AWIS
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ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE
Washington Wire
November 2009
Issue II
Greetings! 

AWIS has so much to be thankful for this year. We're thankful for all of you who support women in science. Without your support AWIS could not do all of the work that has been done for nearly forty years. We thank you for your participation and for volunteering to assist us in achieving our mission.  Your time and financial commitment allow us to continue to champion the interests of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

But we have so much more to do!  We have recently launched our year-end fundraising campaign and need your continued financial support to assist us in fulfilling our mission.  Your year-end, tax-free donation will help us continue to advocate on your behalf and to be a voice for future generations.  Thank you for all that you do for AWIS and for women in science!

Warm wishes,

National AWIS Team


In This Issue
Education
Government
International
Careers
Science and Health
Lifestyle
Chapter News & Events
Opportunities
Education
Contributed by: Erin Rogers
 
Obama's "Educate to Innovate" Campaign Launched
On November 23rd President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to improving US student achievement in science and math by kicking off his "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Bringing together national leaders from private companies, universities, foundations, non-profits, and professional organizations representing scientists and engineers, the "Educate to Innovate" campaign has already raised more than $260 million in funding. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, was in attendance for the campaign kick-off and received special recognition in the President's speech.

Read President Obama's remarks and the White House release statement here


She Figures 2009: Slow Progress in Reducing the Gender Imbalance in Europe's STEM Fields
Since 2002 the European Union (EU) has tracked the proportion and seniority of women in public and private jobs, and education. The EU released its third report of these data, called She Figures 2009. Findings in the report include the fact that women account for only 30% of researchers in the EU, but the proportion of women in science and engineering is growing faster than that of men (6.2% annually compared with 3.7% for men). In education, between 2002 and 2006, there was an increase in the proportion of female researchers in almost all fields of science, but the proportion of women in academic positions decreases as position seniority increases. Only 13% of higher education institutions and only 9% of universities are headed by women.

She figures 2009
Government
Contributed by: Jennifer K. Wind

Bioethics Commission Chair Named
In an effort to establish a new, non-politicized bioethics advisory panel, President Obama names Amy Gutmann, the president of UPenn, as chair and James W. Wagner, the president of Emory, as vice chair of his Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

Bioethics commission


ARRA to the Rescue
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provided approximately $21 billion dollars to the scientific community.  To learn more about what is being done with the money, check out ScienceWorksForUs.

Learn more about how ARRA is helping science
International
International 'Leapfrogging'
In 1970 the US enjoyed hosting 29 percent of the world's college student population. Today, even though enrollment has increased the US now only houses 12 percent of the world's college student population. China has exploded the scene going from less than 100,000 students in 1970 to over twenty-three million students in 2006.

Ribbit ribbit
Careers
Contributed by: Sarah Rhodes

Best States for Women's Salaries
Forbes released a list of the top-earning states for women based on data released in July 2009 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  They ranked women's median weekly earnings and found that the difference between the highest and lowest earning states was a whopping $356 a week!  At the top was DC, Maryland, Connecticut and Massachusetts (in that order), with women in DC earning 92% as much as their male colleagues. However, across the country as a whole, women earn only 80% of men's salaries indicating that women's salaries still have a way to go before they catch up with men's.

Top earning states for women


Expanding Opportunities for Women
Shelia Widnall, the first woman faculty chair at MIT won this year's Arthur M Bueche Award for expanding opportunities for women and minorities in engineering.  In this interview with Nature, Wildnall talks about her career from winning a high-school science fair to being the first woman president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and about the challenges that face women in science and engineering.

Shelia Widnall


Is Affirmative Action a Good Policy?
In an interview, James Sterba, a professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame discusses affirmative action - the policy of favoring qualified women, minority, or economically disadvantaged candidates over qualified men, nonminority or economically advantaged candidates.  He defends its continued use for outreach, remedying discrimination, and achieving diversity.

