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Greetings!
The AWIS National Board is pleased to announce the results of our most recent elections. I hope you will join us in congratulating and welcoming these newest board members:
- Ann Lee-Karlon, President-Elect
- Karen Cochran, Councilor
- Bahija Jallal, Councilor
- Kelly Mack, Councilor
The new board members will serve on the governing board starting in January 2013. Click here to learn more about the new members of the AWIS Governing Board.
Best regards,
Janet
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Janet Bandows Koster
AWIS Executive Director & CEO
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Careers
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Contributed by Meghan Mott
Tips for Boosting Productivity at WorkHarvard Business School Professor Robert Pozen, author of "Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours," provides some practical advice for improving work performance in any sector. The keys to working faster and smarter, he says, are identifying and ranking short and long-term priorities and setting deadlines while minimizing daily decisions. Routines can also be powerful tools that free up mental energy for increasing efficiency. Improving output
6 Steps to Championing Constructive Criticism
While constructive criticism is valuable, it can be challenging not to react defensively to the person providing feedback. Remind yourself that identifying areas of weakness are critical for improving your skills, productivity and relationships. Learn to calmly engage in a constructive dialogue by mastering the six-step process, and pave the way to professional success. Conquering critiques
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| Education | |
Contributed by Jacqueline Akech
Cultivating Community College Scientists
Community colleges are increasingly playing an essential role in training students during the early years of their STEM careers. Although such students would eventually transfer to four year colleges, a recent article examines how women and minorities can benefit from effective and affordable community college programs at the forefront of their training.
Affordable STEM education
10 Recommendations for U.S. Academic Leadership
The U.S. has some of the most competitive universities and colleges in the world. According to world university rankings, there are 76 U.S. universities in the top 200 and 47 in the top 100. A recent report commissioned by the Congress summarized 10 recommendations to maintain U.S leadership in education.
U.S. leads in higher education
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| Health | |
Contributed by Lara Kallal
How Effective is the Flu Vaccine?
With the recent scare of the swine flu pandemic and the current ease of obtaining flu vaccines, the expectation is that the vaccine will protect everyone from infection. However, researchers at the University of Minnesota and the Cochrane Collaboration have independently concluded that the vaccine provides only modest protection in healthy adults and little (if any) in elderly individuals. Additionally, current expectations of the efficacy of the vaccine are based on flawed research.
A sobering assessment
Link between Hormonal Changes and Asthma
Norwegian researchers investigating the effects of the menstrual cycle on respiratory symptoms found consistent changes in symptoms that corresponded to particular phases of the cycle. The patterns varied based on body mass index and smoking status. The results suggest a potential for individualized treatment regimens for women suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases.
Breathe easier
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| Science and Technology | |
Contributed by Demetra Farley
Balancing Budget Will Affect R&D Spending
The National Institutes of Health has not been granted a budget increase in years. Unfortunately, this federal spending freeze is not likely to "thaw" any time soon. As the approaching fiscal cliff looms, government officials face a daunting task: developing a balanced budget that can pass both chambers of Congress. Both sides agree that increased tax revenues are necessary but realize that decreases in discretionary spending are necessary. Such cuts could prolong the stymied research-funding budget.
Avoiding fiscal cliff stifles research
Science and Technology Fuse, Halt Epileptic Seizures
Stroke, an affliction that greatly affects women, often results in the development of recurring epileptic seizures. Until recently, a cause for the accompanying seizures, and thus ideas on how to treat them, remained unknown. Now, scientists from Stanford University have uncovered a role for the thalamus, the central region of the brain, in the development of epileptic seizures. The findings suggest that targeting the thalamus may help impede seizures in human stroke patients.
Light switch turns off seizures
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| Work Life Satisfaction | |
Contributed by Catherine Moorwood
Pay Satisfaction: It's Not About the Money
A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois finds that above a certain point, pay satisfaction is not linked with a dollar amount. Work-life conflict is one factor leading to lower contentment with salary. As an alternative to a pay raise, employers can increase pay satisfaction by offering flexible working arrangements tailored to the needs of their staff.
