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Greetings!
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Best,
Janet
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Janet Bandows Koster
Executive Director |
| Education | |
Contributed by: Sarah Rhodes
AWIS Celebrates Science & Engineering
The USA Science and Engineering Festival took over the National Mall on October 23rdand 24th. AWIS staff and chapter volunteers from the DC metro area helped more than 1,000,000 visitors explore the fun in science. Dr. Kirstie Adams, a Baltimore Chapter volunteer said, "The most important thing for young people to remember about today is that being a scientist can mean a lot of things. There's a wide range of career options in science requiring a range of education experiences. I tell kids all the time that scientist work on all sorts of problems and explore a wide range of subjects. There are scientists who study nature, music, food, and cars. There are a ton of exciting careers in science and it doesn't always mean that you have to work in a lab or have a PhD."
USA Science and Engineering Festival |
| Careers | |
Contributed by: Beth Rose
Characteristics of Top Science-Based Employers
Ever wonder what makes the top science-based companies great to work for? Well, wonder no more! Science's Top Employer Survey has revealed that the top 10 companies to make their list excel in four main areas: respectful two-way communication, accountability, encouraging innovation, and transparency. Learn who made the list and how the top people at these companies are working to make the four abstract principles a reality for their employees.
Top employers
Twelve Percent of Biotech Startup Founders are Women
New research shows that 12% of biotech founders are female, compared to 8% of all startups and 1% of high-tech startups. Why are women better represented in biological science startups than other startup sectors? The debate rages, but it is highly likely that it has something to do with the fact that 50% of recent life sciences PhD graduates were given to women, compared to 20% in engineering and 27% in computer science. Furthermore, many women may benefit from biotech's less hierarchical, team-based structure and the lack of "old boys' club" dynamics. While 12% still represents only a small fraction of biotech startups, women-owned and women-run firms are a fast-growing sector.
Women and biotech startups
More Moms Make it to the Top of the Corporate Ladder
The long held idea that women must choose between climbing the corporate ladder and having a family is constantly being challenged and one needs to look no further than the 11 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies who are also moms to see it. While this number is still small, the chance of becoming both a CEO and a mom are greater now than ever before. Women who have made it to the top, cite making concessions, having a supportive spouse, and flexibility as some of the key features that helped them get where there are today. They also point out how sometimes their viewpoint as a mother has helped them improve things in their work place.
Corner office moms |
| Science and Health | |
Contributed by: Anahita Hamidi
Test to Predict Early Menopause
1 in 20 women will encounter menopause before reaching their 46th birthday. A recent UK study, published in Human Molecular Genetics, found that four genes working in combination appeared to significantly raise the risk for early menopause. Since the ability to conceive decreases significantly 10 years before that, this means that those who are destined to reach menopause early might unknowingly have a shorter fertility period. Scientist are now in the early stages of developing a test to indicate if a woman might be affected so that they are more aware of the status of their biological clock and are in a better position to plan accordingly.
Quiet the clock
FDA Declines Potential Diet Drug
To the dismay of Arena Pharmaceuticals and its marketing partner, Eisai, the FDA refused to give their approval last week on what would have been the first diet pill to hit the market since the 1999 approval of Xenical. According to the press release put out by Arena and Esai, the new drug, lorcaserin, was rejected by the FDA primarily because the side effects (the most concerning of which was the development of tumors) greatly outweighed the modest weight loss effects of the drug. Arena plans to meet with the FDA in November, but unless the company can address the issues raised, the likelihood of final approval is low.
Lorcaserin not approved
Developing Better Detection and Intervention Techniques for Ovarian Cancer
Every year, 190,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, by the time that many women are diagnosed, the cancer has already entered the late-stages of growth. In order to develop effective treatment strategies, it is important to understand how these cancers start in the first place and how they grow over time. Researchers have discovered that in early stages of growth, the tumor is less than 1 cm in diameter and therefore undetectable by conventional testing measures. Thus, in order to diagnosis tumors earlier and reduce the number of deaths by half, a new screening test capable of measuring at a precision of 0.5 cm needs to be developed.
Key to cancer detection
Effects of Ethnic Density on Mental Health
To feel the need to belong is a universally human quality. Recognizing this, public health researchers and epidemiologists in Britain wondered about the effects of how a factor like ethnic density (the number of people with similar ethnic backgrounds in a given area) may play a role in mediating or protecting against mental illnesses. Even after accounting for socioeconomic class, social support of the own-group and discrimination/racism, researchers found that higher ethnic density correlated strongly with reduced levels of mental illness.
Mental health |
| Work-Life Satisfaction | |
Contributed by: Shay Harris
Kraft CEO Calls Work-Life Balance a Misnomer
For many young professionals, the dilemma of how to manage the responsibilities of work and home is an ongoing challenge. Kraft Chief Executive Officer, Irene Rosenfeld calls out the term work-life "balance" as a misnomer and points out that in reality there is no scale and everything isn't going to be perfect. She advises "If there's an important event in your child's life or there is something that you need to do, do it. I think you can do it within the context of your business responsibilities."
Work-life choices
AWIS Work-Life TIP! To receive e-alerts about the AWIS work-life satisfaction program forward your contact information to simpson@awis.org. Specify your first and last name, city, state, zip code, and email address.
