I have to apologize to all my loyal readers for not posting in so long.
We're back, starting Monday.
Stay tuned!
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
14-Year-Old Scientist Makes a Groundbreaking Discovery
From YahooNews: 14-Year-Old Scientist Makes a Groundbreaking Discovery
She also has a planet named after her because of all of her research achievements. Minor Planet 27410, discovered by the Linear Project of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, was named Grimmett in 2011 and is recognized by the International Astronomical Union.
And if that wasn’t enough, Maria Elena made history at the 56th annual Palm Beach County Science and Engineering Fair in December when all judges awarded her perfect scores—the first time that’s happened in the competition’s history.
Maria Elena specifically focuses on water, the contaminants in it, and how they can be removed. Currently, her focus is on the drug, sulfamethazine, and the ways that “Hypercrosslinked Adsorbent MN250” can remove it from groundwater.
“I really got hooked on science because the scientific method is a series of logical steps that can identify and solve difficult problems and help the world,” she told TakePart.
She first got into science in third grade, thanks to an inspiring teacher who was supportive of science projects. Maria Elena entered the school’s science fair for the next several years until it was discontinued due to a lack of staff and resources. But that didn’t stop her.
“There was only one science teacher in the entire middle school, and she didn’t think she could help all of us fairly, so that’s why it had to stop,” Maria Elena said. “I decided to continue on my own, leading me to the path I am on today.”
She was interested in the environment and water purification specifically because she had seen something curious happen at her house.
I live next to a golf course and I always saw them spray pesticides on the lawn.
“I live next to a golf course and I always saw them spray pesticides on the lawn,” she said. “I wondered if these contaminants could possibly get in the water table because naturally Florida has a shallow water table.”
The answer, she discovered, was yes. Maria Elena wanted to know more, but challenges occurred.
She needed a super-sensitive test for pharmaceutical contaminants at parts-per-billion concentrations. She tried to get into local research labs. But she was denied entry because of federal labor laws that stated she couldn’t enter a lab until she was 16. She didn’t give up.
Maria Elena attended water and other scientific conventions and eventually met a scientist from the Scripps Research Institute, who told her about ELISA tests that use antibodies and color change to identify a substance. That breakthrough allowed her to test pharmaceuticals and successfully finish her seventh-grade project. As one experiment builds on the other, Maria Elena’s constant research paid off.
In eighth grade, she discovered something that was an unpublished result: MN250, a Purolite hypercrosslinked adsorbent, has a high adsorption capacity for sulfamethazine and minimal desorption in distilled water. That means it could be a promising adsorbent for sulfamethazine removal from contaminated groundwater.
Her father, Dr. Michael Grimmett, an ophthalmologist, said that when Maria Elena first announced her scientific experiment plans in 2009, the family was split.
“My wife was very concerned that this extracurricular activity was going to take away from her regular studies and also interfere with summer vacation plans for the family since her experimentation typically consumes the entire summer,” Michael Grimmett told TakePart. “Maria Elena was just starting sixth grade at The Weiss School, which is an accredited school for the gifted, and the curriculum was challenging. Putting it mildly, my wife, Karen, was not enamored with Maria Elena’s plan.”
It was Maria Elena’s sincerity that ended up convincing her parents.
“I knew it would be a huge challenge, particularly since she had no lab supplies, no professional lab, no source of outside funding, no school coordinator to complete the regulatory paperwork for the Science Fairs, and no research mentor with expertise in water research.”
Michael Grimmett even cancelled a day and a half of his medical practice to drive his daughter to a national water convention in Orlando, Florida, for her to perform science fair background research. He also purchased laboratory-grade chemicals and ELISA testing equipment under Maria Elena’s direction for needed materials. The family has spent about $3,000 annually on her projects.
What’s next for Maria Elena, who is now a freshman at Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches?
More experiments this summer, of course, and she also wants to represent Florida at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize national competition when she turns 15, her first year of eligibility. She also hopes to meet the Russian scientist, Dr. Vadim Davankov, who, as she says, changed the entire adsorbent industry with his invention of hypercrossedlink adsorbents. The two have already corresponded.
Her dream, she said, is that “water engineers will be able to remove sulfamethazine from water around the world.”
Using her research, of course.
Maria Elena Grimmett is only 14, but she already has a seven-page resume.
The teen has become a highly decorated scientist for her research on
groundwater contaminants. She is also the youngest author to be
published in the Journal of Environmental Quality. Out of 30
finalists, she was awarded first place in mathematics in the 2012
Broadcom MASTERS competition, the national science, technology,
engineering, and math competition for sixth, seventh, and eighth
graders.She also has a planet named after her because of all of her research achievements. Minor Planet 27410, discovered by the Linear Project of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, was named Grimmett in 2011 and is recognized by the International Astronomical Union.
And if that wasn’t enough, Maria Elena made history at the 56th annual Palm Beach County Science and Engineering Fair in December when all judges awarded her perfect scores—the first time that’s happened in the competition’s history.
Maria Elena specifically focuses on water, the contaminants in it, and how they can be removed. Currently, her focus is on the drug, sulfamethazine, and the ways that “Hypercrosslinked Adsorbent MN250” can remove it from groundwater.
“I really got hooked on science because the scientific method is a series of logical steps that can identify and solve difficult problems and help the world,” she told TakePart.
She first got into science in third grade, thanks to an inspiring teacher who was supportive of science projects. Maria Elena entered the school’s science fair for the next several years until it was discontinued due to a lack of staff and resources. But that didn’t stop her.
“There was only one science teacher in the entire middle school, and she didn’t think she could help all of us fairly, so that’s why it had to stop,” Maria Elena said. “I decided to continue on my own, leading me to the path I am on today.”
She was interested in the environment and water purification specifically because she had seen something curious happen at her house.
I live next to a golf course and I always saw them spray pesticides on the lawn.
“I live next to a golf course and I always saw them spray pesticides on the lawn,” she said. “I wondered if these contaminants could possibly get in the water table because naturally Florida has a shallow water table.”
The answer, she discovered, was yes. Maria Elena wanted to know more, but challenges occurred.
She needed a super-sensitive test for pharmaceutical contaminants at parts-per-billion concentrations. She tried to get into local research labs. But she was denied entry because of federal labor laws that stated she couldn’t enter a lab until she was 16. She didn’t give up.
Maria Elena attended water and other scientific conventions and eventually met a scientist from the Scripps Research Institute, who told her about ELISA tests that use antibodies and color change to identify a substance. That breakthrough allowed her to test pharmaceuticals and successfully finish her seventh-grade project. As one experiment builds on the other, Maria Elena’s constant research paid off.
In eighth grade, she discovered something that was an unpublished result: MN250, a Purolite hypercrosslinked adsorbent, has a high adsorption capacity for sulfamethazine and minimal desorption in distilled water. That means it could be a promising adsorbent for sulfamethazine removal from contaminated groundwater.
Her father, Dr. Michael Grimmett, an ophthalmologist, said that when Maria Elena first announced her scientific experiment plans in 2009, the family was split.
“My wife was very concerned that this extracurricular activity was going to take away from her regular studies and also interfere with summer vacation plans for the family since her experimentation typically consumes the entire summer,” Michael Grimmett told TakePart. “Maria Elena was just starting sixth grade at The Weiss School, which is an accredited school for the gifted, and the curriculum was challenging. Putting it mildly, my wife, Karen, was not enamored with Maria Elena’s plan.”
It was Maria Elena’s sincerity that ended up convincing her parents.
“I knew it would be a huge challenge, particularly since she had no lab supplies, no professional lab, no source of outside funding, no school coordinator to complete the regulatory paperwork for the Science Fairs, and no research mentor with expertise in water research.”
Michael Grimmett even cancelled a day and a half of his medical practice to drive his daughter to a national water convention in Orlando, Florida, for her to perform science fair background research. He also purchased laboratory-grade chemicals and ELISA testing equipment under Maria Elena’s direction for needed materials. The family has spent about $3,000 annually on her projects.
What’s next for Maria Elena, who is now a freshman at Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches?
More experiments this summer, of course, and she also wants to represent Florida at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize national competition when she turns 15, her first year of eligibility. She also hopes to meet the Russian scientist, Dr. Vadim Davankov, who, as she says, changed the entire adsorbent industry with his invention of hypercrossedlink adsorbents. The two have already corresponded.
Her dream, she said, is that “water engineers will be able to remove sulfamethazine from water around the world.”
Using her research, of course.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Take your blood pressure medication!
