| Dear ,
We're getting ready to renew our contract with MentorNet and would like to get your feedback.
As an affiliated partner, AWIS offers access to this program as a benefit to members who are undergraduate or graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty at universities.
If you have signed up with MentorNet as a protégé or as a mentor, please send me an e-mail at awis@awis.org with a quick outline of your experience.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Janet
Janet Bandows Koster
AWIS Executive Director
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| Education |
Freedom over funding
According to a survey conducted by the Association of American Universities and the Council on Government Relations, 20 top research schools reported 180 "troublesome clauses" within their federal governmental funding contracts in 2007. The study found that most restrictions came from the U.S. Department of Defense or defense contractors, in the form of rights to review, edit or prevent publications of discoveries, or to prevent foreign nationals from conducting research. The frequency of these types of restrictions did not change since a previous report. But an expansion in control by federal funding agencies was reflected by an overall increase due to new types of restrictions. Stanford University and the University of California-Berkeley refused some funding in response to restrictions in order to protect academic freedom. "Scientific progress depends on researchers being able to fully share information about their research findings, so other researchers can benefit and build upon that," said Bob Hardy of the Council on Governmental Relations, co-writer of the report.
Top Schools Choosing Academic Freedom over Government Research Restrictions
Higher Education Opportunity Act 2008 awaits the president
The House and Senate reauthorized federal higher education through the Higher Education Opportunity Act 2008 (H.R. 4137). The bill would bring three grants for teacher education under one program, to fund new instruction programs, create a teacher residency model, and provide mentoring initiatives, and would require states to increase and report progress for higher standards of teacher education programs. Science and technology opportunities in this legislation include a National STEM database, a Mathematics and Science Scholars Program, and a Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity Program. President Bush has yet to sign the act into law.
Congress Passes Final Bill to Reauthorize Federal Higher Education Programs
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Government
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Chipping away at the wage gap
Another step has been taken toward closing the wage gap between men and women. On the last day of July, the House passed the Paycheck Fairness Act, which adds to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, closes loopholes and increases effectiveness.
Read the about the Wage Gap and the Paycheck Fairness Act
See How Your Representative Voted
Is a tightening wage gap a myth?
While the government attempts to narrow the wage gap between genders in passing legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act, a new study from Brown University economist Yona Rubinstein and Casey Mulligan of the University of Chicago suggest changes in the workforce result in the narrowing wage gap, not higher pay for women itself. The research explains, in the 1970s there was a demand for more skilled workers, and men were already employed. Women filled this demand thus increasing how much the average woman earned. Rubinstein said, "The growing equality between genders reflects the entry of the most
able women to the workforce rather than better pay. While there may be
more women holding high-power positions today, they are still being
paid as their counterparts were three decades ago."
Changes in work force, not pay, narrowing the gender wage gap
Economic pessimism among women
The National Women's Law Center released the results of a poll, which found women are more worried about their economic future than men and want governmental involvement as part of the solution. The press release states, "Regardless of age, income, and education, more than half of women (55%) feel that the government should do more to solve problems and help meet people's needs." Health care issues, pay equity, career opportunities, and education and child care issues were among the top concerns revealed by the poll. Women also want an improved health care system, elimination of the wage gap, a solution to high dropout rates, and affordable birth control, improved sex education, and protection for Roe v. Wade. See the NWLC's website for more details on the poll's findings.What Women Want
Get involved: encourage science debate '08
Here is a short video promoting the importance of scientific debate in the 2008 Elections. ScienceCheerleader.com has put together 14 questions they encourage each voting citizen to impose on those running for political office this year. With much of America's tax dollars funding scientific research and political decisions affecting public health, don't you want to know politicians' stance on scientific issues?
Science Debate: The Candidates like You've NEVER Seen Them.
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| International
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The world exceeds America in taking vacations
Not only is America the only industrialized nation without a mandated number of vacation days, but two-thirds of Americans don't even use all their vacation days. Vacation time is set at the employer's discretion, and on average Americans receive nine vacation days. Meanwhile, our compatriots in Australia, France and other European Union countries get 20-30 days. Irene Kontje, a manager at a Manhattan nonprofit who spent a year working in Europe said, "[The culture is saying to you] 'We want you to be happy. We want you to have time with your family.'" Americans have a conflict with vacation because we've been programmed to believe we only have value if we are performing, said Joe Robinson, a life coach and organizer of the Work to Live Campaign. Others say Americans work so much because they like it.