The Power of Red
A new study shows that being a man magnet may be as easy as wearing the color red! Scientists, writing for the European Journal of Social Psychology, found that when men were shown a picture of a "moderately attractive" woman in a red top they reacted more favorably than when she was wearing a blue top. In another experiment, when men were shown a picture of a woman and were told that they could meet her, they maneuvered themselves so that they were closer to where she would be when she was wearing red, compared to when the same woman was wearing green.
Laws of attraction |
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AWIS News and Events
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AWIS Chicago Chapter
Event: AWIS Chicago Fall Networking Kick-off
Date: Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Time: 6:30PM - 8:00PM
AWIS Massachusetts Chapter
Event: The AWIS Scientific Symposium
Date: Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Time: 6:30PM - 8:00PM
AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: Coffee Club - Working Moms
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Time: 7:45AM - 12:00PM
AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: Coffee Club - Early Career (AWIS Members only event*)
Date: Thursday, November 4, 2010
Time: 7:45AM - 12:00PM
AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: AWIS-SD Annual Open House
Date: Thursday, November 4, 2010
Time: 5:30PM - 8:30PM
AWIS Palo Alto Chapter
Event: Women's Leadership Seminar Series/Purposeful Risk-Taking
Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010
Time: 7:00PM - 9:00PM
Medical University of South Carolina
Event: Improving Work-Life Satisfaction for Women (and Men) in Science Sponsored by AWIS and the Elsevier Foundation*
Date: Thursday, November 15, 2010
Time: 11:00AM - 3:00PM
AWIS DC Metropolitan Chapter
Event: AWIS DC Metropolitan Chapter's 30th Anniversary
Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Time: 6:00PM - 9:00PM
AWIS Research Triangle Park Chapter
Event: Improving Work-Life Satisfaction for Women (and Men) in Science Sponsored by AWIS and the Elsevier Foundation*
Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Time: 2:30PM - 5:00PM
Appalachian State University
Event: Improving Work-Life Satisfaction for Women (and Men) in Science Sponsored by AWIS and the Elsevier Foundation*
Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Time: 5:00PM - 6:30PM
AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: Coffee Club - Contractor/Freelancer
Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM
AWIS East Bay Chapter
Event: Primer on Human Stem Cell Research
Date: Thursday, November 18, 2010
Time: 6:30PM - 8:30PM
AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: Alternative Career Panel Discussion
Date: Thursday, November 18, 2010
Time: 5:45PM - 7:45PM
AWIS San Diego Chapter
Event: Coffee Club - Mid Career (AWIS Members only event*)
Date: Thursday, November 18, 2010
Time: 7:45AM - 12:00PM
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Opportunities |
2011 National Science Board Public Service Award Deadline: November 3, 2010
The National Science Board (NSB) Public Service Award honors individuals who and groups that have made substantial contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering in the United States. These contributions may be in a wide variety of areas that have the potential of contributing to public understanding of and appreciation for science and engineering - including mass media, education and/or training programs, entertainment, etc. Recipients of the NSB Public Service Award include NUMB3RS, the CBS television drama series; Ira Flatow, Host and Executive Producer of NPR's "Science Friday"; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Bill Nye The Science Guy; and NOVA, the PBS television series.
View 2011 Nomination Flyer
To nominate, visit http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/public.jsp.
2011 Vannevar Bush Award
Deadline: November 3, 2010
The Vannevar Bush Award is awarded annually to truly exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology who have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the Nation through public service activities in science, technology, and public policy. Recent recipients include: Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine; Mildred Dresselhaus, Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Norman Augustine, former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Lockheed Martin Corporation.
View 2011 Nomination Flyer
To nominate, visit www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/bush.jsp.
2010 University Physics Competition
Deadline: November 7, 2010 at 5PM
The University Physics Competition is a new contest for undergraduate students, who will work in teams of three at their home colleges and universities, and spend the weekend of November 6/7 (48 hours) analyzing an applied scenario using the principles of physics, and writing a formal paper describing their work. At the start of the contest, each team will select one of two problems to work on during the weekend. Teams must perform a theoretical analysis of the scenario presented, and write a formal paper detailing their work. During the contest, teams may use books, journals, computers, the Internet, programs that they write, or any other nonliving resources, but they may not consult with any people outside of their team.
Ernest Orlando Lawrence Awards Deadline: January 15, 2011The Lawrence Awards honor U.S. scientists and engineers at mid-career for exceptional contributions in research and development supporting the Department of Energy and its mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. Eligibility requires that nominees be U.S. citizens in mid-career and show promise for continued exceptional achievements. This announcement includes two new award categories - "Computer, Information, and Knowledge Sciences" and "Energy Science and Innovation" - as well as new category titles and descriptions. The Lawrence Award's webpage (http://www.sc.doe.gov/lawrence) describes the nomination guidelines and process, and all nominations must be made via an electronic submission process at http://www.orau.gov/lawrence.
Research Funding Without the Post-Doc
Deadline: January 21, 2011
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will grant research funding to a select number of new PhD and MD graduates with secured research positions. The NIH Director Early Independence Award (EIA) program consists of approximately $60 million to be distributed over the next five years. The EIA does not require post-doctoral training, and academic institutions can actively recruit talented candidates into these positions. Each institution can apply for up to two awards. Click here for more information.
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
This program has a rolling admission.
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. Click here for more 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. 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. Click here for application materials and detailed information. |
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| AWIS VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT |
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| Thank you to all the volunteers who supported AWIS at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC. | |
More Photos |
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