AWIS
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ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE
Washington Wire
Edited by: Christiana Fogg
December 2009
Issue II
Greetings! 

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Happy New Year!


Susanne
____________
Susanne Neuer, PhD
Membership Committee Chair

In This Issue
Education
Government
International
Careers
Science and Health
Lifestyle
Chapter News & Events
Opportunities
Education
Contributed by: Erin Rogers
 
MIT Chemistry Professor Makes an Impact by Infusing Biology and Medicine into Intro Chemistry
Recognizing that many undergraduate students expressed little interest in their required chemistry classes, Professor Catherine Drennan at MIT decided to introduce examples of biological and medical topics that demonstrate chemistry principles into her introductory chemistry lectures to highlight the connection between the fields of biology and medicine, that students often love, and chemistry. This approach was so popular among students and faculty that Dr. Drennan and colleagues conducted a study to systematically assess the effectiveness of the biology examples at improving the students' class experience. They evaluated end-of-the-year surveys completed by students taking introductory chemistry classes taught by Dr. Drennan and a second teacher (Dr. Elizabeth Taylor) across three different years, starting in 2006 when the class contained no biology examples and ending in 2008 when the entire course included biology examples. Survey results showed that from 2006 to 2008 there were statistically significant increases in student satisfaction with the course, reports that the course inspired interest in chemistry, and the total number of students who said the course used good examples.

Infused examples here

Government
Contributed by: Jennifer K. Wind

A Look Back at Science in 2009
This year has been huge for scientific fields.  We have seen everything from changes in stem cell research and climate change policy to the H1N1 crisis.  New issues, policies, and discoveries have surely made 2009 a year to be remembered in the scientific community.

Science snapshot 2009

International
Contributed by: Christiana Fogg

Women Taking the Helm
Economists are forecasting that women are likely to become the primary breadwinners in the future given trends in higher education and employment from the last several decades. In Canada and the U.S., women are gradually filling more positions as executives and managers in large companies, although similar changes are occurring more slowly in Asia and Europe.  A report from the World Economic Forum also highlights that rapid economic growth is dependent on the contribution of women, especially in countries where women typically do not work outside the home.  All of these trends suggest a marked change in the future of global socioeconomic policies if women do indeed become the primary breadwinners.

Women as economic engines

Careers
Contributed by: Erin Rogers

Gender and Leadership in Higher Education
The Cornell Higher Learning Research Institute released a working paper early in December describing a study that examined how the gender composition of leaders of American colleges and universities influences the rate at which academic institutions diversify the gender of their faculty. The leadership positions studied for this research included trustees, presidents, chancellors, and provosts or academic vice presidents.

The researchers found that leadership gender composition at American colleges and universities was significantly associated with the rate at which these institutions have diversified the gender of their faculty from 1984 to 2007. Academic institutions with female presidents, chancellors, provosts or academic vice presidents and those with a greater share of female trustees, increase their share of female faculty more quickly compared to institutions with few women in these leadership roles. Researchers also found that the magnitude of this effect seems to be larger at smaller institutions and that there may be a "critical share" of female trustees (25%) or a critical number of female trustees (5) that must be reached before the gender composition of the board of trustees influences the rate of diversification of the faculty across gender lines.

Read the full paper and findings


New Book Highlighting Challenges Facing Academe
Cary Nelson, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and sitting president of the American Association of University Professors, has published a book addressing challenges facing higher education institutions and their faculty members. The book, No University is an Island: Saving Academic Freedom, explores such challenges as the growing trend of hiring adjunct professors instead filling existing or new tenure-track positions, as well as the failure of strikes to improve working conditions for graduate students.  Moreover, Nelson discusses how the AAUP can help solve these problems. This book is a must-read for university administrators, faculty members and those interested in pursuing a career in academe.

Academic freedom or bust

Science and Health
Contributed by: Anna Durrans

Working Nine to Five, Plus Overtime
As many of us are making our New Years' Resolutions it's likely that somewhere on that list will be to improve our work-life balance.  This may be more important than we think, as a recent study in Sweden has shown that interference of work in family life is associated with long-term sickness.  Published in The European Journal of Public Health, the study surveyed over 2800 gainfully employed people, aged between 25-50.  Work-family interference (measured by long-term sickness absence from the workplace) was more often reported by women, and occurred under different conditions depending on gender.  For women, long-term sickness absence tended to occur in individuals who bore the main responsibility for housework and family.  In contrast, the men who were affected were those with higher socioeconomic status.  This difference between results for men and women also implies that gendered work and family life is still prevalent.  The paper concludes that extensive family responsibilities of women hamper their ability to achieve a balance between work and family life.  

Take a break!


