Astronomy

Petition, Please Sign, Family Leave Policies for Astronomers

In the interest of fully supporting the intellectual efforts of astronomy graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, we* have created a petition to encourage the establishment of family leave policies by Astronomy Departments and Fellowship Committees. These policies will provide astronomers with the freedom necessary to excel in academic pursuits while raising a family.

Please indicate your support by signing the petition at:

http://faculty.wcas.northwestern.edu/aaron-geller/petition/index.php

Update: Since posting this message on Tuesday (Dec. 13), over 590 astronomers have signed. Thank you for this support. And thank you for forwarding the message to your departments and institutions. Let's particularly encourage faculty (currently 13% of signatures), staff scientists (currently 8% of signatures), and other mid/late career astronomers to sign.

We will then share the document with all Fellowship program officers and Department chairs and move on to the next phase of this effort.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email:

[email protected]

Thanks for your support.

*Emily Freeland, Aaron Geller, Nick Murphy, Laura Trouille

and the AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy

To add to the wiki of current departmental and postdoctoral fellowship family leave policies, please visit: http://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Leave+Policies

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Astronomy