New Study Finds Culture Drives Gender Gap in Spatial Abilities

Former Harvard President, Lawrence Summers, suggested that innate abilities might be the reason that women are underrepresented in science and math careers.  According to new research by study author Moshe Hoffman, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego's Rady School of Management, that doesn't hold true.  Hoffman found that women in cultures where men are in charge score lower than their male counterparts on a test that measures the ability to rotate objects in the mind's eye. But in communities where women are at the forefront, the gender gap disappears.

It takes a village

Get A Life - Unplug from Technology

Setting rules on how and when to respond to e-mails, texts and instant messages is important to keep life in balance. Also, informing your co-workers of the hours you will be plugged in is important to create boundaries and keep your personal life separate. 

24/7 

Fellowship Opportunities in Technology Transfer - Negotiator

The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Technology Transfer Center (TTC) has fellowship opportunities available to qualified candidates in one of the fastest growing fields, technology transfer. These fellowship opportunities let you combine your science background with a new career in the technology transfer field. Candidates must possess an advanced degree in the sciences and/or a law degree with a background in the sciences. Applications are accepted year round. 

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tropical Infectious Diseases

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund / American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tropical Infectious Diseases provides funding for selected individuals to conduct research in tropical infectious diseases (and, on occasion, other clinical conditions unique to tropical medicine).   The fellowship is designed to stimulate or sustain interest in research in tropical infectious diseases by individuals who are planning academic or other career paths ultimately focused on clinical research relevant to tropical or developing areas of the world.  Application deadline is September 7, 2011.

NSF One-Day Workshop on the Proposal and Merit Review Process
The National Science Foundation and Indiana University of Pennsylvania will be holding a one-day workshop on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. This workshop is primarily designed for researchers and educators less experienced in proposing to the NSF; however, more experienced proposers and NSF grantees may well find the workshop useful and informative. The workshop will take place at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex from 7:30AM to 4:30PM.

Funding Opportunity Announcement, Faculty Development Grant

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is accepting applications for opportunity number HR-FN-0711-NED02 for Fiscal Year 2012.  The Faculty Development Program grants specifically target probationary, tenure-track faculty during the first 6 years of their career and new faculty hires in the following academic areas:  Nuclear Engineering, Health Physics, Radiochemistry and related disciplines.  You must submit applications in response to this FOA for Federal assistance electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov).  The deadline for submissions is September 22, 2011.

SELAM Award for Excellence for Promotion of Women in Academic Health Professions
The Society for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine is seeking nominations of women executive leaders in academic medicine, healthcare and the sciences.  This award is given to the person who best demonstrates excellence in his/her commitment to the advancement and promotion of women in academic health professions.  The deadline for submissions is September 23, 2011. 

International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the journal Science invite you to participate in this year's Challenge. The competition recognizes scientists, engineers, visualization specialists and artists who produce innovative work in visual communication. Winning entries will be published in Science and Science Online, and will be displayed on the NSF website.
Entry deadline is September 30, 2011.

2012 Margaret L. Kripke Legend Award For Advancement and Promotion of Women in Cancer Medicine and Cancer Science

The Office of Women Faculty Programs at MD Anderson Cancer Center is requesting nominations for the fourth annual Margaret L. Kripke Legend Award, which recognizes an individual - female or male -  who has made significant contributions to the advancement and promotion of women in cancer medicine and cancer science. The deadline for nominations is October 3, 2011.

Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Mathematics Scholarship
The Microsoft Research Graduate Women's Scholarship is a one-year scholarship program for outstanding women graduate students and is designed to help increase the number of women pursuing a PhD. This program supports women in the second year of their graduate studies. Women who are interested in this scholarship must apply during first year of graduate studies.  The scholarship recipient award includes US$15,000 for the 2012-2013 academic year.  The deadline for submissions is October 6, 2011.

Funding Opportunities 2012 NIH Directors Award Programs

NIH welcomes proposals for 2012 NIH Director's Pioneer Awards and New Innovator Awards for innovative approaches to major challenges in biomedical or behavioral research.  

The Pioneer Awards cover up to $2.5 million in direct costs over 5 years and open to scientists at any career stage.  See the instructions in the Funding Opportunity Announcement RFA-RM-11-004.  Send questions to pioneer@nih.gov.  The deadline for submitting Pioneer Award applications is October 7, 2011. 

The New Innovator Awards cover up to $1.5 million in direct costs over 5 years and are for early career stage investigators (ESI), defined as those who have not received an NIH R01 or similar grant and are within 10 years of completing their terminal research degree or medical residency.  See the instructions in the Funding Opportunity Announcement RFA-RM-11-005  for more information. Send questions to newinnovator@nih.gov.  The deadline for submitting New Innovator Award applications is October 14, 2011.

Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM
AAAS and NSF present a conference aimed at college and university undergraduate and graduate students who participate in programs funded by the NSF HRD Unit, including underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities.  The conference will be held February 23-25 2012 in Atlanta, GA.  The deadline for poster and oral abstract submissions is October 21, 2011.

  
Fellowship for Women Scholar-Practitioners from Developing Nations

The School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, NM, USA is offering a Campbell six-month residential fellowship for a female postdoctoral social scientist from a developing nation whose work addresses women's economic and social empowerment in that nation.  Application deadline is November 1, 2011.

Faculty for the Future Program
The Schlumberger Foundation is awarding fellowships to women from developing economies as part of the Faculty for the Future program. The fellowships fund PhD or post-doctoral studies in the physical sciences and related disciplines at top universities abroad.  Ultimately grant recipients are expected to contribute to the socio-economic development of their home countries and regions by strengthening the faculties in their home universities, pursuing relevant research, or using their specific expertise to address policy issues.   The deadline for applying for 2012-2013 is November 30, 2011.

  Dr. Sarah Rhodes is a volunteer editor of the Washington Wire, a research fellow at NIH, and a member of the AWIS Bethesda, Maryland chapter.

Photo courtesy of Scott's of Cambridge Photography