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
Academic Anatomic Veterinary Pathologist
College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York |
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