News from the Association for Women in Science

NAS Workshop on career transition points for women in STEM

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. AWIS President Phoebe Leboy will be one of the speakers. Pre-registration is requested.

Sustaining Women through Critical Transition Points in STEM

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.