Spent most of yesterday in the hospital, where my mother was admitted. Her doctor had changed her blood pressure medication a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't doing the job. Unfortunately her doctor was out of town and a home therapist said we should take her to the Emergency Room.
Bad idea, as far as I'm concerned. Put her back on her old medication which was working, just causing her to cough.
Instead we brought her to the emergency room, and since she's old and deaf, this got her more stressed out and scared than ever, because they were all gathered around her shouting questions and wanting to run tests and I'm sure she thought she was dying or something, which sent her blood pressure even higher.
She spent the night there, and is still in today for more tests, which I don't think she needs but I guess since they've got her in there they want to get their money's worth out of our insurance... she's in a private room which must be costing a fortune....
The reason for my headline... she was about 40 when she was first diagnosed with high blood pressure...took pills for a couple of days but didn't like how they made her feel....so she stopped taking them and tried to do the "natural remedy" thing.
Result, 20 years later she had congestive heart failure, and now instead of taking 1 pill a day she has to take 4. And has to go into the hospital periodically on occasions like these.
Moral of the story - go get your blood pressure checked, and if you have high blood pressure make sure you take your meds, otherwise believe me you'll wish you had, when it is too late...
Bad idea, as far as I'm concerned. Put her back on her old medication which was working, just causing her to cough.
Instead we brought her to the emergency room, and since she's old and deaf, this got her more stressed out and scared than ever, because they were all gathered around her shouting questions and wanting to run tests and I'm sure she thought she was dying or something, which sent her blood pressure even higher.
She spent the night there, and is still in today for more tests, which I don't think she needs but I guess since they've got her in there they want to get their money's worth out of our insurance... she's in a private room which must be costing a fortune....
The reason for my headline... she was about 40 when she was first diagnosed with high blood pressure...took pills for a couple of days but didn't like how they made her feel....so she stopped taking them and tried to do the "natural remedy" thing.
Result, 20 years later she had congestive heart failure, and now instead of taking 1 pill a day she has to take 4. And has to go into the hospital periodically on occasions like these.
Moral of the story - go get your blood pressure checked, and if you have high blood pressure make sure you take your meds, otherwise believe me you'll wish you had, when it is too late...
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Eight women Arab scientists picked in UNESCO Program
From the Saudi Gazette: Eight women Arab scientists picked in UNESCO Program
CAIRO — Eight exceptional Arab women scientists were announced as winners by the L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science Pan Arab” Regional Program in its third edition here. The scientists are from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, and Bahrain.
The ceremony was organized under the auspices of Prof. Dr. Nadia Zakhary, Egypt’s Minister of Scientific Research, and was attended by key Egyptian figures.
Geoff Skingsley, Executive Vice President of L’Oréal’s Africa-Middle East Zone, and Dr. Bechir Lamine, Director of UNESCO Cairo office, were also present, according to a press release issued here.
The fellowship program, now in its 3rd Pan-Arab version highlights the crucial role women play in science and honors outstanding female postdoctoral researchers who present exceptional projects in different areas of science and technology.
Each fellow receives a grant of $20,000 and is empowered through this initiative to push forward her research efforts in the field of her choice. Since the creation of the program in 1998, over 1,300 women in over 100 countries have been recognized for their groundbreaking achievements and innovative researches.
Dr. Alia Shatanawi (Jordan), from the University of Jordan, will continue her studies on vessel dysfunctions among diabetic patients, while Dr. Heba Salama (Egypt), from Alexandria University’s Faculty of Agriculture, will further her studies on introducing new winter forage grass species to the Egyptian agricultural system and to investigate their yield performance and nutritive value.
Dr. Hiba El Helou (Syria), from Damascus University will further her studies on dental implants, and Dr. Lina Khanj (Lebanon), from the American University in Beirut, will further her research on traffic offloading in LTE/ Wifi networks.
Dr. Noura Bougasha-Elleuch (Tunisia) from the Ecole Nationale des Ingénieurs de Sfax (ENIS) will undertake research in the field of thyroid diseases, and Dr. Rasha Osman (Sudan), from the Faculty of Mathematical Sciences — University of Khartoum will advance her studies on Integrated Performance Modeling of Database Designs.
Dr. Reyam Al Malikey (Iraq) from the Women’s Science College at Baghdad University will work on studies concerning mercury exposure assessment in Iraqi women’s hair.
Similraly, Dr. Sumaya Abbas (Bahrain), from the Arabian Gulf University, will continue her studies in solid waste management in the Bahrain.
Prof. Dr. Nadia commended the FWIS program and said: “What the Arab fellows here have accomplished through their groundbreaking projects is a real source of motivation to their peers and the female population in the whole Arab region. This program is a lever for distinguished women scientists who have shown a true dedication to science and advancement of knowledge in this important part of the world.”
Initiating the ceremony, Dr. Bechir stated: “In this third version of the Pan Arab celebration of women in science, we cannot but applaud the efforts of women around the Arab World for their dedication to science and strive to advance new solutions in several domains. The program is successful because it is one of the few established platforms in the region encouraging women scientists to highlight their work and help them advance their research.”
Sandeep Rai, General Manager of L’OREAL Egypt noted: “L’Oreal has always been at the forefront of scientific advancement in the world. Our success story with the Pan Arab FWIS program is based on the substantial value this fellowship initiative brings to regional female scientists and their countries.”
CAIRO — Eight exceptional Arab women scientists were announced as winners by the L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science Pan Arab” Regional Program in its third edition here. The scientists are from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, and Bahrain.
The ceremony was organized under the auspices of Prof. Dr. Nadia Zakhary, Egypt’s Minister of Scientific Research, and was attended by key Egyptian figures.
Geoff Skingsley, Executive Vice President of L’Oréal’s Africa-Middle East Zone, and Dr. Bechir Lamine, Director of UNESCO Cairo office, were also present, according to a press release issued here.
The fellowship program, now in its 3rd Pan-Arab version highlights the crucial role women play in science and honors outstanding female postdoctoral researchers who present exceptional projects in different areas of science and technology.
Each fellow receives a grant of $20,000 and is empowered through this initiative to push forward her research efforts in the field of her choice. Since the creation of the program in 1998, over 1,300 women in over 100 countries have been recognized for their groundbreaking achievements and innovative researches.
Dr. Alia Shatanawi (Jordan), from the University of Jordan, will continue her studies on vessel dysfunctions among diabetic patients, while Dr. Heba Salama (Egypt), from Alexandria University’s Faculty of Agriculture, will further her studies on introducing new winter forage grass species to the Egyptian agricultural system and to investigate their yield performance and nutritive value.
Dr. Hiba El Helou (Syria), from Damascus University will further her studies on dental implants, and Dr. Lina Khanj (Lebanon), from the American University in Beirut, will further her research on traffic offloading in LTE/ Wifi networks.
Dr. Noura Bougasha-Elleuch (Tunisia) from the Ecole Nationale des Ingénieurs de Sfax (ENIS) will undertake research in the field of thyroid diseases, and Dr. Rasha Osman (Sudan), from the Faculty of Mathematical Sciences — University of Khartoum will advance her studies on Integrated Performance Modeling of Database Designs.
Dr. Reyam Al Malikey (Iraq) from the Women’s Science College at Baghdad University will work on studies concerning mercury exposure assessment in Iraqi women’s hair.
Similraly, Dr. Sumaya Abbas (Bahrain), from the Arabian Gulf University, will continue her studies in solid waste management in the Bahrain.
Prof. Dr. Nadia commended the FWIS program and said: “What the Arab fellows here have accomplished through their groundbreaking projects is a real source of motivation to their peers and the female population in the whole Arab region. This program is a lever for distinguished women scientists who have shown a true dedication to science and advancement of knowledge in this important part of the world.”
Initiating the ceremony, Dr. Bechir stated: “In this third version of the Pan Arab celebration of women in science, we cannot but applaud the efforts of women around the Arab World for their dedication to science and strive to advance new solutions in several domains. The program is successful because it is one of the few established platforms in the region encouraging women scientists to highlight their work and help them advance their research.”
Sandeep Rai, General Manager of L’OREAL Egypt noted: “L’Oreal has always been at the forefront of scientific advancement in the world. Our success story with the Pan Arab FWIS program is based on the substantial value this fellowship initiative brings to regional female scientists and their countries.”
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Never get involve in a land war in Asia
and never agree to transcribe 20 hours of meetings from an Australian business meeting.
