AWIS
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ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE

Washington Wire

 

December 2011
Issue I
Greetings!
 
When you are seeking to connect with other women in STEM, where do you turn?
 
If you're like many, you look to AWIS. 
 
Why? 
 
Because you know you will meet talented, dedicated, accomplished professionals like yourself.   You will get timely, educational information to help you enhance your career.  And, you also know that you'll be treated with respect, and your voice will be amplified.
 
Your contributions have helped make AWIS the premiere organization for women across all science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) disciplines and employment sectors.  We are so grateful to you for supporting our organization. 
 
You may not think so but your gift of $35, $50, $100 or more can make all the difference...from helping lead the charge on implementation of workplace best practices to ensuring women in STEM get the recognition they deserve.
 
We have been your champion for 40 years!
 
Your gift is extremely important to us.  It provides resources that make an immediate impact - one that will help us through these exciting - and tough - times as the national spotlight focuses on the demand for a robust STEM workforce. Please consider making as generous a gift as you can. 
 
Your donation will make a world of difference.  I promise you.
 
Best regards,
 
Janet
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Janet Bandows Koster
AWIS Executive Director

 

In This Issue
Careers
Education
Health
Science and Technology
Work Life Satisfaction
Opportunities
Careers

 

New Science Salary Survey

The chasm between compensation for men and women scientists increases as each attains more education, according to the new Life Sciences Salary Survey by TheScientist. For scientists with both an MD and a PhD, the men surveyed made a median income of $156,000 versus a median of $68,000 salary for the women surveyed with the same educational background.

 

It's not what you know...

 

Women Leaders Need High Self Esteem
Success for female leaders is tied to self-confidence and the ability to adapt to stress, according to Leslie Pratch, a clinical psychologist who has studied gender differences in corporate leadership. Self-confidence is crucial for "active coping," Pratch writes.
 

Learn how to cope

Education

 

U.S. Female Students Are Ready for STEM

A recent study conducted by Bayer Corporation finds that a majority of American Women are prepared for STEM studies in college. The survey finds that major structural and teaching changes need to take place in order to keep more women and unrepresented minorities in STEM fields.

 

End the leaky pipeline

 

Doctorates in Decline

NSF published data last month showing that the number of research doctorates awarded by American universities in 2010 fell. Although a large part of this drop is due to many education doctorates being turned into pre-professional degrees, the number of science and engineering doctorates has fallen too.

 

Fewer PhDs

 

STEAM: Mixing STEM with the Arts

Educators and policy makers alike are examining ways to combine the study of arts with the STEM disciplines in order to drive student engagement and develop creative thinking. 

 

Returning to da Vinci

Health

 

7 Foods Scientists Won't Eat

Seven food scientists weigh in on foods that they avoid because of their potential impact on our health and the environment.  On the list: canned tomatoes, farmed salmon, microwave popcorn, and more.

 

Eat this, not that

 

Study of Orangutan Diet Aids Understanding of Human Anorexia

Evolutionary anthropologists studying the low-protein diet of endangered orangutans say the lessons learned about protein cycling may shed light on human eating disorders and obesity.  The orangutans only put on fat during periods of high caloric and protein intake conflicting with popular human diets that purport high protein, low carbohydrate diets are the best way to lose weight.

 

The skinny on protein diets

Science and Technology

 

Using Physics to Examine the Grinch

How strong is one grinch?  Well he can lift just a mere 32 times the world record in the Olympics, which comes about to 8,333 kg. You better not mess with a Grinch this holiday season.

 

Fah-who foraze, da-who doraze

 

Girls Ruling Science Fairs

At the 2011 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology the top prizes went to three high school students of which two are girls. The winning projects used nanotechnology to destroy cancer stem cells and turned Microsoft's Kinect gaming sensor into a design tool for prosthetic limbs.

