Washington Wire 
Edited by
Trudy L. Jackson Bosilovic, MS
February 2014 Issue I
Greetings!,
 

 

This month AWIS is thrilled to announce the release of its new book, "Equitable Solutions for Retaining a Robust STEM Workforce: Beyond Best Practices."  The book, co-authored by our very own Donna Joyce Dean, PhD, an expert on scientific and technical workforce issues and AWIS Past-President, and Janet Bandows Koster, Executive Director and CEO of AWIS, was developed to provide both academic and private sector STEM work environments with the tools they need to retain their workforce, especially women.

 

The book is the result of the largest global survey ever undertaken about work/life integration issues among scientists. Over 4,000 researchers in both academic and corporate settings responded to the survey. The findings were very interesting and could indicate some serious future implications for maintaining an innovative workforce.

 

The book is available for purchase now and AWIS members receive a 30% discount (email [email protected] to get the special promo code). Click here to order! As an added bonus, author Donna Dean will be presenting some of the case studies and survey findings from the book in an AWIS Webinar on April 2, 2014. Click here to register.

 

 

Best Regards, 

 

Julie Utano

Associate Executive Director

  Careers
Contributed by Sarah Ferrante

 

6 Most Undervalued Leadership Traits in Women

Both women and men can learn from these 6 undervalued qualities possessed by strong female leaders. Refining these fundamental traits will make you a better leader in the workplace.

Be a leader

 

A Fix to Improve Opportunities for Women in Science

Women gain about 50% of the science/engineering doctorate degrees in the US, but only 21% of full professors in the country are female. Find out how an easily implemented fix can help this "leaky pipeline" of gender imbalance in academia.

Pipeline repair

 

5 years and Little Change in Pay Inequality

Even after establishing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, little progress has been made in pay inequality. "Women make up about half our workforce...But they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns" stated President Obama on January 30th. This article encourages women to demand that companies pay women equal wages or risk losing our support and business.

Demand equality

 

How to Succeed and Stay in Science

Women currently lead countries, multibillion dollar corporations, and major in science like their male counterparts, so why do so few women pursue leadership positions in science? Learn how guidance, recognition, and image can keep women in science and allow them to obtain both gratification and excitement in research.

3 Ways to Stay

  Education

 

 

Contributed by Trudy L. Jackson Bosilovic, MS

 

Expanding Access to STEM in Iowa

Support from Legislature has allowed several Iowa schools greater access to STEM education and hands-on experience in actual businesses. The Governors' STEM Advisory Council is working to prepare and develop the next generation of workers while building education-business partnerships.

Midwest STEM

 

Coed vs. Single-Sex

Experts are racking their brains for solutions to improving the education system in the U.S. One such solution is going to a single-sex model. Proponents believe that this model will improve achievement and interest. Analysis by The American Psychological Association disagrees.

Go coed

 

Integrating STEM in K-12
The National Academy of Engineering National Research Council report on Integration in K-12 STEM Education examines efforts to integrate the STEM disciplines and to develop a research agenda that will help to improve such efforts.

Improving STEM

 Science & Technology

Contributed by Demetra Farley, PhD

 

Science News Rarely Reported in National News

In an article released earlier this month, The National Science Board reported that, over the past five years, only two percent of news stories covered by national media were related to science and technology. Though scientific breakthroughs receive minimal national attention, science and technology-related stories are still followed by almost 20% of the population.

Negligible science reporting

 

U.S. Slipping in Science and Technology

While China and Korea gain strength and standing in the fields of science, technology, and innovation, the United States is experiencing a gradual decline in the standings. As reported by the National Science Foundation, Western research and development efforts have declined by over 10 percent. During the same period, research output from Asian countries increased by the same percentage.

Science battle

 

Science Predicts Gold for Women Skiers

Women will compete for the first time in Olympic history in the sport of ski jumping at this year's Winter Olympics in Sochi. Yet, for all their hard effort, women seem almost predisposed to perform better at the sport than men.

Female aerodynamics

 Work-Life Satisfaction
 

Contributed by Catherine Moorwood, PhD

 

Too Much Drudgery, Not Enough Life?

Work-life balance means something different to everyone, but we all know when our equilibrium is off. This article suggests a new way of looking at the balance of our lives in four quadrants, based on how energizing our activities are, and how well they fit in with our priorities.

Life time

 

4 Work-Life Satisfaction Stories You Need To Read

These days, it seems like everyone is talking about women, work, leadership and life (and everyone has a different opinion). Here are four selected reads that you shouldn't miss out on, including views from Sheryl Sandberg and Barnard College President Debora Spar.

Recommended reading

 

The Mommy Track is a Myth

Women with children run the risk of being 'Mommy-tracked', given fewer opportunities at work because they are perceived as less dedicated. A new study looking at economists demonstrates the lack of evidence for this bias, finding that women and men with children were no less productive than their childless counterparts.

Prolific parents

Member Profile  
Member Level
Expires
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AWIS 2014 Winter Webinar Series
Mark Your Calendars!