That's what I've been doing for the last 4 days...utter nightmare. Could NOT understand their accents. Making it worse were the bad audio levels and the fact that a lot of the people preesnt insisted on talking over each other from all around the room except in front of the microphone... I will never transcribe ANYTHING every again.
Anyway, so sorry to be MIA from my blogs.
That's what I've been doing for the last 4 days...utter nightmare. Could NOT understand their accents. Making it worse were the bad audio levels and the fact that a lot of the people preesnt insisted on talking over each other from all around the room except in front of the microphone... I will never transcribe ANYTHING every again.
Anyway, so sorry to be MIA from my blogs.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
The Elsevier Foundation, TWAS, and OWSD Honor Early Career Women Scientists in Developing Countries at the Annual AAAS Meeting
From PR Newswire: The Elsevier Foundation, TWAS, and OWSD Honor Early Career Women Scientists in Developing Countries at the Annual AAAS Meeting
# # #
PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zRxY)
Recognition of early-career women scientists helps to support medical research, build strong research cultures, and inspire a new generation
Five medical and life science researchers from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean Basin today received the 2013 Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World for work that could contribute to life-saving knowledge and therapies worldwide. The prizes were awarded by The Elsevier Foundation, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), and TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, to build research capacity and advance scientific knowledge throughout the developing world.
The 2013 winners are being recognized for their research excellence. The prize includes US $5,000 and all-expenses paid attendance at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston in February 2013. The winners received their prizes during a special ceremony on Saturday, February 16th.
The winners are:
- Central & South Asia: Dr. Nasima Akhter , Center for Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka Medical College Hospital Campus
- East and South-East Asia & the Pacific: Dr. Namjil Erdenechimeg, Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences
- Latin America & the Caribbean: Dr. Dionicia Gamboa , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Department of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Lima,
- Arab region: Dr. Huda Omer Basaleem, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Aden University, Yemen
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Dr. Adediwura Fred-Jaiyesimi, Department of Pharmacognosy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria
"If we hope to solve the challenges that confront developing nations, we must help young women in science to fully develop their skills and energy," said Professor Romain Murenzi , executive director of TWAS. "The winners of this prize will be an inspiration not only to other young women, but to all scientists of every generation."
Dr. Nasima Akhter , one of this year's award winners, commented: "In developing countries, continuing scientific research is difficult due to lack of resources, infrastructure and appropriate support. For young researchers, especially women, it is more difficult to continue research without cooperation and support from employers, co-workers and even family members. The Elsevier Foundation award is an immense honor and an appreciation of early career women scientists from developing countries who are devoted to continuing their research despite limited opportunity and constrains. It will encourage determination, amongst a new generation of women scientists, to contribute more in scientific development through research using available resources and focusing on community needs in line with national and international development goals."
"These five women are pioneers," said Professor Fang Xin, president of OWSD. "They come from different regions and different cultures, but all of them are doing highly advanced medical and life-science research. Their creativity and achievements will contribute to saving lives around the world, and that is sure to inspire a new generation of young women to pursue their highest ambitions in science and other fields."
David Ruth , Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation, said, "The Elsevier Foundation recognizes how important professional visibility is to developing high-profile international scientific careers. Through our New Scholars grant programs we strive to support early-career women scholars with mentoring, research retreats, professional visibility, childcare, work-life integration and recognition programs. The awards for these impressive women scientists represents a cooperative effort supported by Elsevier, OWSD, AAAS and TWAS to build research capacity and advance scientific knowledge throughout the developing world - and what better place than the annual AAAS conference to raise awareness among scientists, policymakers, journalists and the public about the need to retain and celebrate top women scientists."
The 2014 awards will be launched on April 2, 2013 and the theme will be Chemistry.
# # #
Notes to Editors
About the winners
The 2013 winners, all life scientists, are being recognized for their research excellence.
The winners:
- Nasima Akhter , Bangadesh - Medical sciences
For her research on foetal screening for congenital anomalies using ultrasonography and her introduction of the use of inactive iodide adjunct medication with radioiodine therapy in Graves' disease. - Huda Omer Ba Saleem , Yemen - Community and public health
For her dedication in the fight against cancer and for the well-being of women and children in the Arab region. - Erdenechimeg Namjil, Mongolia - Biochemistry
For her investigations of catalytically active antibodies with oxidoreductase activities from the sera of rats. - Adediwura Fred-Jaiyesimi, Nigeria - Pharmacognosy and the antidiabetic properties of Nigerian medicinal plants
For her work on the medicinal uses of plants, particularly her research on the hypoglycaemic and a-amylase-inhibitory activities of the extracts of two local plant species. - Dionicia Gamboa , Peru - Molecular biology / parasitology
For her multidisciplinary approach to fighting leishmaniasis and malaria, in particular for her studies into the molecular epidemiology of these diseases in endemic regions.
About TWAS
TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, is an autonomous international organization, based in Trieste, Italy, that promotes scientific excellence for sustainable development in the South. Originally named "Third World Academy of Sciences", it was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the South under the leadership of the late Nobel laureate Abdus Salam of Pakistan. The Academy's strength resides in the quality and diversity of its membership - internationally renowned scientists elected by their peers. TWAS currently has more than 1,000 members from 90 countries, 73 of which are developing countries. It is administered by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and financially supported by the Italian government. (http://www.twas.org)
TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, is an autonomous international organization, based in Trieste, Italy, that promotes scientific excellence for sustainable development in the South. Originally named "Third World Academy of Sciences", it was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the South under the leadership of the late Nobel laureate Abdus Salam of Pakistan. The Academy's strength resides in the quality and diversity of its membership - internationally renowned scientists elected by their peers. TWAS currently has more than 1,000 members from 90 countries, 73 of which are developing countries. It is administered by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and financially supported by the Italian government. (http://www.twas.org)
About OWSD
The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organization affiliated to TWAS. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 4,000 members. The central role is to promote women's access to science and technology, enhancing their greater involvement in decision-making processes for the development of their countries and in the international scientific community. Created in 1989, OWSD's overall goal is to work towards bridging the gender gap in science and technology. OWSD uses its forum to promote leadership, exchanges and networking for women scientists as well as for discussions to assist in the development of national capabilities to evolve, explore and improve strategies for increasing female participation in science. (http://www.owsdw.org)
About The Elsevier Foundation
The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate charity funded by Elsevier, a global provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to knowledge centered institutions around the world, with a focus on developing world libraries, nurse faculty and scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 60 grants worth millions of dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the Foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. http://www.elsevierfoundation.org
The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organization affiliated to TWAS. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 4,000 members. The central role is to promote women's access to science and technology, enhancing their greater involvement in decision-making processes for the development of their countries and in the international scientific community. Created in 1989, OWSD's overall goal is to work towards bridging the gender gap in science and technology. OWSD uses its forum to promote leadership, exchanges and networking for women scientists as well as for discussions to assist in the development of national capabilities to evolve, explore and improve strategies for increasing female participation in science. (http://www.owsdw.org)
About The Elsevier Foundation
The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate charity funded by Elsevier, a global provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to knowledge centered institutions around the world, with a focus on developing world libraries, nurse faculty and scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 60 grants worth millions of dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the Foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. http://www.elsevierfoundation.org
PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zRxY)Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering
This journal has been published once a year since 1994.
Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering
Jeffrey M. Valla, Wendy M. Williams
EXAMINING THE COMPLEXITIES OF FACULTY ATTRITION: AN ANALYSIS OF STEM AND NON-STEM FACULTY WHO REMAIN AND FACULTY WHO LEAVE THE INSTITUTION
Christi R. McGeorge, Ann Burnett, Canan Bilen-Green, Cali L. Anicha
AN EXPLORATION OF GENDER DIVERSITY IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS: A CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION-BASED PERSPECTIVE
David Knight, Lisa R. Lattuca, Alexander Yin, Travis York, Hyun Kyoung Ro, Gul Kremer
I JUST NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE ROPES: MENTORING AND FEMALE FACULTY IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Karlene Hoo, Laura Hartin Weathers, Caryl Heintz, Charlotte Chorn Dunham
PERSISTENCE OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING CAREERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF CURRENT AND FORMER FEMALE ENGINEERS
Mary Fitzpatrick, Nadya Fouad, Jane P. Liu
STEM SWITCHING: EXAMINING DEPARTURES OF UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS
Casey E. George-Jackson
Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering
Aims and Scope
Designed as a unique and much-needed resource for educators, managers, and policymakers, the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering publishes original, peer-reviewed papers that report innovative ideas and programs for classroom teachers, scientific studies, and formulation of concepts related to the education, recruitment, and retention of under-represented groups in science and engineering. Discipline-specific issues related to women and minorities are consolidated to address the entire educational environment from K through post-graduate and on to continuing education. Included are explorations of feminist teaching methods, black student/white teacher interactions, cultural phenomena that affect classroom climate, and new questions to ask of science. The journal includes pertinent book reviews and "reports from the field" by women and men of color in academe, business, industry, and federal and state agencies.Most Downloaded Articles
INCREASING ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGHER-EDUCATION REPRESENTATION OF UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS FIELDS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT K-12 INTERVENTION PROGRAMSJeffrey M. Valla, Wendy M. Williams
EXAMINING THE COMPLEXITIES OF FACULTY ATTRITION: AN ANALYSIS OF STEM AND NON-STEM FACULTY WHO REMAIN AND FACULTY WHO LEAVE THE INSTITUTION
Christi R. McGeorge, Ann Burnett, Canan Bilen-Green, Cali L. Anicha
AN EXPLORATION OF GENDER DIVERSITY IN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS: A CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION-BASED PERSPECTIVE
David Knight, Lisa R. Lattuca, Alexander Yin, Travis York, Hyun Kyoung Ro, Gul Kremer
I JUST NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE ROPES: MENTORING AND FEMALE FACULTY IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Karlene Hoo, Laura Hartin Weathers, Caryl Heintz, Charlotte Chorn Dunham
PERSISTENCE OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING CAREERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF CURRENT AND FORMER FEMALE ENGINEERS
Mary Fitzpatrick, Nadya Fouad, Jane P. Liu
STEM SWITCHING: EXAMINING DEPARTURES OF UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS
Casey E. George-Jackson
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The science of missing women
From the Hindu: The science of missing women
Policies that effectively preclude women from pursuing particular
courses of study and professions are evidently neither rational nor
scientific. Yet, gender discrepancies are most stark in the science
disciplines, hindering women’s participation in the science and
technology industry around the world, according to the International
Labour Organisation. Women graduates are discriminated against in
research openings in the United States, as per a Yale University study.
In 2005, Harvard University president Lawrence Summers, a top-ranking
economist and treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, provoked
a furore with his highly sexist remarks. He argued that men
outperformed women in science and maths due to biological differences
and discrimination was not a barrier. That Mr. Summers’s successor was a
woman of eminence, or that other Ivy League institutions have females
at the helm, by itself does not negate pervasive stereotypes. According
to the ILO, the Iranian government has recently barred women from
careers in nuclear physics and electrical engineering. Chinese
institutions expect women to obtain higher entry grades for science
courses than their male counterparts. Moreover, women in the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development region obtain more
than half of all university degrees but their share of qualifications
in science and technology is a mere 30 per cent. Clearly, it is wrong to
presume an automatic connection between an open, democratic society and
the realisation of equality of opportunities.
In India, the female-to-male student ratio in most scientific
disciplines has been rising but women are still grossly
under-represented in major scientific establishments in the public
sector, not to speak of the upper echelons of science administration and
management. This systemic failure to ensure the presence of women has a
cascading effect throughout the S&T ecosystem and serves as a major
disincentive for the thousands of capable women who wish to make a
career in science. The total number of women scientists to win the
prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award has barely crossed
double-digits after five decades. The landmark 2004 Indian National
Science Academy study, Science Career for Indian Women, found
that while most women scientists did not find it difficult to find a
job, “many complained of gender-insensitive organisational practices and
workplace discrimination, which came in way of their career growth”.
Many also complained of gender-related nepotism and even sexual
harassment. One decade later, anecdotal evidence suggests the situation
is not much better.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
OMG!
Never realized I hadn't posted in over 2 weeks!
Sorry, folks
Things have just gotten away from me the last week and a half...posting should be back on schedule starting this weekend.
Sorry, folks
Things have just gotten away from me the last week and a half...posting should be back on schedule starting this weekend.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Social Innovation: Women and Science
From JustMeans: Social Innovation: Women and Science
Throughout history women have made significant contributions to science and social innovation. We all know of Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel prize in 1903 for physics, and who then became a double Nobel prize winner in 1911 for chemistry—both prizes were for her work on radiation. However, women have faced and continue to face many barriers in the world of science, from lower status and salaries to having their work peer-reviewed and accepted.
Today, the salaries of women scientists with doctoral degrees are less than men. Consequently, there is less participation by women in high-ranking scientific field/positions. Moreover, even with men and women in the same scientific field, women are typically paid 15 to 17 per cent less than men. Leading companies and prestigious universities around the world are concerned about the continuous exit of women from science, social innovation and technology.
Throughout history women have made significant contributions to science and social innovation. We all know of Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel prize in 1903 for physics, and who then became a double Nobel prize winner in 1911 for chemistry—both prizes were for her work on radiation. However, women have faced and continue to face many barriers in the world of science, from lower status and salaries to having their work peer-reviewed and accepted.
Today, the salaries of women scientists with doctoral degrees are less than men. Consequently, there is less participation by women in high-ranking scientific field/positions. Moreover, even with men and women in the same scientific field, women are typically paid 15 to 17 per cent less than men. Leading companies and prestigious universities around the world are concerned about the continuous exit of women from science, social innovation and technology.
In response, a number of organisations have
been started to combat the issues that may deter girls from careers in
science. In the U.K. the Wise Campaign (Women into Science, Engineering and Construction) and the U.K. Resource Centre for Women in SET
are collaborating to ensure that industry, academia and education are
all aware of the importance of challenging the traditional approaches to
career advice and recruitment that result in the loss of some of the
best brains in the country. Elsevier, the world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information, products and services, has recently published, 'Careers Through Leadership and Innovation: Inspiration and Strategies for Women', an academic title by Dr. Pamela McCauley Bush.
It is a must read for all women pursuing or involved in a career in
Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Accompanying the
book is a website that features case studies, with slides that can be
used in teaching and bullet points that summarize critical points of
each chapter.
Dr. Bush's professional background
and experience makes her the best-placed author for a book like this,
as she is not only a Fulbright Scholar but also a successful researcher
and innovator who is recognised as an influential speaker in leadership
and STEM education communities. In her book, Dr. Bush examines
research-based leadership and social innovation
principles to make them both real and attainable. She empowers her
readers to build upon their own strengths and successes to discover and
develop leadership and innovation skills, by providing practical guides
that educate, encourage and equip readers to pursue leadership and innovation opportunities.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
They dreamt to be scientists: India's pioneering women
From Unmid.com: They dreamt to be scientists: India's
pioneering women
Kolkata: Masquerading as a boy to get admitted to school or being rejected by the community for staying in a Muslim family's house to write her exams - they bravely fought all odds decades ago to pursue their science dream and are now top women scientists in the country. They will be the role models for thousands of girls keen to pursue a career in science.
The stories of 21 pioneering women scientists have been woven together in a book, "The Balancing Act", by the union Ministry of Science and Technology to inspire girls to take up science as a career.
The book was released by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the inaugural session of the centenary of the Indian Science Congress in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"This book is to introduce young girls to many early pioneering women scientists in India. This book is about stories of their life and work," said Vinita Sharma, head of the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) division, Department of Science and Technology.
"The aim is to inspire young students to pursue careers in science," Sharma told IANS.
The initiative holds importance as the government had expressed concern over stark gender disparity at the level of senior scientific positions in India. Women scientists form a mere 15 percent of the full-time research and development professionals, said the government.
According to the book, one of the pioneer women scientists, Rajinder Jeet Hans-Gill, who retired as mathematics professor from Punjab University, had to dress up as a boy by tying a turban and wearing shorts so that she could join the boy's school, as there was no school for girls in Nawashahr district of Punjab in the early 1950s.
She graduated in mathematics from a boy's college.
Rama Govindaraj, an Indian Institute of technology (IIT) alumnus, was not allowed to enter the premises of a chemical company for a training programme as she was a woman.
"I was told that a certificate would be given to me and there is no need to attend the training as I was the only woman among so many men and was given an excuse that i don't have appropriate clothes. I asserted and told them that I could handle and wear whatever was appropriate and wore the only pair of jeans I have throughout the month-long training," Govindaraj said.
Manju Ray, a enzymologist at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, had to struggle to educate herself while living in a small village in what is now Bangladesh.
During her Class 10 examination, she had to stay with a Muslim family to avoid 8-9 hours of travel to school. She and her family was rejected by the community for this.