Less is more
7 Signs of Family Friendliness
Different employers can have very different interpretations of 'family friendly'. If you're searching for a supportive workplace, it's not just tangible benefits like on-site childcare and paid parental leave that matter. Take note of the people serving in executive roles and talk to employees to get a sense of the company's real values.
7 signs
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| AWIS News and Events | | AWIS West Texas Chapter
Event: "Career Mentoring Fair"
Date: November 15
Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Learn More
AWIS East Bay Chapter
Event: Trojan Horses of the Microbial World: How Bacteria Exploit Protozoa for Shelter and Transport
Date: November 15
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Register Now
AWIS and MRS Women in Materials Science & Engineering
Event: Achieving Success through Implementation of Effective Work-Life Satisfaction and Mentoring Strategies
Date: November 25
Time: 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Learn More
AWIS and SWE Joint Workshop
Event: Effective Communication Tips and Techniques
Date: November 27
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Register Now
AWIS Massachusetts Chapter
Event: Get Out of Town! Strategies to Facilitate Professional Travel for Women in STEM
Date: November 27
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Register Now
AWIS Philadelphia Chapter
Event: Small is the Next Big Thing
Date: November 27
Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Register Now
AWIS and New Jersey Institute of Technology
Event: Improving Work-Life Satisfaction Program
Date: November 28
Time: 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Learn More
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| Opportunities |
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) helps ti ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science and engineering in the United States and reinforces its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The NSF welcomes applications from all qualified students and strongly encourages under-represented populations, including women, under-represented racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities, to apply for this fellowship. The deadline for applications are designated by field of study and are as follows: Engineering, Computer and Information Sciences, and Materials Research applications are due November 13; Mathematical Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy applications are due November 14; Social Sciences, Psychology, and STEM Education and Learning applications are due November 16; and Life Sciences and Geosciences applications are due November 19.
The Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Program
The Schlumberger Foundation is accepting applications for the 2013-2014 Faculty for the Future Fellowships. New applications will be accepted from September 10 to November 16, 2012. This program awards fellowships to women from developing and emerging economies to pursue PhD or post-doctoral studies in the physical sciences, engineering and technology at leading universities abroad. The long-term goal of the program is to generate conditions that result in more women pursuing academic careers in scientific disciplines thus contributing to the socio-economic development of their home countries and regions.
Impact of Clean Cooking Solutions on Women Users and Their Families
The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is seeking qualified teams of researchers to fill key gaps in the existing evidence on the impact that clean cooking solutions have on women users and their families, as well as data that provides a better understanding of the impact women entrepreneurs working in the cookstove and fuel value chain have on adoption rates. Of particular interest are studies that are based in Alliance priority and potential priority countries/regions[1]. Confirmed priority countries include: Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh, Uganda and China. Potential countries/regions include: Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, and India. As much as $250,000 will be available for studies funded under RFA 12-5. The Alliance would like to be able to share results in at least one impact area in the next 6-9 months, and will prioritize applications that reflect this objective. Overall, studies should be completed within a 6 month to 18 month timeframe. The deadline for Letters of Intent (encouraged, but not mandatory) is October 26, 2012. The deadline for submission of proposals is November 19, 2012.
Elsevier's Postdoc Free Access Passport
The Postdoc Free Access Passport program provides unlimited access to books and journals on ScienceDirect for up to six months to young scholars who do not have a research position. The program's mission is to help postdocs stay abreast of new science and maintain their interest in advancing their field as the markets improve. The program provides an opportunity to invest in the future of science by keeping promising young scientists current who would otherwise be without access to content. Applications will be accepted until December 15, 2012.
Policy Fellowships with the Society for Research in Child Development
SRCD is seeking applications for upcoming Policy Fellowships for 2013-2014. There are two types of Fellowships: Congressional and Executive Branch. Both provide Fellows with exciting opportunities to come to Washington, DC and use their research skills in child development outside of the academic setting to inform public policy. Fellowships are full-time immersion experiences and run from September 1st through August 31st. The application deadline is December 15, 2012. Applicants must have a doctoral-level degree in any relevant discipline (e.g., Ph.D., M.D.), must demonstrate exceptional competence in an area of child development research, and must be a member of SRCD.