12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST
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1:00 - 2:00 p.m. EST
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March 25, 2014
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST
 
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April 2, 2014
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. EST
  
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Featured Jobs
 
Frederick, MD

 

Intern Spotlight
Cleo van der Veen
AWIS Intern (January - March 2014)
 
  We're please to welcome Cleo van der Veen, our new AWIS Intern!

Cleo is a second year student at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH and a Horace Mann Fellow. Prior to AWIS, she worked with the Better World Campaign, in Washington DC and the Friends of Deer Creek in Nevada City, CA. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona she also writes and edits The Antioch Scallion, a campus publication.

 _____________________

 
New AWIS Book
Available Now!
 

 

Get your copy of Dr. Donna Dean and Janet Bandows Koster's new book,
"Equitable Solutions for Retaining a Robust STEM Workforce: Beyond Best Practices", available for purchase now!
 
Email us at [email protected] to get  your exclusive member discount code for 30% off the purchase.
 
_____________________

March is Women's History Month!
 

This year's theme is: Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment. So many women have created a lasting legacy in our nation's history, inspiring children and adults alike with stories of their extraordinary achievements.

 

AWIS wants to know who has influenced and inspired you! Send us a short paragraph about your female hero or role model and tell us how she has made a difference in your life. Your story may be shared in the next issue of the Washington Wire! Submit your story by email to [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. EST on February 29, 2014.

 

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 Health

 

 

Contributed by Natalia Sanchez, MS

 

Stroke Prevention in Women

Approximately 795,000 Americans suffer from a new or recurrent stroke every year, with 60% of stroke deaths occurring in women. For the first time,The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association have created guidelines for health care professionals for the prevention of stroke in women. The guidelines serve to accurately reflect the risk of stroke specific in women across the lifespan.

Stroke guidelines

 

Risk for Birth Complication

Vitamin D has been known to be important for bone health. However, a new study revealed that sufficient levels of vitamin D were associated with a 40% reduced risk of severe preeclampsia.

Up the D

 

Eat Too Much Over The Weekend?

A new study from Cornell University shows that excessive weekend eating is part of a normal cycle of weight loss and gain over the course of a week. This supports the idea that if healthy choices are made the majority of the time, it can counteract those indulgences and successful weight loss does not require deprivation or strict adherence to dieting.

Healthy weekend binging

 Editor's Choice 

 

 

The Editor's Choice is a new Washington Wire section and will be filled with reports and articles that the AWIS National Staff  and other AWIS members would like you to see. In this issue we have an additional article that we thought you might be interested in reading.
 
 Events
 
FEBRUARY 2014

  

FEBRUARY 15 

Work-Life Satisfaction: Developing Your own Personal Action Plan

AWIS Chicago Chapter

  

FEBRUARY 22

Lean In - Inspired Discussion Group
AWIS Bethesda Chapter

 

FEBRUARY 25

Strategies to Retain Mid-Career Female Scientists

AWIS Webinar

  



 

MARCH 2014


MARCH 5

Learning to Lead (Part Two): The Savvy of Successful Leaders

AWIS Webinar

 

MARCH 25

The Dual Career Challenge

AWIS Webinar

 

 

APRIL 2014

 

APRIL 2

The Case Studies Behind "Equitable Solutions"

 

APRIL 4

AWIS at NPA 2014 Annual Meeting

  


For more information on upcoming events for 2014, or to register for an event, visit the AWIS Events Calendar online! 

 Opportunities
 

PBS NewsHour Project

To All Those Interested in Basic Research: All too often basic research is misunderstood, yet it truly is the foundation for so many discoveries. The PBS NewsHour recently launched a new series on basic research that tries to capture the excitement of those discoveries that come from long hours in the lab. So far we have reported on the search for dark matter, and on what  microscopic worms can teach us about immunity. We want to know more about why students who are focusing on basic research have made that decision. What about it excites you? Frustrates you? Keeps you awake-or makes you want to stay awake-all night?   Whether it's an aspect of your research, your mice, your lab, your teammates, your professors, just tell us - and show us - why it matters to you. Here's how:

  • Show us in a six-second Vine and tag @NewsHour
  • Share with us in an Instagram video and tag @NewsHour, or send us a direct message with your video
  • Upload a short video to YouTube (no more than 1:00) and title it "Hew NewsHour, this is why I chose basic research" (or some other title we can search for in YouTube)

We believe your participation will help people understand the importance of basic research. We look forward to hearing from you. The deadline for this project is March 14, 2014. Questions? Email [email protected].