All the 21 women have inspiring stories about their struggle, perseverance, courage and success.
The book has been written by SPARROW - a trust set up in 1988 in Mumbai to build a national archives for women with print, oral history and pictorial material.
"The book is for young people eager to know who their foremothers in science are in India. There have been many extraordinary women scientists in India from early 20th century onwards," said SPARROW director C.S. Lakshmi.
"It talks about why they took up science. What was their childhood like? Was their family supportive? What was their contribution to science? What problems did they face? How did they deal with their problems," said Lakshmi.
According to the writers, the book is not exactly a book of answers but one that relates the stories of women scientists whose life experiences and passion for science provide answers to many questions.
The book is for those young girls who want to break stereotype images and knock at the doors of science with determination and courage.
"It is a path less travelled but nevertheless, a path already laid out by several others," Lakshmi said.
Kolkata: Masquerading as a boy to get admitted to school or being rejected by the community for staying in a Muslim family's house to write her exams - they bravely fought all odds decades ago to pursue their science dream and are now top women scientists in the country. They will be the role models for thousands of girls keen to pursue a career in science.
The stories of 21 pioneering women scientists have been woven together in a book, "The Balancing Act", by the union Ministry of Science and Technology to inspire girls to take up science as a career.
The book was released by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the inaugural session of the centenary of the Indian Science Congress in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"This book is to introduce young girls to many early pioneering women scientists in India. This book is about stories of their life and work," said Vinita Sharma, head of the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) division, Department of Science and Technology.
"The aim is to inspire young students to pursue careers in science," Sharma told IANS.
The initiative holds importance as the government had expressed concern over stark gender disparity at the level of senior scientific positions in India. Women scientists form a mere 15 percent of the full-time research and development professionals, said the government.
According to the book, one of the pioneer women scientists, Rajinder Jeet Hans-Gill, who retired as mathematics professor from Punjab University, had to dress up as a boy by tying a turban and wearing shorts so that she could join the boy's school, as there was no school for girls in Nawashahr district of Punjab in the early 1950s.
She graduated in mathematics from a boy's college.
Rama Govindaraj, an Indian Institute of technology (IIT) alumnus, was not allowed to enter the premises of a chemical company for a training programme as she was a woman.
"I was told that a certificate would be given to me and there is no need to attend the training as I was the only woman among so many men and was given an excuse that i don't have appropriate clothes. I asserted and told them that I could handle and wear whatever was appropriate and wore the only pair of jeans I have throughout the month-long training," Govindaraj said.
Manju Ray, a enzymologist at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, had to struggle to educate herself while living in a small village in what is now Bangladesh.
During her Class 10 examination, she had to stay with a Muslim family to avoid 8-9 hours of travel to school. She and her family was rejected by the community for this.
All the 21 women have inspiring stories about their struggle, perseverance, courage and success.
The book has been written by SPARROW - a trust set up in 1988 in Mumbai to build a national archives for women with print, oral history and pictorial material.
"The book is for young people eager to know who their foremothers in science are in India. There have been many extraordinary women scientists in India from early 20th century onwards," said SPARROW director C.S. Lakshmi.
"It talks about why they took up science. What was their childhood like? Was their family supportive? What was their contribution to science? What problems did they face? How did they deal with their problems," said Lakshmi.
According to the writers, the book is not exactly a book of answers but one that relates the stories of women scientists whose life experiences and passion for science provide answers to many questions.
The book is for those young girls who want to break stereotype images and knock at the doors of science with determination and courage.
"It is a path less travelled but nevertheless, a path already laid out by several others," Lakshmi said.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Kashmir, INdia: SP College hosts Women’s Science Congress
From GreaterKashmir.com : SP College hosts Women’s Science Congress
Srinagar, Dec 30: The first J&K Women’s Science Congress “Women in
Science: An Initiative for Women Scientists’ was recently held at SP
College here.
Srinagar, Dec 30: The first J&K Women’s Science Congress “Women in
Science: An Initiative for Women Scientists’ was recently held at SP
College here.
Principal, SP College, Dr Nazir Ahmad Gilkar at the
Congress highlighted its objectives and sought cooperation of all
stakeholders for making it a success.
Minister for Science and Technology, Animal Husbandry and IT, Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi was the chief guest.
The
Minister emphasized the need for the teaching fraternity to make
science a general subject for all classes of society. “The Government is
engaged in designing policies and programmes for the purpose, which
would revolve around the development of science and technology,” he
said.
Ruhullah, according to a statement issued by the college,
asked the Principal to formulate a proposal for popularising science
subjects among all the enthusiastic students of the State. Citing
examples of various prominent women scientists including Madam Curie,
the Minister asked the women folk of the State to prove their mettle in
various fields of science and technology by taking up the science stream
from the very beginning of their academic career.
Earlier, former Director, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical Centre, New Delhi, Dr. Daman Saluja presented keynote address.
While
Director, CORD, University of Kashmir, Prof. Azra Nahaid Kamili
presented the thematic address wherein she highlighted the role of women
in science and the initiatives that are to be taken in this respect.
Dr.
Seemin Rubab, Associate Professor, National Institute of Technology,
Hazratbal, and Srinagar presented the special address and stressed upon
the introduction of mathematics as a compulsory subject up to the Higher
Secondary level and also highlighted the need for encouraging girls to
take up STEM subjects.
There were five technical sessions on five
different themes which included: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Life
Sciences, Physical and Material Sciences, Applied Sciences and Social
and Allied Sciences.
Dr. Meenakshi Munshi, Director, DBT, New Delhi
was the closing keynote Speaker. In her key-note address Dr. Meenakshi
acknowledged the audience to the various DBT Initiatives for researchers
in general and women researchers in particular.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Lack Of Female Physics Students Symptomatic Of Scientific Gender Gap
From RedOrbit: Lack Of Female Physics Students Symptomatic Of Scientific Gender Gap
Image Credit: l i g h t p o e t / Shutterstock
redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports – Your Universe Online
Only one out of every five honors-level physics students at UK high schools are women, and only 17-percent of female students apply for undergraduate-level programs in the field at universities, the Institute of Physics (IOP) discovered in a recent study.
Using information provided by the National Pupil Database (NPD), IOP officials also discovered that nearly half of all state co-ed schools in England did not have any girls participating in advanced or “A-level” physics programs during the 2011 school year, and that less than 8-percent of female physics undergrad students went on to become senior lecturers in the discipline, Elizabeth Day of The Observer reported on Sunday.
“By contrast, girls were almost two and a half times more likely to take the subject at A-level if they were at a single-sex school – a finding that suggests there might be an ingrained cultural perception in co-educational establishments that physics is somehow ‘not for girls’,” Day added. “Why is this happening? Is there some endemic sexism within the world of physics? Or do women simply not find it appealing?”
“It might be that the problem is embedded in the ethos of the school and that teachers are tending to interact more with boys who are more outgoing. There are all sorts of subtle messages that ‘Girls don’t do physics’,” Athene Donald, a professor of experimental physics at the University of Cambridge, told The Observer. “I suppose the way we portray physicists and engineers is as if it is not normal for girls to do these things. They are often seen as quite nerdy men in programs like The Big Bang Theory. They are posed as inarticulate and that’s not the kind of thing a girl is going to aspire to when she is 12, 13, 14.”
While Day points out that women do account for 55-percent of biology students, physics is far from the only area where the gender appears to be underrepresented, according to a December 18 story by The Guardian‘s Simon Neville. A new study conducted by the Royal Society of Edinburgh found that only 4.9-percent of fellows at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 3.8-percent of fellows at the Royal Academy of Engineering, and 1.5-percent of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) were women, he reported.
Earlier this year, the European Commission launched an ill-advised advertising campaign designed to encourage women to consider careers in scientific fields. While the video itself was dismissed as “offensive” and “insulting” for its depiction of women, it was an attempt to solve a real problem — namely the “large number” of female students that the Commission said “drop out of science, engineering and technology to pursue other subjects.”
“Female graduates are severely under-represented in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and construction, with women making up just 25.5% of graduates in these fields. Women are also under-represented in the areas of science, mathematics and computing, where they constitute 40.2 % of all graduates,” the Commission said back in June. “Furthermore, EU-wide, women make up only about 32% of career researchers. Most countries acknowledge that this is a problem, not only now but for the future of research. With businesses in many countries already reporting shortages of skilled workers, Europe cannot afford to waste any of its young talent.”
