| Greetings!
Did you know that AWIS members can post their resume on our new website for FREE?
If you haven't checked out our budding on-line Career Center lately, take a look. It's got the newest jobs around the country (posted in the last 30 days) and some good tips on getting ready for your next move. Enjoy! Janet
AWIS Executive Director
______________
|
| Education |
STEM Graduate Student Ranks Growing Steadily
The overall number of students enrolled in graduate science and engineering programs increased from 486,287 in 2006 to 502,375 in 2007 according to a new (June 2009) InfoBrief from the National Science Foundation, Science Resource Statistics Division. This year was also marked by a change in the classification system with several new fields reclassified into new categories including the additional of Neuroscience, formerly a health field.
NSF graduate student data
CEO Says Perseverance is Key in Facing Classroom Challenges
Wendy Kopp is the founder and chief executive of Teach for America, an organization of teachers who commit to spending two years in urban and rural public schools. In this interview with The New York Times, Kopp says she focuses on hiring the right people for her team, looks for experience and values that mirror what the group is trying to do and sets goals that are ambitious but realistic.
|
| Government |
| Contributed by: Emily Schmidt
AWIS Joins Coalition Urging Senate Appropriations Committee to Increase Funding for NSF's Education and Human Resources Directorate
The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) is only slated to recieve a 1.5 percent increase as compated to an overall increase to the NSF budget of 8.5 percent and a 10.6 percent increase for NSF's Research and Related Activities account in the administration's 2010 budget. EHR supports gender and diversity programs including ADVANCE.
President Honors Outstanding Early Career Scientists
On July 9th, President Obama awarded 100 young researchers the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The nine Federal Agencies nominated the researchers based upon their prestigious work and contribution to the agencies' scientific interests. All award winners must demonstrate a pursuit of innovative research and a dedication to community service, and are given a five-year research grant to further their studies and the work that directly supports government needs. The list of awardees is diverse and includes men and women from public and private universities, as well as those from national laboratories and research centers or institutes.
Honored scientists
|
| International |
Contributed by: Lindsay De Biase
Science News in Arab Countries
Media coverage of scientific research in Arab countries has expanded greatly in recent years. The Al-Ahram daily newspaper in Egypt boasts 20 full time scientific journalists while the Washington Post has only 8. Yet, many research institutions in Arab countries do not have media communications personnel, and accuracy of scientific reporting in the mass media is sometimes lacking. Such inaccuracies likely played a role in the drastic responses that the Egyptian government took to combat to the H1N1 "swine flu" threat, including mandating the slaughter of all pigs in the country.
Arab scientific journalism |
| Careers |
Scientists Are from Venus, the Public from Mars
Americans love scientists but scientists don't think the masses and the media have a clue. A new survey from the Pew Research Center, conducted in partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), shows that a large majority of scientists (85%) consider the public's lack of scientific knowledge to be a major problem. A similar percentage of scientists (83%) characterize television news coverage of science as "only fair" or "poor," with newspaper coverage receiving the same low ratings by a smaller majority of scientists (63%). Also, 21% of scientists identified public communication or education as a significant scientific failure of the past 20 years.
|
| Science and Health |
Contributed by: Christiana Fogg
Obesity at Home
The growing epidemic of childhood obesity has motivated research to understand its causes. New findings published in the International Journal of Obesity have shown for the first time that daughters of clinically obese mothers are more likely to confront childhood weight problems. A similar trend was observed between sons of obese fathers. This trend did not hold true between mothers and sons or between fathers and daughters. These results indicate that behavioral factors may be a key contributor to childhood obesity.
Obesity in the family
Ovarian Cancer Outcome Factors
A new epidemiological study from the Centers for Disease Control has identified two factors that affect survival in women with ovarian cancer. Researchers followed over 400 women, aged 20 to 54, for more than 25 years following their ovarian cancer diagnoses. They observed that women who were younger than 12 years old at the time of their first period, or menarche, were more likely to die from ovarian cancer than women who were 14 years or older at menarche. Women with the highest frequency of menstrual cycles were at the greatest risk for mortality following ovarian cancer, especially compared to women with fewer ovarian cycles due to pregnancy, breastfeeding or oral contraception. These results suggest a link between long term hormonal effects in women following ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer in the long term
|
| Lifestyle |
Contributed by: Lindsay De Biase
Still Struggling to Unlock the Secrets of Human Appetite
When ancient humans faced chronic food scarcity, those individuals that consumed the most when sustenance was available had better chances of survival. However, this very same trait is a serious detriment when food is always plentiful, as ballooning rates of obesity and diabetes in modern society demonstrate. The mechanisms regulating human appetite have proven exceedingly difficult to unravel. Recently, appetite science has been moving in several new directions. Carrie Haskell-Luevano at the University of Florida is investigating mutations in MC-4 and MC-3, receptors for appetite controlling hormones. Ronald Evans at the Salk Institute is trying to understand energy use and metabolism at the level of individual cells. Jeffrey Flier at Harvard studies neurons in the hypothalamus that produce proteins that respond to leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissue that should suppress appetite. Michael Crowley at the Oregon National Primate Research Center has used advances in brain imaging to show that brain activity in obese individuals presented with food is similar to that of addicts exposed to their substance of preference.