Walking Your Way to Better Heart Health

Good news for those of us who enjoy a walk after a meal; even a slow walk can significantly reduce potentially dangerous increases in blood glucose.  A Norwegian group reports this month in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism that even 15 minutes of slow walking can make a difference.  They had fourteen healthy women over the age of 50 eat a bowl of Cornflakes and then either do office work, or walk slowly for 15 or 40 minutes.  Blood glucose levels were measured before, during, and after the exercise.  Walking after the meal lowered the blood glucose level and delayed the peak value, compared with remaining sedentary.  Since postprandial blood glucose elevation is a risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, this study gives scientific evidence for the health benefits of post-meal walking.  Another thing to add to our list of New Years' Resolutions!

Leave the dishes for later


Mass Media Portrayal of Heart Disease in Women

Heart disease has often been considered to be a more common threat to men than to women, which has lead to a skewed reporting of the disease by the mass media.  A recent review in Maturitas suggests that not only does the media play a part in pubic health care, but that dangerous consequences can occur when the public is ill-informed.  More women than men in the UK die from circulatory system diseases, and 37% of female deaths in the USA are due to coronary heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases.   However, women often do not seek immediate help when facing the symptoms of a heart attack because the symptoms are misunderstood, and women are more likely than men to die within a year of having a heart attack.  Research into cardiovascular disease has tended to focus on men, and this has lead to a gendered portrayal of the disease in the mass media.  The review concludes that there is a need for continued research into the causes and treatments of heart disease in women, and for increased media advocacy by organizations involved in women's heart disease such as the Red Dress Campaign.           

Get informed
Lifestyle
Contributed by: Christiana Fogg

Having Fun as Time Flies
Many people are struck by how fast "time flies" during the holidays or enjoyable vacations.  New psychological research out of the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis suggests that if people felt that time has passed quickly then they assume that they had fun as well. This study is novel in its approach of skewing a person's perception of time and looking at the effect on enjoyment, and may lead to a better understanding of how time perception and pleasure are intertwined.

A new perception of time

AWIS News and Events
AWIS Massachusetts Chapter
Event: AWIS Resume Workshop!
Date:   January 11, 2009
Time:   6:30 PM-9:00 PM


AWIS Baltimore, Bethesda and DC Metropolitan Chapters
Event:New Year's Networking Party
Date:  January 21, 2009
Time:  6:30 PM-8:30 PM


AWIS Palo Alto Chapter
Event:Skills, Strategies & Super Powers for the 21st Century Woman
Date: January 21, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM-9:00 PM



AWIS National Webinar
Event: Getting The Most Out of The AWIS website!
Dates: January 25, 2009 at 12:00 PM
          January 26, 2009 at 4:00 PM


AWIS East Bay Chapter
Event: January Chapter Meeting
Date:  January 28, 2009
Time:  6:30 PM-8:30 PM



AWIS Bethesda Chapter
Event:Stranger in a Strange Land: Musings from a Neurologist Living Among Psychiatrists
Date:  February 17, 2009
Time:  4:30 PM-6:00 PM


AWIS Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter
Event: Work-Life Satisfaction Program
Date:   February 17, 2009
Time:   6:00 PM-8:30 PM


AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: Work Life Satisfaction Program
Date:   February 18, 2009
Time:  6:00 PM-8:00 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.


The International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis (IIASA)
Summer Felloship in Austria
Each summer, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), located in Schloss Laxenburg near Vienna, Austria, hosts a selected group of graduate students, primarily doctoral, from around the world in its Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP). These students work closely with IIASA's senior scientists on projects within the Institute's 3 theme areas. For more information see IIASA. Application deadline is January 18, 2010.


The Mathematical Association of America
Women and Mathematics Grants
The MAA plans to award grants for projects designed to encourage college and university women or high school and middle school girls to study mathematics. The Tensor Foundation, working through the MAA, is soliciting college, university and secondary mathematics faculty (in conjunction with college or university faculty) and their departments and institutions to submit proposals. Proposal deadline is February 12, 2010. For more information please visit the MAA website.


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 PRESIDENT SPOTLIGHT

Phoebe

Phoebe S. Leboy, PhD
Dr. Phoebe Leboy will be stepping down as President of AWIS at the end of her term on January 1, 2010.  All of us at AWIS would like to applaud her dedication to the association and thank her for her untold personal contibutions.  Dr. Leboy will continue to serve on the AWIS National Board for one more year as Immediate Past President.  

Read more about Dr. Phoebe Leboy.

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?
Water Biologist
Bowdoin College

Research Assistant-Aquaculture
The University of Maine

Chief Executive Officer
The Washington STEM Center
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