GIMME A BREAK!
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Science and Health
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Hope for new life after toxic treatment
For young women diagnosed with cancer, death may not be the only threat in their mind. The cancers most common in younger patients, including leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer, often require the most toxic regiments of chemotherapy. This affects the fertility of over half of the 125,000 people under the age of 45 diagnosed with cancer each year. But new research is providing hope and options for having children after winning a battle with cancer. Oncofertility focuses on preserving fertility through freezing of eggs, ovarian tissue, or embryos. The ovary can be removed and frozen before treatment. In once instance, a one inch strip of the preserved ovary was implanted within the cancer survivor and it stimulated the existing inactive ovary to ovulate, allowing the woman to conceive naturally.
Survive Cancer, Have Baby
Women up to par in communication
Be yourself: a new study found women already have the tools and skills to be good communicators in the workplace, contradicting previously held ideas that women should change their speech and behavior to advance in their careers. The study was conducted by Cecilia Ford from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and focused especially on women in underrepresented fields, including science and technology. Ford found it is a misconception that questioning is a sign of weakness. Women often use questions to gain the floor at meetings, by taking the opportunity to respond with a longer contribution when asked if their question was addressed adequately. Ford said women don't need to improve their ways of communicating, but the preconceptions and biased evaluations of women and other groups newer to the professional workplace need to be challenged.
Researcher Finds that Women are Speaking Up
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| Careers |
Attracting the female candidate
If you want to recruit women there are a few key things you must do to diversify your candidate pool, according to a new study presented to the American Sociological Association. The study found advertising in publications geared toward women in science resulted in larger female candidate pools. Men appeared to have a "information advantage" for available openings, so action to balance that helps draw more women.. Another key effort was including a female on the search committee. This did not affect the number of female applicants, but it did increase their chance of becoming a semi-finalist and ultimately being offered the position.
Keys to Hiring Women in Science
Tips for black academics striving for tenure
In The Black-American's Guide for Winning Tenure - Without Losing Your Soul, authors Kerry Ann Rockquemore and Tracey Laszloffy provide dos, don'ts, advice and support. One of the tips in the Q&A with Rockquemore includes being proactive rather than reactive in creating a professional network of support. She emphasizes the importance of knowing the institution's exact promotion and tenure process, as well as unwritten rules from department-specific norms to whether race can be explicitly discussed. Once the unwritten rules are understood, one can choose whether or not to obey them - realizing there are consequences for violating them. All faculty need to learn how to say "no" to protect research time, but it's especially important for black junior-faculty because of the disproportionately high number of service requests relating to diversity issues.
'The Black Academic's Guide to Winning Tenure - Without Losing Your Soul'
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Member News
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AWIS member named National Hispanic Scientist of the Year
The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has named Lydia Villa-Komaroff the 2008 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year. Villa-Komaroff is a molecular biologist and founding member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
(SACNAS).
Villa-Komaroff is being recognized for her commitment "to the recruitment and retention of minorities in science." She engages students of all ages and provides research opportunities for high school and undergraduate students.
Currently, she is the CEO of Cytonome, Inc. a company building the first optical cell sorter of human cells for therapeutics.
2008 Membership Recruitment Campaign
Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2008 Membership Recruitment Campaign. Although we didn't meet our goals, we did attract some new members from around the country and look forward to welcoming them to our community. Congratulations to the following winners!
First Prize
Cristine Teixeira -- Rutgers, NY ( her bio and photo will appear in a future Washington Wire)
2nd Prize
Helen McBride -- Woodland Hills, CA
Holly Soutter, New London, CT
Paola Lanza -- Del Mar, CA
3rd Prize
Leticia Cano -- Rockville, MD
Maria Cortes -- Cambridge, MA
Jennifer Hobin -- Washington, DC
Ewa Lis -- San Diego, CA
Donna Vogel -- Baltimore, MD
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| Chapter News and Events
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Palo Alto AWIS
Event: Sunset Hike - Stanford
When: Monday, August 25 6-8 PM
Where: Stanford Dish
Other: Come enjoy the great outdoors and a chance to get to
know fellow AWIS members. This one should be when the tarantulas are out!