Hungry for more info?
For Better or Worse, Blogging, Twittering, and Social Networks Expand the Boundaries of Scientific Conferences
As laptops, PDAs, digital cameras, and wireless internet access become ubiquitous at scientific conferences, the debate about scientific privacy takes on new twists. In this article, Geoff Brumfiel discusses concerns and possible benefits associated with blogging and twittering about data being presented at conferences. These technologies have created discord between official media journalists who must seek special permission to report on any conference content and the conference participants who may or may not seek permission before "reporting" on what they see. Concerns have been raised that presentation of unpublished data will diminish if scientists fear that what they present will be posted on the internet even as they are presenting it. Yet, by the same token, such open sharing of scientific data allows those who weren't at the conference to participate and could deter researchers attempting to scoop one another because the origin of research ideas is clearly documented.
"Follow" the blog/twitter debate
|
| AWIS News and Events |
AWIS East Bay Chapter
Event: How to Land Your Next Job
Professional Development Through Volunteering
Date: July 23, 2009
Time: 6:30-8:30 PM
Location: Novartis
4560 Horton Street
Building X, Room 310
Emeryville, CA
More Information: www.ebawis.org
RSVP: http://summernetworkmixer.eventbrite.com
AWIS Connecticut Chapter
Event: Summer Networking Event
Date: July 28, 2009
Time: 6:30PM
Location: Typhoon Thai Restaurant
344 Main St.
Middletown, CT
Registration: http://awisct.ning.com
$20 per person includes dinner, non-alcoholic drinks and networking with other scientists
AWIS Massachusetts Chapter
Event: Family & Friends Event!
Date: August 2, 2009
Time: 11:00AM-3:00PM
Location: Joanne Kamen's Home
21 Wessex Rd.
Newton, MA 02459
Bring your spouse, your kids, your partner and/or your pals to our annual Mass AWIS family fun event! We'll provide snacks, but please bring your own lunch.
Please register in advance through the link below. Registration will be $5 per group.
http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=186459
AWIS Philadelphia Chapter
Event: What Works Workshop
Date: November 14, 2009
Time: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Location: University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
More information: regionalmeeting@awisphl.org
|
| |
|
Opportunities |
AWIS Group Coaching
AWIS offers deeply discounted coaching as an exclusive membership
benefit. Considering the economy, you might benefit from private career
coaching. But individual coaching fees may be off-limits if you are
watching your budget. A more workable alternative is GROUP Career
Coaching, just for women scientists in the Philadelphia, southern New
Jersey, southeast Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley region.
GROUP coaching is for a small group of 3 to 8 participants, meeting every two weeks by phone for a one hour conference call.
The
Career Coaching GROUP will focus on career challenges, those you face
as you are look for a new job/career and those you encounter as you
advance along your chosen career path.
Benefits of Career GROUP Coaching:
· Take advantage of group wisdom from those who live/work where you do
· Rapid sharing of best practices for mutual benefit
· Change more quickly since members hold each other accountable
· Integrate professional coaching from Susan Morris, AWIS Career Coach Career GROUP Coaching facilitator
The
group will meet for two months (4 sessions). A two-month commitment is
required. The group may elect to continue meeting after the initial
two-month period.
Learn more about this coaching group and how it could benefit you on 2 special call-in days:
Friday, July 31, 9 AM - 5 PM Eastern
Tuesday, August 4, 9 AM - 5 PM Eastern
There's
no need to register for these calls. Coach Susan Morris will be on hand
all day to take your individual questions. Just call (215) 880-1913
between 9 AM and 5 PM Eastern on the days listed above. Can't call on
those days? Send Susan an email at smorris@morrisconsulting.biz.