Affirmative action for the future

Science and Health
Contributed by: Christiana Fogg 

The Story's in the Spit
Human saliva has long been known to be important for its role in food digestion, but now it may be a source of vital diagnostic information for aging women.  A new paper published in the Journal of Proteome Research describes a new diagnostic approach that identifies certain proteins in female saliva that change dramatically with age. John Yates and colleagues at The Scripps Research Institute analyzed proteins in saliva from healthy women aged 20 to 30 years or 55 to 65 years, and they found over 200 proteins that were significantly elevated in the older age group.  Many of these proteins related to autoimmune diseases, include lupus and Sj�gren's syndrome.  The baseline information gathered in this study is critical to the future development of saliva diagnostics, especially for the identification of early indicators of autoimmune disease.

Saliva, a new crystal ball
Lifestyle
Contributed by: Lindsay De Biase

Extending Gratitude Year Round    
On Thanksgiving, before stuffing themselves silly on turkey and potatoes, most Americans spend some time acknowledging things in their lives for which they are grateful. While this leads to poignant, warm and fuzzy moments, accumulating evidence indicates that gratitude can have a powerful impact on one's life when it is practiced daily as opposed to once a year.  Research indicates that individuals who keep a "gratitude journal" have improved sleep, lower blood pressure, and experience less envy and resentment, presumably because their general outlook on life has been influenced by focusing on gratitude. On the other hand, experts point out that anxiety and depression are also strongly influenced by an individual's genetic make up and current life circumstances, so there are limits to the benefits of shifting one's perspective. Nonetheless, it certainly can't hurt to endeavor to extend the generosity, camaraderie, and grateful perspective that Thanksgiving generates.

The power of giving thanks

AWIS News and Events
AWIS Greater Baltimore Chapter
Event: Networking Event
Date:   December 3, 2009
Time:   5:30 PM-8:00 PM
RSVP:  Online


AWIS LA/Ventura County Chapter
Event: Holiday Potluck
Date:   December 4, 2009
Time:  7:00 PM-9:00 PM


AWIS Autumn Webinar Series: Part 3
Event:    Skills that will help you ace the INTERVIEW
Date:      December 7, 2009
Time:      2:00 PM-3:00 PM
Register: Online


AWIS Palo Alto Chapter
Event: Winter Networking Social
Date:   December 7, 2009
Time:   7:00 PM-9:00 PM


AWIS East Bay Chapter
Event:  December Networking Social
Date:   December 8, 2009
Time:   6:30 PM-8:00 PM


AWIS DC Metropolitan Chapter
Event: Networking Dinner
Date:   December 9, 2009
Time:   6:30 PM-8:30 PM


AWIS Massachusetts Chapter
Event: Holiday Celebration!
Date:   December 9, 2009
Time:   6:30 PM-9:30 PM


AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event:  Holiday Party
Date:   December 9, 2009
Time:   6:15 PM-9:30 PM

Opportunities

Hellman Fellowship in Science and Technology Call for Applications
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in an area of science or engineering and have some experience or a demonstrated interest in an area related to science and technology policy. Masters degrees may be considered in the fields of engineering and computer science. Strong writing and organizational skills are desired. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or current employees of an academic or professional organization in the United States. For more information see http://www.amacad.org/hellman.aspx. Deadline is January 15, 2010.


BeWISE Call for Presentations
Event:      Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet
Date:       Thursday, March 11 - Friday, March 12, 2010
Location:  United States Environmental Protection Agency  
               Region 5 Office
               77 West Jackson Blvd., 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60604
More Info: http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/wise/


The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program 
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.
Quick Links
 
AWIS VOLUNTEER  SPOTLIGHT

Christina Fuentes

Christina Fuentes
A dedicated AWIS member, Christina Fuentes has been editing the Washington Wire but will be stepping down in her position as volunteer editor to focus on her many other AWIS commitments. Christina has been a wonderful editor and joy to work with.

Read past Washington Wires Christina has edited.

NEW MENTORING RESOURCE
 
Mentoring Handbook 
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?
Research Assistant Professorship
University of Illinois at Chicago

Assistant Professor
Dartmouth College

Cropping Systems Agronomist
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
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