FASEB Stand Up for Science Competition
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) is sponsoring a competition for the most effective demonstration of how research funded by NIH, NSF, and other federal agencies improves the health, quality of life, or economy in local communities.Competitors will create exhibits, events, or web-based outreach that highlight the value of NIH, NSF, or other federally funded research. Documentation of events and outreach efforts should be maintained and can include photos, videos, specific twitter hashtags, webpages, and links to news articles. Submissions will be accepted from September 17, 2012 to December 1, 2012. Voting will open on December 3, 2012 and close December 31, 2012.
Travel Award Program for Early Career Investigators
Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology will offer a limited number of travel awards to early career investigators at the Assistant Professor or equivalent industry scientist level. At times researchers find that attending a Keystone Symposia meeting might substantially further a current research project or assist in problem solving around a particular experimental issue. These travel awards are specifically designed to address this situation. The emphasis is on URM scientists who are pursuing research careers. The application process is open for all meetings between now and February 28, 2013. However, the awards will be made upon review, on a first come basis.
Opportunity for Scientists to Collaborate with European Colleagues
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the European Commission (EC) signed an Implementing Arrangement to provide opportunities for NSF-funded early career scientists and engineers to pursue research collaborations with European colleagues supported through the European Research Council (ERC) awards. The ERC will identify researchers wishing to host NSF funded investigators, and NSF will solicit proposals from its CAREER awardees and Postdoctoral Research Fellows for these potential collaborative opportunities. This agreement will allow US scientists to be incorporated in the ERC-funded teams and will be supported as any other ERC team members. NSF will cover travel costs for the US scientists. NSF will release further details through an upcoming Dear Colleague Letter.
ADVANCE Program Solicitation
NSF ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers (ADVANCE) is accepting proposals for projects that develop systemic approaches to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic STEM careers, thereby contributing to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce.
Marie Curie Fellowship
Have you ever wanted to do research in Europe? Apply for a Marie Curie Fellowship. The goal of the Marie Curie Fellowship is to strengthen the human potential in research and technology by stimulating people to enter into the profession of research and attracting researchers from the entire world to Europe. This Fellowship addresses researchers at all stages of their careers, in the public and private sectors, from initial research training, specifically intended for young people, to lifelong learning and career development. Proposals are welcomed from all areas of scientific and technological research and the fellowship covers your salary plus your research expenses. To apply, you must have either a doctoral degree or at least 4 years' full-time equivalent research experience, after obtaining a degree permitting you to embark on a doctorate.
Small Business Postdoctoral Research Diversity Fellowship
The Small Business Postdoctoral Research Diversity Fellowship program aims to encourage creative and highly-trained recipients of doctoral degrees in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematical disciplines to engage in hands-on research projects in their areas of expertise at the kind of small innovative businesses that historically have fueled the nation's economic regime. This fellowship program offers small businesses the opportunity to attract top scientific and technological talent at a fraction of the usual cost, while recruiting postdoctoral fellows to work for at least a year outside an academic setting on cutting-edge research aimed at promoting scientific excellence and strengthening our nation's technological prowess. Each research fellow will receive a stipend of at least $75,000 plus health insurance benefits.
NSF's Career-Life Balance (CLB) Initiative
Scientists now have the opportunity to submit supplemental funding requests to support additional personnel (e.g., research technicians or equivalent). This will help sustain research when the Principal Investigator is on family leave. In FY 2012, up to 3 months of salary support may be requested (for a maximum of $12,000 in salary compensation) by CAREER awardees.
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| Member Profile | |
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| Featured Jobs | | Director
Basic Sciences Program, Division of AIDS, NIAID, NIH, HHS
Assistant Clerkship Director
Internal Medicine, Florida International University
Director
Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach, Washington State University
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AWIS Member Spotlight
|  | Diana Bilimoria, PhD
Dr. Diana Bilimoria, KeyBank Professor and Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, received the ACE Ohio Women's Network's 2012 Excellence in Higher Education Leadership Award on November 2.
Learn more about Diana |
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Help other women in science! Donate to AWIS for its programs and awards.
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