 

Girls are our future

Work Life Satisfaction

 

Four Tips on Handling Rejection
Rejection can be a painful experience, but it's important to learn from it. "Everyone can find a nugget of useful intel in each rejection if they're willing to stop licking their wounds long enough to seek it out". Use rejection as an opportunity to evaluate whether you need to make more concessions to your target audience, and know when it's time to try a different approach. 

 

Rejected 

 

Generous Spirit, Happily Married
According to research from the University of Virginia National Marriage Project, women and men with high scores on the generosity scale were far more likely to report that they were "very happy" in their marriages.  The definition of generosity was less fixed on doing housework and providing child care and more focused on being affectionate.

   

Better to give and receive

Opportunities
 
The Pasteur Foundation internship program provides U.S. undergrads with the opportunity to conduct supervised summer research at the Institut Pasteur. Applicants must 1) be undergraduates with an excellent academic record and a strong interest in biosciences and biomedical research (prior lab experiences is highly recommended); 2) have completed three full years (six semesters) of college course work by the time the internship commences; and 3) not have received an undergraduate degree at the time of application. Knowledge of French or desire to learn it is advisable. The program is open to U.S. citizens only. The application deadline is
December 16, 2011.   

 

2012 AWIS Educational Awards
AWIS introduces the 2012 AWIS Educational Awards.  This beta test of the Educational Awards will support travel for professional development, broadly defined. Individuals may request funding to attend a conference, to acquire specialized training, or to pursue professional development in other ways that take them from home. We strongly encourage early-career scientists to apply; any woman who works in a STEM discipline and who has earned at least a bachelor's degree is eligible. Individuals may be graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, employed scientists and engineers, or those seeking employment or to return to school. The application form and supporting documents must be submitted online by December 31, 2011.  

 

Emergency Medicine/Pediatric Emergency Medicine K12 Research Program
The UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine is proud to announce the availability of a 2-3 year Emergency Medicine K12 Research Program beginning in July 2012.  The program combines training in clinical emergency medicine research with graduate level training at UC Davis.  We seek scholars who are dedicated to careers that will greatly focus on high-quality, high-impact clinical EM research. We are very interested in both Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician-scholars, and particularly those with a special interest in multicenter research.  Notification of scholar selection will begin on January 3, 2012. 

 

2012 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program
The goal of the Einstein Fellowship program is to provide an opportunity for teachers to inform national policy and improve communication between K-12 STEM education community and national leaders. If selected, Einstein fellows spend a school year in Washington, DC, sharing their expertise as a fellow in one of the several government agency offices, such as the DOE, NASA, NSF, NOAA, or in the office of a member of Congress. Selection is based on exemplary experience in K-12 STEM teaching; demonstrated leadership in the community; an understanding of national, state, and local education policy; and communication and interpersonal skills. The application deadline is January 5, 2012. 

 

Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering (ELATE at Drexel)
ELATE is a program for senior women faculty in engineering, computing, and related disciplines. Although women receive 20% of PhDs awarded in the U.S., they account for only 5% of full professors and 11% of engineering department heads. ELATE at Drexel is a part time, year-long fellowship program designed to develop the next generation of women engineering and technology leaders for our colleges and universities. Applications for the inaugural 2012-2013 class of ELATE are now open. Deadline is January 5, 2012.  

 

Summer Research Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions
Summer research experiences for faculty and student teams at U.S. Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence. Funding is available for Summer 2012 and provides 10 weeks of support. There are housing and travel stipends available for both faculty and students. Areas of research include: homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Faculty can apply for up to $50,000 in follow-on funding at end of summer. U.S. Citizenship is required. Faculty application deadline is January 8, 2012.  

 

Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM)
The Drexel University College of Medicine is accepting applications for the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program for Women.  ELAM is intended for senior women faculty at U.S. and Canadian academic health centers who have attained at least the rank of associate professor; have achieved significant administrative experience in personnel and budget matters, preferably both (e.g., as chair, division chief); express a clear desire for attaining a leadership position; embrace strategic risk-taking in their career path; realistically assess their leadership opportunities, both internal and external; possess growth opportunities, either formal or informal, within their institution; and have an expressed commitment from their institution to support their formal or informal advancement and opportunities for increased responsibility in the immediate to five-year range.  All application materials are due by January 12, 2012.  