Please RSVP to mentoring_awis@yahoo.com
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| Opportunities |
From Doctorate to Dean or Director: Sustaining Women through Critical Transition Points in Science, Engineering, and Medicine
The Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine (CWSEM) of the National Academies is hosting a workshop on sustaining women through critical transition points in science, engineering, and medicine. The workshop will take place at the Keck Center of the National Academies in Washington, DC on September 18 and 19, 2008. It will include panel discussions on crucial transition points in academic careers, proven strategies for helping women transition in industry, and how the changing nature of science, engineering, and medicine-specifically the growth in interdisciplinary fields-impacts career progression now and in the future.
In addition, the committee seeks to engage professional societies in its efforts by inviting them to submit short statements addressing critical transition points in their fields of expertise and reasons why their statements deserve particular attention at the workshop. Statements will be posted on the CWSEM website and reviewed by committee members. They will serve to inform the workshop's discussions and incorporate viewpoints from important stakeholders in these issues.
Statements should be no more than 1000 words (2 pages).
Deadline for submissions is August 29, 2008.
Please submit statements to cwsem@nas.edu.
For more information
2009 Graduate Research
Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Competition Applications Up Soon
The
National Science Foundation invites you to apply for the 2009 Graduate Research
Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) competition. This program offers up to 3 years of graduate
school support worth over $120,000 to each awardee - last year 913 awards were
granted. Benefits include a $30,000 annual stipend, a $10,500 annual cost
of education allowance, a one time $1,000 travel allowance, and access to
TeraGrid supercomputing facilities.
Please
note, the 2009 NSF GRFP application is expected to become available in August
2008, with deadlines likely to be early- to mid-November, depending on the field
of study. The application will be available at the following link:
https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/grfp/
Applicants
will be able to register when the application module goes live in August 2008.
For more information
AAAS Workshop: Bias Literacy
The American Association for Advancement in Science is hosting a day long workshop August 19, 2008 that will introduce and summarize basic concepts from social science research on discrimination. The workshop's topic, "Bias Literacy," is based on a paper that evidences discrimination, especially with reference to women in science and engineering. It will provide short overviews of: national organizations working to advance diversity in science and engineering education and the workforce; the legal and policy foundations for diversity activities; national and international indicators; and funding sources that support this work. Participants will receive a resource binder containing a guide to rich websites and selected information products.
Questions? Contact Sabira Mohamed, smohamed@aaas.org
Pasteur Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program
In collaboration with the Institut Pasteur, the Pasteur Foundation runs a program to bring U.S. post-doctoral researchers to work in Institut Pasteur laboratories in Paris thanks to the generosity of U.S. donors. Guided by the institute's administration which seeks to develop international scientific exchanges to ensure the vitality and quality of Institut Pasteur labs, this program is for American citizens and does not apply to candidates already in France.
The fellowships are $70,000 ($55,000 fellowship plus $15,000 bench fees to support the research) per year for a term of three years and are not renewable. Financing for the second and third years is contingent upon positive annual review by the host lab head.
Candidates are expected to commit to a three-year stay.
Deadline: September 5, 2008
For more information
Women in Technology Workshop
The second annual Women in Technology Workshop is
a half-day event created to foster awareness of and communication about
critical issues facing women in the technical fields. The workshop on September 23, 2008
at MIT features dynamic keynotes and interactive breakout sessions.
Join Technology Review's high-level audience in this unique setting to:
CONNECT with senior-level men and women in a variety of areas of technology EXPLORE current issues and common barriers facing women in these fields INSPIRE dialogue and raise awareness of the issues for women pursuing technical careers CELEBRATE female technologists and recognize their unique contributions Register now and save! For more information
Write Winning Agricultural Grants
The Northeast Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NERA) and the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (SAAESD), in conjunction with USDA-CSREES will host a 2-day Competitive Grants Workshop to focus on the USDA-NRI Competitive grants process, September 30 - October 1, 2008.
The first day of the workshop will focus on opportunities in the USDA Competitive Grants program, while the second day will focus writing winning grants. Drs. Michael Harrington and Thomas Fretz will conduct the Writing Winning Grants workshop (October 1), while National Program Leaders from CSREES will conduct the September 30 program.
Deadline August 1, 2008
For more information
Norwood Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in Statistical Science
Sponsored by the Department of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama- Birmingham, nominations are now open for the seventh annual Janet L. Norwood Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in Statistical Science. Each year, the recipient of the award is given the opportunity to deliver a lecture at UAB as well as receive a plaque and a $5,000 prize.