In the US, Dartmouth College is attempting a similar campaign, only instead of picturing supposed female scientists wearing short skirts and high heels, the subjects of the New Hampshire institution’s promotional video are depicted dealing with “the gritty reality of field work in Greenland,” Carolyn Y. Johnson of the Boston Globe wrote last Monday.
“The topic of women in science is an important and complicated one,” Johnson added. “Things have certainly improved in many respects. But even as more women are getting science degrees, women are still outnumbered by men, when you count the number who become full faculty members. The numbers are improving but remain far from equal in most fields — a National Science Foundation (NSF) study notes that in 2008, women made up a little more than a fifth of full professors with science and engineering degrees.”
Advances are also being made at some schools as well, including the Lampton School in Hounslow, England. According to Day, one-fourth of the female students attending Lampton study physics at A-level — a feat that science teacher Jessica Hamer attributed to the staff’s efforts to overcome negative stereotypes associated with the career choice and depictions of physicists in popular culture.
“We realized there was a dearth of girls, so we tried to get more speakers and role models to come into the school and talk to the pupils,” Hamer said. Day said that the impact of those efforts has been “noticeable” and that the female physics students she met were “extremely bright and enthusiastic about their chosen subject.” The gender gap in physics and in some other scientific fields may still be prevalent, but given success stories such as the one at the Lampton School, as Day says, “there are signs that the culture is changing.”
Only one out of every five honors-level physics students at UK high schools are women, and only 17-percent of female students apply for undergraduate-level programs in the field at universities, the Institute of Physics (IOP) discovered in a recent study.
Using information provided by the National Pupil Database (NPD), IOP officials also discovered that nearly half of all state co-ed schools in England did not have any girls participating in advanced or “A-level” physics programs during the 2011 school year, and that less than 8-percent of female physics undergrad students went on to become senior lecturers in the discipline, Elizabeth Day of The Observer reported on Sunday.
“By contrast, girls were almost two and a half times more likely to take the subject at A-level if they were at a single-sex school – a finding that suggests there might be an ingrained cultural perception in co-educational establishments that physics is somehow ‘not for girls’,” Day added. “Why is this happening? Is there some endemic sexism within the world of physics? Or do women simply not find it appealing?”
“It might be that the problem is embedded in the ethos of the school and that teachers are tending to interact more with boys who are more outgoing. There are all sorts of subtle messages that ‘Girls don’t do physics’,” Athene Donald, a professor of experimental physics at the University of Cambridge, told The Observer. “I suppose the way we portray physicists and engineers is as if it is not normal for girls to do these things. They are often seen as quite nerdy men in programs like The Big Bang Theory. They are posed as inarticulate and that’s not the kind of thing a girl is going to aspire to when she is 12, 13, 14.”
While Day points out that women do account for 55-percent of biology students, physics is far from the only area where the gender appears to be underrepresented, according to a December 18 story by The Guardian‘s Simon Neville. A new study conducted by the Royal Society of Edinburgh found that only 4.9-percent of fellows at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 3.8-percent of fellows at the Royal Academy of Engineering, and 1.5-percent of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) were women, he reported.
Earlier this year, the European Commission launched an ill-advised advertising campaign designed to encourage women to consider careers in scientific fields. While the video itself was dismissed as “offensive” and “insulting” for its depiction of women, it was an attempt to solve a real problem — namely the “large number” of female students that the Commission said “drop out of science, engineering and technology to pursue other subjects.”
“Female graduates are severely under-represented in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and construction, with women making up just 25.5% of graduates in these fields. Women are also under-represented in the areas of science, mathematics and computing, where they constitute 40.2 % of all graduates,” the Commission said back in June. “Furthermore, EU-wide, women make up only about 32% of career researchers. Most countries acknowledge that this is a problem, not only now but for the future of research. With businesses in many countries already reporting shortages of skilled workers, Europe cannot afford to waste any of its young talent.”
In the US, Dartmouth College is attempting a similar campaign, only instead of picturing supposed female scientists wearing short skirts and high heels, the subjects of the New Hampshire institution’s promotional video are depicted dealing with “the gritty reality of field work in Greenland,” Carolyn Y. Johnson of the Boston Globe wrote last Monday.
“The topic of women in science is an important and complicated one,” Johnson added. “Things have certainly improved in many respects. But even as more women are getting science degrees, women are still outnumbered by men, when you count the number who become full faculty members. The numbers are improving but remain far from equal in most fields — a National Science Foundation (NSF) study notes that in 2008, women made up a little more than a fifth of full professors with science and engineering degrees.”
Advances are also being made at some schools as well, including the Lampton School in Hounslow, England. According to Day, one-fourth of the female students attending Lampton study physics at A-level — a feat that science teacher Jessica Hamer attributed to the staff’s efforts to overcome negative stereotypes associated with the career choice and depictions of physicists in popular culture.
“We realized there was a dearth of girls, so we tried to get more speakers and role models to come into the school and talk to the pupils,” Hamer said. Day said that the impact of those efforts has been “noticeable” and that the female physics students she met were “extremely bright and enthusiastic about their chosen subject.” The gender gap in physics and in some other scientific fields may still be prevalent, but given success stories such as the one at the Lampton School, as Day says, “there are signs that the culture is changing.”
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Not all women scientists are good...
If I share the good news, I've also got to share the bad...
The Indian Express: Outrage! Woman scientist says girl's intestine would have been intact if she didn't resist rape
In the States, we say this kind of thing if the girl is out at 3:25 in the morning, has been drinking with two guys at a bar and then invites them back to her bedroom.
But a girl out with her boyfriend, at 10 pm?????
The Indian Express: Outrage! Woman scientist says girl's intestine would have been intact if she didn't resist rape
“Had the girl simply surrendered (and not resisted) when surrounded by six men, she would not have lost her intestine. Why was she out with her boyfriend at 10 pm?” These comments made by an agricultural scientist at a seminar organised by the police provoked an outrage in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, and demands for punitive action against her.If anyone has been following the story...this rape victim has now died.
Dr Anita Shukla, a scientist at the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, had been invited to the seminar on “Women’s Empowerment” in her capacity as the president of Lion’s Club on Wednesday. Women, Shukla said in her speech, had misused the facilities and rights given to them.
Following an uproar, Shukla apologised in the evening: “I empathise with the victim and pray to God for her speedy recovery.”
Before coming out with the apology, Shukla, however, had appeared to defend her comments by saying the victim would have been better off not putting up resistance. “When a group of men intend to rape, they will do it. The victim should save herself for bringing the perpetrators to book.”
Senior police officers and the State Women's Commission said they were examining Shukla’s comments.
In the States, we say this kind of thing if the girl is out at 3:25 in the morning, has been drinking with two guys at a bar and then invites them back to her bedroom.
But a girl out with her boyfriend, at 10 pm?????
Saturday, December 29, 2012
A scientific pioneer and a reluctant role model
From the Globe and Mail: A scientific pioneer and a reluctant role model
In the early 1950s, Wilder Penfield, one of the world’s leading neurosurgeons at the time, performed what should have been a straightforward elective surgery. The patient, an engineer who headed his department, had come to the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, affiliated with McGill University, with epileptic seizures. The results of the surgery were catastrophic. “He couldn’t remember anything that happened. He couldn’t go out for dinner and follow a conversation,” recalls the neuropsychologist Brenda Milner. “He had to be demoted to draftsman. But there was no loss of intelligence, no loss in reasoning.”
Dr. Milner was then a 30-something PhD candidate, one of the few women employed by The Neuro (as those who work there call it). “Dr. Penfield was shocked. He didn’t know what happened.” She and the master surgeon wrote up the case, not knowing what would come of it. Soon after, she received an invitation from a neurosurgeon at Harvard. He had a similar case he hadn’t thought significant; did she have any interest?
“I couldn’t imagine why he would invite a young woman to study this case,” remembers Dr. Milner, who at 94 continues her research full-time. The patient, identified for decades only as H.M., became the most important case study in the history of neuroscience, leading to many discoveries about how the brain creates memories. Although doctors had assumed H.M. was unable to form any new memories, Dr. Milner’s groundbreaking research showed that he could develop new motor skills and spatial memories, proving for the first time that there are different types of memory. The Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel credited Dr. Milner with creating a whole new field called cognitive neuroscience.
On November 21, Dr. Milner became the ninth woman to be named to the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame, joining 53 other history-making researchers such as Alexander Graham Bell and J. Armand Bombardier. But she doesn’t like to to be recognized as being one of the few women who have reached the highest ranks of science in Canada.