 

Sharon Keillor Award for Women in Engineering Education
The award is to recognize and honor a woman engineering educator who has an outstanding record in teaching engineering students, and reasonable performance histories of research and service within an engineering school. It consists of an honorarium of $2,000 and an appropriately inscribed plaque which is presented annually at the ASEE Annual Conference. Nominees will hold an earned doctoral degree in an engineering discipline, or in an engineering related field of natural science, including mathematics, and will have at least five years of teaching experience in an engineering school. All nominations must be received by January 15, 2012.  

 

The Summer Cancer Research Fellowship/Internship
The program provides a unique opportunity for eligible current sophomore, junior or senior undergraduate students to engage in innovative integrative biology approaches to cancer research through the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP). Selected student participants are paired with a faculty-mentor from a participating ICBP Center based on the student's indicated research interests. The program begins June 4, 2012 and ends August 3, 2012. An applicant must live in the U.S. and be a U.S. citizen or hold a permanent resident visa to be eligible to apply. Priority will be given to students who have at least a 3.0 GPA computed over the last three semesters and who have successfully completed relevant course work in the areas of biological, chemical, physical, computational, mathematical or statistical sciences, or engineering. Students from under-represented minority groups and women are encouraged to apply. Application deadline is Tuesday, January 17, 2012. 

 

NIH Director's Early Independence Award Program
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award to provide a mechanism for exceptional, early career scientists to omit traditional post-doctoral training, and move into independent research positions at U.S. institutions directly upon completion of their graduate degrees (PhD, MD or equivalent).  The application deadline is January 30, 2012. 

NIST Summer Fellowships/ Internships

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is opening applications for summer Fellowships/Internships to undergraduates. Fellowships are available in all NIST laboratories: Physical Measurement Lab (PML); Material Measurement Lab/NIST Center for Neutron Research (MML/NCNR); Engineering Lab (EL); Information Technology Lab (ITL); and Center for Nanoscale Science & Technology (CNST). Applicants must be undergraduates at a U.S. university or college with a scientific major. Application deadline is February 15, 2012.

 

DOE 2012 Enrico Fermi Award

The Department of Energy invites nominations for the Enrico Fermi Award. This is a Presidential award and recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements that are particularly distinguished and demonstrate scientific, technical, management or policy leadership that are related to all basic and applied research, science and technology supported by the DOE and its programs. The Award consists of a citation signed by the President of the United States and the Secretary of Energy, a gold medal, and a $50,000 honorarium. A diverse pool of candidates is encouraged. Nominations for the 2012 Fermi Award must be submitted by March 15, 2012.  

 

DOE 2012 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Awards

The Department of Energy invites nominations for the 2012 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Awards. The Award is awarded to mid-career scientists and engineers in recognition of exceptional scientific, technical, and/or engineering achievements related to the broad missions of the U.S. DOE and its programs. The Award consists of a citation signed by the Secretary of Energy, a gold medal, and a $20,000 honorarium. An award is given in each of the following eight categories: Atomic, Molecular, and Chemical Sciences, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Computer, Information, and Knowledge Sciences, Condensed Matter and Materials Sciences, Energy Science and Innovation, Fusion and Plasma Sciences, High Energy and Nuclear Physics, and National Security and Nonproliferation. A diverse pool of candidates is encouraged. Nominations for 2012 Lawrence Awards must be submitted by March 15, 2012.   

Quick Links
AWIS Chapter Leader Spotlight

AWIS member Ximena Bernal 

Ximena E. Bernal

 

Dr. Ximena E. Bernal is the Treasurer of the AWIS West Texas chapter and Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Texas Tech University.

 

Read more about Ximena.

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