Candidates must have completed their terminal degree and have made significant contributions to the field of statistical sciences.
In order to nominate a candidate, send a full curriculum vita as well as a letter no longer than two pages in length describing the candidates contributions to the field. Self-nominations are welcome.
Deadline for Nominations August 30, 2008
Award Announcement September 4, 2008
Official Award Page
For more information contact:
David B. Allison, Ph.D.
Professor & Head Section on Statistical Genetics
Department of Biostatistics, RPHB 327
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1665 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35294-0022
Phone: (205) 975-9169
Fax: (205) 975-2541
Email: dallison@uab.edu
Designated Outcomes Award in Geriatric Gastroenterology
The objective of the "Designated Outcomes Award" is to promote research by young investigators in the area of outcomes as it relates to geriatric gastroenterology.
Eligible Applicants must possess an MD, PhD or equivalent and must hold faculty positions at accredited North American academic institutions by the time of the start date of the award (July 1). The award is intended for junior faculty; therefore, established investigators are not eligible. For MD applicants, no more than five years should elapse following the completion of your clinical training (GI fellowship or equivalent) and the start date of this award (July 1).
A letter of recommendation should be provided by the Division Chief or Department Chair and should outline support of the candidate and his/her research program. The investigator must submit a progress report and a financial report to the Foundation upon completion of project.
To download the award application and for more information about this and other AGA Foundation awards, please click here. The application deadline date for this award is September 5. If the deadline occurs on a weekend or holiday, the application packet must be received by midnight the following business day.
Please email the application packet to awards@fdhn.org.
Please direct questions about this award or the application submission process to the Research Awards Manager at 301-222-4012 or via email at awards@fdhn.org.
Harvard University Junior Fellowships
The Harvard University Junior Fellowships is an annual program to give men and women at an early stage of their scholarly careers an opportunity to pursue their studies in any department of the University, free from formal requirements, by providing 3-year fellowships to scholars of exceptional ability, originality, and resourcefulness.
Candidates must be at an early stage of their careers. Most fellows either have received the Ph.D. recently or are candidates for the Ph.D. and well along in the preparation of their dissertations.
Facilities of all branches of Harvard University are open, without charge, to Junior Fellows.
Nominations for Junior Fellowships are customarily made by the individual's faculty mentor. Junior Fellowships begin July 1, 2009.
Deadline: September 5, 2008
For more information
Further information is available by telephoning 617-495-2485
Completed Application Materials can be submitted to:
The Society of Fellows
Harvard University
78 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Elsevier Foundation New Scholars Program
The 2008 Elsevier Foundation New Scholars Program will give priority to the efforts of the academic and research community to address the fundamental challenge of balancing childcare and family responsibilities with the demanding academic careers in science, health, and technology. The program is focused on doctoral candidates and scholars in the first five years of their post-doctoral careers.
The Foundation provides one, two and three year grants to non-profit academic and research institutions, learned societies, professional associations, and governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Proposals are welcome for single-year grants in amounts between US $5,000 to US $50,000. Proposals will be accepted for multi-year programs (up to three years) for grant amounts of US $5,000 to US $50,000 per year. Grants are awarded for specific projects rather than operating support.
Deadline: September 15, 2008.
Announcement: December 2008
For more information
Proposals should be sent to:
The Elsevier Foundation
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010-1710, USA
telephone: 212-229-4970
facsimile: 212-633-3965
e-mail: foundation@elsevier.com
Funderburg Research Scholar Award in Gastric Biology Related to Cancer
The Funderburg Research Scholar Award 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 as precancerous lesions; genetics of gastric oncogenes in gastric epithelial malignancies; epidemiology of gastric cancer; etiology of malignancies; or clinical research in the diagnosis or treatment of gastric carcinoma.
The Scholar Award intends 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 www.gastro.org for membership information).
The deadline for receipt of applications without exception is September 20, 2008. An electronic copy of the application must be submitted by the deadline to awards@fdhn.org.
If the deadline falls on a weekend, applications must be received by midnight the following Monday. Letters of recommendation may be e-mailed by the signatories to awards@fdhn.org or mailed to the following address, postmarked by the deadline:
Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition
4930 Del Ray Avenue
Bethesda, MD
20814
Please email the application packet to awards@fdhn.org and direct questions about this award or the application submission process to the Research Awards Manager, by telephone at 301-222-4012 or email at awards@fdhn.org. For information about other AGA Foundation awards, please click here.