  

Call for Nominations for the 2014 Alma Dea Morani, MD Renaissance Woman Award

The Foundation for the History of Women in Medicine is pleased to accept nominations for our 2014 Alma Dea Morani, M.D. Renaissance Woman Award.  This Award will honor an outstanding woman physician or scientist in North America:  

  • Who has furthered the practice and understanding of medicine in our lifetime and made significant contributions outside of medicine; for example, in the humanities, arts or social sciences
  • Whose determination and spirit have carried her beyond traditional pathways in medicine and science
  • Who challenges the status quo with a passion for learning

The Alma Dea Morani Award is an unique sculpture representing humanism in medicine and will be presented in the fall of 2014 at a special presentation planned with the Awardee. A stipulation of receiving the award is that the recipient be available to give a twenty minute keynote at the award ceremony. For Award Guidelines and a Nomination packet, please click here

 

OAS offers scholarships for online course on gender equality

The OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Employment, the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) and the Educational Portal of the Americas are offering scholarships for the course: "Curso en L�nea sobre Enfoque de Derechos de Igualdad de G�nero en Pol�ticas, Programas y Proyectos". This is an online course and will be delivered in Spanish from April 14 to June 16, 2014. Scholarship recipients will be selected from applications submitted to the OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Employment through the National Liaison Office (ONE) in each Member State. For more information, send an email to [email protected] 

  

19th AWIS CJC Annual Scholarship Competition

Female high school seniors who reside in New Jersey (only), who are entering college, university, or any educational institution in the fall of 2014 and who are interested in studying any area of STEM- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The AWIS NJ Annual Scholarship Competition offers cash grants to 3 applicants each year. Awards may be used for any purpose at any college, university, or other education institution. The Application Package includes an original Essay/Scientist Profile that requires potential scholarship recipients to reach out and interview one of the many thousands of female scientists who have a connection to New Jersey (live here, work here, studied here, etc). Email questions to [email protected]

 

Graduate Internship opportunities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The Computational Data Analytics Research Group (CDAG) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has multiple openings for Graduate Interns in the field of Data Analytics Research. The Computing and Computational Science Directorate (CCSD) at ORNL oversees ORNL's store of computing power and its talented staff of computational scientists and mathematicians. CCSD has multiple Graduate Internship openings in the fields of: High-Performance File Systems and Storage; Communications Middleware; HPC Languages and Tools (programming languages, compilers, runtimes, and tools for high-performance computers); Large-Scale and Data-Intensive, Collaborative, Scientific Applications. https://www3.orau.gov/ORNL_TOppS/Posting/Details/515  

 

Mariam K. Chamberlain Dissertation Award 

The National Council for Research on Women has launched the Mariam K. Chamberlain Dissertation Award and announced the inaugural call for submissions. Established through a generous $100,000 matching grant from the Ford Foundation, the Award honors and extends the vision of the Council's first President, Dr. Mariam K. Chamberlain. The Award enables the Council to continue Mariam's support of high-level scholarship. Annually, a first-generation college graduate will be awarded $8,500 to continue work on a dissertation under the close supervision of a senior dissertation advisor, who will receive $1,500 for continued mentorship. The Award is open to any first-generation college graduate currently pursuing a PhD (must be ABD by August 2014) at an accredited university in the U.S. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on March 10, 2014. The awardee and mentor duo will be announced during the Council's annual conference in May 2014.


OSTP Summer 2014 Internship Program

The Office of Science and Technology Policy is currently accepting applications for its Summer 2014 Internship Program. The application deadline is 11:59 pm Friday, March 7, 2014. Students who are U.S. citizens and who will be actively enrolled during the 2014 academic year are welcome to apply. For questions, please contact Rebecca Grimm [email protected].

 

The National Inventors Hall of Fame Call for Nominations

The National Inventors Hall of Fame wants to increase the diversity of its candidate pool and the technologies represented, and we hope that you can assist us in that endeavor. The National Inventors Hall of Fame was established in 1973 to honor individuals who conceived, patented, and advanced great technological achievements that have benefited our society. The criteria for Induction require that candidates hold a U.S. patent and that they have contributed to the nation's welfare and the progress of science, the economy, and the useful arts. Contact Rini Paiva, Executive Director, National Inventors hall of Fame at [email protected].

  

BBRG Scholars-In-Residence Program

Each year, the BBRG hosts a new group of approximately ten competitively selected scholars from the U.S. and abroad for a period of one academic year. (from August 21, 2014 to May 15, 2015). The BBRG Scholars-in-Residence Program is open to senior and junior faculty (tenured and untenured), visiting scholars, postdoctoral scholars and independent scholars, from any country, whose work is centrally on gender and women. Applicants must have received their Ph.D. (or its equivalent) at least one year prior to the projected beginning of their residency at BBRG. (Applications due March 15, 2014)

  

 BBRG Affiliated Scholars Program

The BBRG Affiliated Visiting Scholars Program is designed to accommodate scholars who would like to spend a relatively short period of time in residence, ranging from one month to six months. The BBRG Affiliated Visiting Scholars Program is open to senior and junior faculty (tenured and untenured), visiting scholars, postdoctoral scholars and independent scholars, from the U.S. and abroad, whose work is centrally on women and gender. Applicants must have the Ph.D. (or its equivalent) in hand one year prior to the beginning of the appointment. (Applications accepted throughout the academic year)

 

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.