After her Hall of Fame acceptance speech, a group of young female scientists swarmed her eagerly to snap photos with her, showing how Dr. Milner, albeit somewhat unwillingly, has become an icon of what female scientists can accomplish in a male-dominated field.
“I have not set myself up to be a role model for women, but it does seem to be more of an issue than it used to be,” Dr. Milner explains, recalling how she increasingly gets mobbed by women after public lectures in the past five years. “There is rarely a man in the group.”
Although the landscape, particularly at medical schools, has changed significantly since Dr. Milner began her career, women continue to be underrepresented in many scientific fields. They make up only 39 per cent of students in physical sciences and 17 per cent in engineering and computer science. According to a recent study from the Council of Canadian Academies, only a third of faculty members in Canada are women, and that number shrinks to 15 per cent in the physical sciences, engineering and computer science.
Yet the toughest competition that Dr. Milner says she ever faced was against other women. When she was in high school she announced her intention to pursue mathematics against her headmistress’s wishes she go into languages. The best science students in her native Britain went to Cambridge, yet the school’s rigid college system only allowed for 400 female students to enroll. “It was tremendously difficult to get in,” she says. “My competition was all women.” Her all-girls school didn’t have the calibre of teacher in math and physics to get her up to a competitive level, so they sent her elsewhere to a male lecturer.
For the rest of her career, however, Dr. Milner was determined to compete with the best scientists, male or female. “She never wanted to win prizes that were only for women, she wanted to win prizes open to both genders so she could beat the men,” says Denise Klein, who has worked at The Neuro since starting a post-doc with Dr. Milner in 1992.
Early in her studies at Cambridge, Dr. Milner realized she would never be a great mathematician and switched to psychology, earning her degree in 1939. She met her husband Peter Milner while working for the military during the Second World War. They hastily married when he was asked to launch Canada’s atomic energy program, and moved to Montreal.
After a teaching stint at the Université de Montréal, she realized that “in North America you were nobody if you didn’t have a PhD.” Dr. Milner wanted more than a teaching career. “I knew I had it in me to do something big,” she says.
When she arrived at The Neuro in June, 1950, to begin her PhD, she was one of few women. “The institute was authoritarian,” Dr. Milner recalls. “People who were junior would not speak out of turn. But it was not sexist.” Dr. Klein goes a step further in describing it as a “chauvinistic environment.”
Dr. Milner’s response to the male-dominated atmosphere was to challenge stereotypes about psychology being a less rigorous approach to brain science than the work of the primarily male neurosurgeons. “She took what she did seriously enough that other people took her seriously and did not dismiss her work as soft science,” says Dr. Klein. “She showed people that her field could be as scientific, as useful and as data-driven as other fields that are taken more seriously.” During this period before brain imaging, when surgery was required to see what was happening in the brain, Dr. Milner’s behaviour-based diagnostic work was eventually seen as crucial.
Dr. Milner insists she never encountered any barriers because of her gender. Her resistance to being recognized as an outstanding woman seems to stem from her desire to be a great scientist in general. “Brenda was good at showing people she was necessary,” says Dr. Klein. “She showed people that the pieces of information she was providing from thinking about the brain and behaviour were important. She told me to make myself useful and I would have a job.”
Far from being dismissed as a woman, Dr. Milner intimidated people. “Remember that she was a very strong woman,” explains Gabriel Leonard, a clinical scientist at The Neuro. “There were very few people that had the courage and the necessary tenacity to fight her. She was a formidable person to debate, with a large vocabulary and a great knowledge of literature.”
Three years ago, Dr. Milner received the prestigious international Balzan Prize, netting $1-million for her research. Now, she is in the midst of launching into a new research area looking at how the hemispheres of the brain interact. This year she is taking on two new post-docs and her colleagues reckon that she may be the oldest scientist in the world to do so.
In the early 1950s, Wilder Penfield, one of the world’s leading neurosurgeons at the time, performed what should have been a straightforward elective surgery. The patient, an engineer who headed his department, had come to the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, affiliated with McGill University, with epileptic seizures. The results of the surgery were catastrophic. “He couldn’t remember anything that happened. He couldn’t go out for dinner and follow a conversation,” recalls the neuropsychologist Brenda Milner. “He had to be demoted to draftsman. But there was no loss of intelligence, no loss in reasoning.”
Dr. Milner was then a 30-something PhD candidate, one of the few women employed by The Neuro (as those who work there call it). “Dr. Penfield was shocked. He didn’t know what happened.” She and the master surgeon wrote up the case, not knowing what would come of it. Soon after, she received an invitation from a neurosurgeon at Harvard. He had a similar case he hadn’t thought significant; did she have any interest?
“I couldn’t imagine why he would invite a young woman to study this case,” remembers Dr. Milner, who at 94 continues her research full-time. The patient, identified for decades only as H.M., became the most important case study in the history of neuroscience, leading to many discoveries about how the brain creates memories. Although doctors had assumed H.M. was unable to form any new memories, Dr. Milner’s groundbreaking research showed that he could develop new motor skills and spatial memories, proving for the first time that there are different types of memory. The Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel credited Dr. Milner with creating a whole new field called cognitive neuroscience.
On November 21, Dr. Milner became the ninth woman to be named to the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame, joining 53 other history-making researchers such as Alexander Graham Bell and J. Armand Bombardier. But she doesn’t like to to be recognized as being one of the few women who have reached the highest ranks of science in Canada.
After her Hall of Fame acceptance speech, a group of young female scientists swarmed her eagerly to snap photos with her, showing how Dr. Milner, albeit somewhat unwillingly, has become an icon of what female scientists can accomplish in a male-dominated field.
“I have not set myself up to be a role model for women, but it does seem to be more of an issue than it used to be,” Dr. Milner explains, recalling how she increasingly gets mobbed by women after public lectures in the past five years. “There is rarely a man in the group.”
Although the landscape, particularly at medical schools, has changed significantly since Dr. Milner began her career, women continue to be underrepresented in many scientific fields. They make up only 39 per cent of students in physical sciences and 17 per cent in engineering and computer science. According to a recent study from the Council of Canadian Academies, only a third of faculty members in Canada are women, and that number shrinks to 15 per cent in the physical sciences, engineering and computer science.
Yet the toughest competition that Dr. Milner says she ever faced was against other women. When she was in high school she announced her intention to pursue mathematics against her headmistress’s wishes she go into languages. The best science students in her native Britain went to Cambridge, yet the school’s rigid college system only allowed for 400 female students to enroll. “It was tremendously difficult to get in,” she says. “My competition was all women.” Her all-girls school didn’t have the calibre of teacher in math and physics to get her up to a competitive level, so they sent her elsewhere to a male lecturer.
For the rest of her career, however, Dr. Milner was determined to compete with the best scientists, male or female. “She never wanted to win prizes that were only for women, she wanted to win prizes open to both genders so she could beat the men,” says Denise Klein, who has worked at The Neuro since starting a post-doc with Dr. Milner in 1992.
Early in her studies at Cambridge, Dr. Milner realized she would never be a great mathematician and switched to psychology, earning her degree in 1939. She met her husband Peter Milner while working for the military during the Second World War. They hastily married when he was asked to launch Canada’s atomic energy program, and moved to Montreal.
After a teaching stint at the Université de Montréal, she realized that “in North America you were nobody if you didn’t have a PhD.” Dr. Milner wanted more than a teaching career. “I knew I had it in me to do something big,” she says.
When she arrived at The Neuro in June, 1950, to begin her PhD, she was one of few women. “The institute was authoritarian,” Dr. Milner recalls. “People who were junior would not speak out of turn. But it was not sexist.” Dr. Klein goes a step further in describing it as a “chauvinistic environment.”
Dr. Milner’s response to the male-dominated atmosphere was to challenge stereotypes about psychology being a less rigorous approach to brain science than the work of the primarily male neurosurgeons. “She took what she did seriously enough that other people took her seriously and did not dismiss her work as soft science,” says Dr. Klein. “She showed people that her field could be as scientific, as useful and as data-driven as other fields that are taken more seriously.” During this period before brain imaging, when surgery was required to see what was happening in the brain, Dr. Milner’s behaviour-based diagnostic work was eventually seen as crucial.
Dr. Milner insists she never encountered any barriers because of her gender. Her resistance to being recognized as an outstanding woman seems to stem from her desire to be a great scientist in general. “Brenda was good at showing people she was necessary,” says Dr. Klein. “She showed people that the pieces of information she was providing from thinking about the brain and behaviour were important. She told me to make myself useful and I would have a job.”
