Astronomy
This weekend, nearly 1000 undergraduate women in physics gathered in 6 locations around the country for meetings to encourage and support young women advancing in physics (we were told that 987 undergraduate women were attending). The AAS/CSWA was a co-sponsor, along with the APS CSWP, which provided superb organizational and logistic support to the conferences -- see the APS conference website. I attended the Northeast Conference at Cornell; CSWA member Michelle Montgomery was a faculty lead for the Southeast Conference at the University of Central Florida, and Meg Urry was a speaker at the Colorado School of Mines. They and others will agree that this was an inspiring event for everyone who attended.
To put the numbers in context: each year about 6300 physics bachelors degrees are awarded, about 1300 of which go to women. Most of the student attendees were sophomores through seniors. About 1/4 of all the women in the US who will earn bachelors degrees in the next three years attended the conferences! Congratulations to all of the organizers and to the national organizing committee for this impressive outcome.
In addition to having a common format, the conferences held a single plenary session with Margaret Murnane in Colorado; her talk and the Q&A from all sites were webcast. Dr. Murnane talked about her career path and how she had resolved the two-body problem; she gave great advice including the importance of persistence. The plenary session also showed attendees just how large the numbers were as the cameras switched from school to school during the Q&A session. There is strength in numbers!
This was my fifth NCUWP conference, and the best one yet. Students from small and large colleges, from Maryland to Montreal and from Ohio to New Hampshire shared their enthusiasm and energy with each other and with the handful of faculty in attendance. I was inspired by the student research presentations, by the realization of many students that their dreams of a career in physics are achievable following the examples set by many before them, and most of all by the one-on-one conversations with students. To any faculty member who has struggled with the difficulties of increasing the numbers of women in physics, I say go -- next year apply as a recruiter or panelist. It will be an inspiring, energizing way to begin your year.
- Report From 5th International Conference On Women In Physics
Last week I had the privilege of attending the Fifth International Conference on Women in Physics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, as part of the US delegation. The conferences have been held every three years starting in Paris...
- Large Survey Reveals Limitations For Women Scientists
I just read a 2012 Physics Today article about statistics on women scientists that was understandable and compelling. It was great to see their numbers and be able to interpret them myself. The PT article is called "Women in Physics: ...
- Women And Oil Can Mix
My wife attended a conference last week in Scotland where opportunities for women in technical fields of the oil and gas industry was one of the themes. The 2013 Offshore Europe Conference was held in Aberdeen and is a huge biennial event for the...
- Aaswomen For January 25, 2013
AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy Issue of January 25, 2013 eds. Caroline Simpson, Michele Montgomery, Daryl Haggard, and Nick Murphy This week's issues: 1. CSWA Special Session at the AAS: Family Leave Policies2. Reports from the...
- Conferences Celebrating And Advancing Women In Science
Last month my university and three others hosted simultaneous Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics. Approximately 150 students, nearly all undergraduate women, traveled to Boston for a weekend as warm inside the conference rooms as it was cold...
Astronomy
Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics
This weekend, nearly 1000 undergraduate women in physics gathered in 6 locations around the country for meetings to encourage and support young women advancing in physics (we were told that 987 undergraduate women were attending). The AAS/CSWA was a co-sponsor, along with the APS CSWP, which provided superb organizational and logistic support to the conferences -- see the APS conference website. I attended the Northeast Conference at Cornell; CSWA member Michelle Montgomery was a faculty lead for the Southeast Conference at the University of Central Florida, and Meg Urry was a speaker at the Colorado School of Mines. They and others will agree that this was an inspiring event for everyone who attended.
To put the numbers in context: each year about 6300 physics bachelors degrees are awarded, about 1300 of which go to women. Most of the student attendees were sophomores through seniors. About 1/4 of all the women in the US who will earn bachelors degrees in the next three years attended the conferences! Congratulations to all of the organizers and to the national organizing committee for this impressive outcome.
In addition to having a common format, the conferences held a single plenary session with Margaret Murnane in Colorado; her talk and the Q&A from all sites were webcast. Dr. Murnane talked about her career path and how she had resolved the two-body problem; she gave great advice including the importance of persistence. The plenary session also showed attendees just how large the numbers were as the cameras switched from school to school during the Q&A session. There is strength in numbers!
This was my fifth NCUWP conference, and the best one yet. Students from small and large colleges, from Maryland to Montreal and from Ohio to New Hampshire shared their enthusiasm and energy with each other and with the handful of faculty in attendance. I was inspired by the student research presentations, by the realization of many students that their dreams of a career in physics are achievable following the examples set by many before them, and most of all by the one-on-one conversations with students. To any faculty member who has struggled with the difficulties of increasing the numbers of women in physics, I say go -- next year apply as a recruiter or panelist. It will be an inspiring, energizing way to begin your year.
- Report From 5th International Conference On Women In Physics
Last week I had the privilege of attending the Fifth International Conference on Women in Physics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, as part of the US delegation. The conferences have been held every three years starting in Paris...
- Large Survey Reveals Limitations For Women Scientists
I just read a 2012 Physics Today article about statistics on women scientists that was understandable and compelling. It was great to see their numbers and be able to interpret them myself. The PT article is called "Women in Physics: ...
- Women And Oil Can Mix
My wife attended a conference last week in Scotland where opportunities for women in technical fields of the oil and gas industry was one of the themes. The 2013 Offshore Europe Conference was held in Aberdeen and is a huge biennial event for the...
- Aaswomen For January 25, 2013
AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy Issue of January 25, 2013 eds. Caroline Simpson, Michele Montgomery, Daryl Haggard, and Nick Murphy This week's issues: 1. CSWA Special Session at the AAS: Family Leave Policies2. Reports from the...
- Conferences Celebrating And Advancing Women In Science
Last month my university and three others hosted simultaneous Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics. Approximately 150 students, nearly all undergraduate women, traveled to Boston for a weekend as warm inside the conference rooms as it was cold...