The National Medal of Science
Help celebrate the contributions of your colleagues by submitting a nomination for The National Medal of Science.
The National Medal of Science was established in 1959 as a Presidential
Award to be given to individuals "deserving of special recognition by
reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical,
biological, mathematical, or engineering sciences." In 1980 Congress
expanded this recognition to include the social and behavioral
sciences. The National Medal of Science is the highest honor the
President bestows on scientists. A Committee of 12 scientists and
engineers is appointed by the President to evaluate the nominees for
the Award. Since its establishment, the National Medal of Science has
been awarded to 441 distinguished scientists and engineers whose
careers spanned decades of research and development.
Deadline: December 5, 2008
For more information
To nominate someone
Alan T. Waterman Award for Young Researchers
The National Science Foundation is pleased to accept nominations for
the 2009 Alan T. Waterman Award. Each year, the Foundation bestows the
Waterman Award to recognize the talent, creativity and influence of a
singular young researcher. Established in 1975 in honor of the
Foundation's first Director, the Waterman Award is the Foundation's
highest honor for researchers under the age of 35.
Nominees are accepted from any field of science or engineering that
NSF supports. The award recipient will receive a medal and an
invitation to the formal awards ceremony in Washington, DC. In
addition, the recipient will receive a grant of $500,000 over a
three-year period for scientific research or advanced study in any
field of science or engineering supported by the National Science
Foundation, at any institution of the recipient's choice.
For detailed nomination information and criteria, please visit https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/honawards
Complete nomination packages, consisting of nominations and four
letters of reference, are due by December 5, 2008. The nominations and
letters must be received through the FastLane system. Please contact
the Program Manager for the Alan T. Waterman Award at waterman@nsf.gov or 703-292-8040 if you have any questions. You may also visit http://www.nsf.gov/od/waterman/waterman.jsp for more information.
Sun Microsystems Grant Supports Mentoring for Latinas in Computing
Of nearly 2 million employed computer and information scientists in the U.S. in 2003, Hispanic women represented just 18,000, or less than 1%, and Hispanic men outnumber Hispanic women in this field by more than three to one. Since mentoring has been identified as a critical strategy in the retention of students, particularly those underrepresented in these fields, a grass-roots group, Latinas in Computing, is working with MentorNet, The E-Mentoring Network for Diversity in Engineering and Science, to build more mentoring relationships between students and professionals in the fields of computing.
A recent grant from Sun Microsystems will help support a web portal for Latinas in Computing developed earlier this year. Sun joins MentorNet, Latinas in Computing, Texas Instruments, and the Association of Women in Science in helping to sponsor this project. The portal provides direct access for Latinas studying or employed in computing sciences and engineering to participate in mentoring and networking, including opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and early career faculty to engage in one-on-one mentoring relationships with professionals in their fields.
For more information
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Chapter Spotlight
Maria Aiello
LA/Ventura Chapter
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Maria Aiello
Maria recently started a new AWIS Chapter in the LA/Ventura County area. "I actually think the process of forming a new chapter has been helpful to my career. It has given me added confidence and increased my team building skills. Over the last month I've received two job offers." Read more about Maria |
What do women want?
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Share what you want in the National Women's Law Center 'What Do Women Want' survey.
The survey allows you to provide your take on the NWLC's recent poll, which found women were concerned about their economic future.
Participate in the survey
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| Featured Jobs |
Dean of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Read more
Radiation Effects Engineer
Raytheon
Huntsville, Alabama
Read more
Analytical Chemistry
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor
Keene State College
Keene, New Hampshire
Read more
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Support AWIS
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Help other women in science! Donate to AWIS for its programs and/or to the Educational Foundation for its fellowships.
Your tax-deductible donation to AWIS supports the wide-ranging advocacy
and career development activities of the National Office and the
Executive Board.
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Learn more
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A Network, A Resource, A Voice
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The Washington Wire is one of the many benefits of an AWIS membership. Our goal in this bi-monthly e-digest is to provide you with a snapshop of news you can use.
While our newest feature, the Chapter Member Spotlight, is our way of highlighting national issues important to you, we thought it would be nice to introduce you to our AWIS National Office interns. But if you've got a hot topic, let us know and the next spotlight could be on you. |
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