Washington Wire 
Edited by Trudy Jackson Bosilovic
July 2013 Issue I
Dear  ,
 
You may have noticed all the buzz recently on the AWIS blog and in the AWIS in Action! newsletter about Title IX issues. At AWIS, we are working hard to advocate for enforcement of your Title IX rights in the workplace (Title IX is applicable to more than just athletics)! These initiatives are part of our ongoing effort to promote better family-friendly policies and work-life satisfaction.

 

To help us better understand your needs, we are doing an informal poll on breastfeeding and pumping accommodations in the workplace. Make your voice heard on this important issue by taking our anonymous LinkedIn poll regarding breastfeeding facilities in the place where you work or do research. 

 

Best Regards,

 

Erinn C. Howard, PhD

AWIS Director of Communications and Marketing

 Careers
Contributed by Meghan Mott 

  

Tips for Being a Successful Negotiator
Negotiations can be challenging and risky, but being a good negotiator is key to advancing your career. Be promotion-focused by keeping your eyes on the prize. Remain motivated and confident as you make a strong opening bid that emphasizes beneficial outcomes for both parties. With the right mindset and practice, negotiation skills will come naturally.

Creating Your Online Brand
Social media can be a valuable tool for early-career scientists on the job market. Maintaining a presence on twitter, for example, increases your visibility and can help ignite interest in your research. Recruiters use Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Plus to find potential candidates with specific skills. Be careful about what you post- don't be phony or narcissistic.

5 Indications You Need a Career Change
When deciding if it's time to change careers, there are telltale signs that can help you make the right choice. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and how you feel about your day-to-day responsibilities. If you're unsatisfied with your job, it may be time for a change.

  Education

Contributed by Jacqueline Akech

 

The Gender Effect and Politics

A recent article in the Journal of Politics reported that boys who grow up with sisters are more likely to be Republican, implicating them as more likely to have strong conservative views. The study suggests that having an opportunity to observe the distribution of gender roles among siblings can promote gender bias, thus the "Gender Effect". This finding was found to be accurate for males in their teens and 20s.


Few Women on the Invited Speakers' List
The Journal of Evolutionary Biology found that very few women participate as invited speakers to showcase their work in major conferences compared to their male counterparts. So what is the underlying reason? Some women scientists cite the anxiety of achieving a proper work-life balance as a common reason for turning down invitations. 

Member Profile  
Member Level 
Expires
_____________________
 
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (Meso Foundation) will award grants of $100,000 each, for innovative mesothelioma research.  The application deadline is August 2, 2013. 

 

curemeso.org

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    Featured Jobs     

National Institutes of Health

 

Member Spotlight

 
 Athena Starlard-Davenport, PhD
 Athena is the winner of a free AWIS membership because she was our 7,000th LinkedIn  participant. She is a consultant at the Department of Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
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 Science and Technology

Contributed by Demetra Farley 

 

3-Parent Infants Almost a Possibility in UK
By year's end, the United Kingdom could instill regulations allowing parents to replace an unborn child's genetic material with that of a healthy donor. The technique, intended to prevent the birth of children with hereditary disease, has aroused ire in critics who believe it is unethical. Proponents, however, see the genetic strategy as a means to permanently eliminate the threat of heritable illness.


Designer babies   

 

Website Improves Scientific Communication 
The Global Health Network has initiated a new, and free, website intended to increase the spread of scientific research. With www.site-finder.org, researchers have gained the ability to connect with other scientists worldwide who work on similar projects.

  

New iPhone App to Predict Fertility

New iPhone app 'Clue' will help women track their menstrual cycles to determine times of peak fertility and times with the least likelihood of pregnancy.  Users are prompted to enter information about the dates and duration of their cycles, which the app then uses to predict fertility levels. "Quantified data about our fertility is a first step towards innovations that don't require you to take hormones," says creator, Ida Tin.  