AAAS now seeking nominations for the 2009 AAAS Mentor Awards
All
nominations are due by Friday, July 31st, 2009. The two categories of
the AAAS Mentor Awards, the Lifetime Mentor Award and the Mentor Award,
both honor individuals who during their careers demonstrate
extraordinary leadership to increase the participation of
underrepresented groups in the science and engineering PhD workforce.
These groups include: women of all racial or ethnic groups; African
American, Native American, and Hispanic men; and people with
disabilities.
For more information on these awards please visit the website. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jessica Kunkler at jkunkler@aaas.org or by phone at (202) 326-6671.
NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE AAAS SCIENTIFIC FREEDOM AND
RESPONSIBILITY AWARD
THE DEADLINE FOR THIS IMPORTANT AWARD IS SEPTEMBER 1, 2009. For more information call or email Deborah Runkle at 202.326.6794 or drunkle@aaas.org
The award is given to scientists or engineers or their associations whose exemplary actions have served to foster scientific freedom and responsibility. Such achievements can include: acting to protect the public's health, safety or welfare; focusing public attention on important potential impacts of science and technology on society by their responsible participation in public policy debates; or establishing important new precedents in carrying out the social responsibilities or in defending the professional freedom of scientists and engineers.
The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
The Tyler Prize Executive Committee would like to extend an invitation to you to submit a nomination for the 2010 Tyler Prize. The requirements for nominations can be found on our website at: http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/tylerprize/nominate.html
The deadline for this year's nomination process is September 15, 2009. The recipients of the 2010 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement will be announced in April 2010.
In the meantime, if you would like to receive nomination materials, have any questions or suggest a potential candidate, please contact the Tyler Prize office at (213) 740-9760 or tylerprz@usc.edu.
AUTM Foundation Announces the 2009-10 Graduate Student Literature Review Prize Competition
A cash award will be given by the AUTM Foundation for top graduate student literature reviews of scholarly literature on some aspect of academic technology transfer and commercialization. Resources will also be available for winners to present their work at a special AUTM annual conference session.
Details can be found at this AUTM weblink: http://www.autm.net/litrevprize.
Initial application and review abstracts due September 15. For additional information, please contact the Chair of the Review Committee, Dr. Joshua Powers (jopowers@indstate.edu; 812-237-2900).
Sofja Kovalevskaja Award
The Sofja Kovalevskaja Award is open to highly acclaimed scholars and scientists from all countries and disciplines. Applicants must have completed a doctoral degree with distinction within the past six years and have published in prestigious international journals or academic presses. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation particularly welcomes applications from qualified, female junior researchers.
The application deadline for 2010 awards is October 15, 2009. The Foundation
plans to grant up to eight awards in the upcoming year.
Application forms and detailed information are available on the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation webpage
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. This 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. This program has a rolling admission.
Go to: http://www.asee.org/resources/nrl/ for detailed program information.
The Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP) NREIP is a ten week summer research opportunity for undergraduate Juniors & Seniors, and Graduate students, under the guidance of a mentor, at a participating Navy Laboratory. The stipend amounts for the program are $5,500 for undergraduate students and $6,500 for graduate students. U.S. citizenship required; Permanent residents accepted at certain labs.
Go to: http://www.asee.org/nreip for application deadlines and detailed program information.
Humboldt Research Fellowship
Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers are for postdoctoral scientists and scholars who have completed a doctoral degree within four years prior to the application submission date are eligible. This fellowship allows for a stay of 6-24 months in Germany and provides a monthly stipend of 2,250 EUR. Click here for application materials and detailed information.
Fellowships for Experienced Researchers are for scientists and scholars who have completed a doctoral degree within twelve years prior to the application submission date are eligible.
This fellowship allows for a stay of 6-18 months in Germany which may be divided into a maximum of three visits of at least three months each and provides a monthly stipend of 2,450 EUR. Click here for application materials and detailed information.
| |
|
|
|
AWIS MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Deborah Stine, PhD
|
Deborah Stine has been named executive director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). She has been a specialist in S&T policy with the Congressional Research Service for the past two years, following 18 years in various positions at the National Academies. PCAST's first meeting in the Obama administration is scheduled for August.
|
|
| NEW MENTORING RESOURCE |
 ALL NEW!
Getting the Most out of Your Mentoring Relationships: A Handbook for Women in STEM
-
Provides a quick yet structured guide to mentoring
-
Includes a handy resource guide for quick reference
-
Is the most comprehensive handbook catered to women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
|
Who's Hiring?
|
Marine Fisheries Specialist
University of California, Davis
Research Associate
The Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator Sciences and Education (CLASSE)
Founding Director
The Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI)
| |
Support AWIS
|
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.
|
Learn more
|
|
|