 

Birth control goes digital

 Work-Life Satisfaction
 

Contributed by Catherine Moorwood

 

Moms At The Top in STEM 

If you need proof that women can hold positions of leadership while simultaneously raising kids, look no further than Working Mother magazine's list of the 'Most Powerful Moms in STEM'. These profiles include women in top-ranking corporate positions as well as academics conducting groundbreaking research.

 

Power parents

 

Paid Family Leave Could Reduce Workplace Prejudice

Research from Stanford has shown that family friendly laws, such as the paid family leave policy voted for by the Rhode Island legislature last week, reduce bias against people who take leave from the workplace. The study showed that leave-takers are perceived as less competent, but that the effect is reduced when their organization has a family friendly policy.  

 

Unbiased

  

How Apps Can Get Your Kids to Love Chores

New smartphone apps may help busy families get chores done as well as teach their children responsibility. The apps allow kids to earn points for doing chores, which can be redeemed for prizes, such as accessories for their avatars or TV time.

  

 Health 
 

Contributed by Lara Kallel

 

Gut Bacteria and Autism 

Children with autism are at an increased risk to suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) problems, and studies have indicated that managing the symptoms improves behavior. A new study published in PLoS One found differences in the bacterial composition of the gut between children with and without autism. Such differences may account for the GI and other immune issues in autistic individuals. However, researchers caution that the origin of the gut manifestations of the disease ultimately lies in the brain. 

 

 

Preventing Breast Cancer in High-Risk Women

New guidelines issued by the American Society of Clinical Oncology recommend preventive chemotherapeutic treatment for women at high risk for developing breast cancer, including those with the BRCA1/2 mutations and those with a family history of the disease who have not given birth. The guideline is intended to promote discussion between a woman and her doctor about alternative preventive measures for such women outside of surgical procedures.

 Events
 
JULY 15
AWIS New York Metro Chapter
 
JULY 18
AWIS Massachusetts Chapter
 
July 23
AWIS West Virginia Chapter
 
AUGUST 6
AWIS West Virginia Chapter
 
SEPTEMBER 17  
Networking Meeting
AWIS Philadelphia Chapter

  

OCTOBER 25
AWIS Cincinnati Chapter
 Opportunities 
 

Vision 2020 Accepting Delegate Applications

Vision 2020 is a national coalition of organizations and individuals united in the commitment to achieve women's economic and social equality. Vision 2020 is currently accepting nominations and applications for National Delegate positions. The Vision 2020 application process works on a rolling admission cycle, with the final deadline being July 31. 

  

Science and SciLife Lab Prize for Young Scientists

The journal Science and SciLifeLab have come together to recognize and celebrate excellence in Ph.D. research. The Science and SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists has been established to support young scientists at the start of their career. The grand prize winner of this major global award will have their paper published in the journal Science and receive $25,000. The prizes will be presented in Stockholm, Sweden in the middle of December 2013. 

 

German Chancellor Fellowship for Prospective Leaders

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is a non-profit foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany designed to promote international cooperation in research.  The German Chancellor Fellowship For Prospective Leaders gives up to 50 highly talented young professionals from Brazil, China, India, Russia and the USA the opportunity to spend a year in Germany and implement a project of their choice in cooperation with German hosts.

  

Fulbright Post-Doctoral Fellowship

The United States-Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF), the Fulbright commission for Israel, offers 8 fellowships to American post-doctoral researchers in support of work to be carried out at Israeli universities. This program is open to American post-doctoral researchers in all academic disciplines. 
 

Elsevier Awards for Early-Career Woman Scientists in the Developing World  Candidates must be female early-career scientists (within ten years of earning their PhD degree). At nomination, candidates must have lived and worked for at least three years in one of the countries listed in the nomination form

  

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.

  

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. 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.

  

AWIS Chapter Mini-Grants

AWIS Chapter Mini-Grants are available to support chapter initiatives focused on membership recruitment and retention. Applications following the guidelines are considered on a quarterly basis with the next due September 30, 2013.