Far from being dismissed as a woman, Dr. Milner intimidated people. “Remember that she was a very strong woman,” explains Gabriel Leonard, a clinical scientist at The Neuro. “There were very few people that had the courage and the necessary tenacity to fight her. She was a formidable person to debate, with a large vocabulary and a great knowledge of literature.”
Three years ago, Dr. Milner received the prestigious international Balzan Prize, netting $1-million for her research. Now, she is in the midst of launching into a new research area looking at how the hemispheres of the brain interact. This year she is taking on two new post-docs and her colleagues reckon that she may be the oldest scientist in the world to do so.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Unequal Access to Resources Depresses Women Scientists' Publication Rates, Study Finds
From ScienceMag: Unequal Access to Resources Depresses Women Scientists' Publication Rates, Study Finds
An analysis of the publications of more than 4000 faculty members "fully confirms our hypotheses," the authors state. The differences between the publication rates of male and female industrial engineers are negligible. Female molecular biologists, on the other hand, "consistently publish at a rate significantly lower than" their male colleagues. This shows, the authors conclude, that "gender differences in institutional support have had a crucial effect on the publication rates of females."
Although the authors caution that their results show only correlation, co-author Luis Amaral of Northwestern University finds them "very suggestive of causality," according to a an article in Inside Higher Ed. You can read the PLOS ONE study here.
Why do women scientists publish less than their male colleagues? A study appearing in PLOS ONE on 12 December suggests an answer: women get a "lower level of institutional support" from their universities.
Jordi Duch of Northwestern University and her co-authors took a circuitous route to this conclusion. They compared the publication rates of male and female research university faculty in chemical engineering, chemistry, ecology, industrial engineering, material science, molecular biology, and psychology. These seven disciplines vary considerably in the amount of resources that scientists need to do research, as measured by what they typically spend in a year. At the low end is industrial engineering, in which much of the work is "theoretical and computational in nature" and "faculty tend to train a small number of students at a time." At the high end is molecular biology, which requires extensive labs, lots of expensive equipment, and, often, numerous grad students and postdocs to do the bench work.
Because of their relatively small requirements,industrial engineering faculty "do not need to compete against one another for limited resources," the authors state. The "institutional support" needed to do battle for funding is therefore a relatively unimportant "factor in productivity" in the field, the authors suggest. For molecular biologists, on the other hand, winning large competitive grants is crucial to supporting their labs. "Institutionally granted resources or institutional support for securing large grants" are vital to this competition and therefore become "crucial components of academic success," the authors write.
Universities have a long history of favoring men over women when
allocating resources and support among their faculty members, note the
authors, who reason that differences in publication rates should be
expected to reflect this discrepancy. Gender differences in publication
rates, the hypothesize, should therefore be much smaller in fields like
industrial engineering that impose low resource demands than they are
fields like molecular biology, where resource demands are very high. Jordi Duch of Northwestern University and her co-authors took a circuitous route to this conclusion. They compared the publication rates of male and female research university faculty in chemical engineering, chemistry, ecology, industrial engineering, material science, molecular biology, and psychology. These seven disciplines vary considerably in the amount of resources that scientists need to do research, as measured by what they typically spend in a year. At the low end is industrial engineering, in which much of the work is "theoretical and computational in nature" and "faculty tend to train a small number of students at a time." At the high end is molecular biology, which requires extensive labs, lots of expensive equipment, and, often, numerous grad students and postdocs to do the bench work.
Because of their relatively small requirements,industrial engineering faculty "do not need to compete against one another for limited resources," the authors state. The "institutional support" needed to do battle for funding is therefore a relatively unimportant "factor in productivity" in the field, the authors suggest. For molecular biologists, on the other hand, winning large competitive grants is crucial to supporting their labs. "Institutionally granted resources or institutional support for securing large grants" are vital to this competition and therefore become "crucial components of academic success," the authors write.
An analysis of the publications of more than 4000 faculty members "fully confirms our hypotheses," the authors state. The differences between the publication rates of male and female industrial engineers are negligible. Female molecular biologists, on the other hand, "consistently publish at a rate significantly lower than" their male colleagues. This shows, the authors conclude, that "gender differences in institutional support have had a crucial effect on the publication rates of females."
Although the authors caution that their results show only correlation, co-author Luis Amaral of Northwestern University finds them "very suggestive of causality," according to a an article in Inside Higher Ed. You can read the PLOS ONE study here.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
New posting schedule
Now that I've got this new full-time job, I'll be posting in this blog twice a week - on Monday's and Wednesdays.
So the next post for this blog will be on Monday.
Thanks for your patience.
So the next post for this blog will be on Monday.
Thanks for your patience.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Posts resume this Wednesday
I'm a freelance writer and I am way behind on a job I have to do, so I won't be posting here until Wednesday..
Thanks for your patience!
Thanks for your patience!
Friday, December 14, 2012
Three female Rebel pilots were discharged from ‘Return of the Jedi’
From YahooNews: Three female Rebel pilots were discharged from ‘Return of the Jedi’
Photo: Star Wars Aficionado Magazine
The Rebel Alliance now seems a little bit less like a galactic Boys Club.
The final battle against the Death Star in "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" (1983) used to have a bit more of a woman's touch as it's been revealed that there were actually three female Rebel pilots taking on TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers as they waited for Han Solo and the gang to blow up the shield generator bunker on Endor (ah, old war stories!).
There were three unnamed lady pilots in "Jedi," two of which can be seen in the extras for the Blu-ray release of the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Both of them were A-Wing pilots, with one even getting a line ("Got it," which was actually dubbed by a male actor in post-production) before getting shot down by a TIE Fighter seconds later. The second pilot is, surprisingly, considerably older ... and could now indeed be the inspiration for a new wave of fan fiction (she's a retired Rebel vet who's allowed to come back for one last hurrah against the Empire after being deemed too old for duty during the Battle of Yavin in "A New Hope," perhaps?).
There was a third female pilot in the Battle of Endor as well. French actress Vivienne Chandler didn't make it into the Blu-ray extras, even though she spent three days on the "Jedi" set and had an entire line of dialogue between herself and another pilot. She also got to fly the much more iconic X-Wing, the ship of choice for her Rebel colleague, Luke Skywalker. Even though actual footage of her in full Rebel mode doesn't seem to exist, she's managed to stay a part of the "Star Wars" universe as she's now a staple on the convention circuit.
There's been no official explanation as to why these characters were cut, though fan speculation suggests that the filmmakers may have deemed the sight of ladies getting blown to smithereens to be too intense for moviegoers ... especially when one could pass for your grandmother.
We have a feeling a lot of the Rebellion's apparent gender discrimination will have dissolved in time for "Episode VII." "Star Wars" needs women, and "Star Wars" will get them if Disney has anything to say about it.
Photo: Star Wars Aficionado MagazineThe final battle against the Death Star in "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" (1983) used to have a bit more of a woman's touch as it's been revealed that there were actually three female Rebel pilots taking on TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers as they waited for Han Solo and the gang to blow up the shield generator bunker on Endor (ah, old war stories!).
There were three unnamed lady pilots in "Jedi," two of which can be seen in the extras for the Blu-ray release of the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Both of them were A-Wing pilots, with one even getting a line ("Got it," which was actually dubbed by a male actor in post-production) before getting shot down by a TIE Fighter seconds later. The second pilot is, surprisingly, considerably older ... and could now indeed be the inspiration for a new wave of fan fiction (she's a retired Rebel vet who's allowed to come back for one last hurrah against the Empire after being deemed too old for duty during the Battle of Yavin in "A New Hope," perhaps?).
There was a third female pilot in the Battle of Endor as well. French actress Vivienne Chandler didn't make it into the Blu-ray extras, even though she spent three days on the "Jedi" set and had an entire line of dialogue between herself and another pilot. She also got to fly the much more iconic X-Wing, the ship of choice for her Rebel colleague, Luke Skywalker. Even though actual footage of her in full Rebel mode doesn't seem to exist, she's managed to stay a part of the "Star Wars" universe as she's now a staple on the convention circuit.
There's been no official explanation as to why these characters were cut, though fan speculation suggests that the filmmakers may have deemed the sight of ladies getting blown to smithereens to be too intense for moviegoers ... especially when one could pass for your grandmother.
We have a feeling a lot of the Rebellion's apparent gender discrimination will have dissolved in time for "Episode VII." "Star Wars" needs women, and "Star Wars" will get them if Disney has anything to say about it.
US Dept. of State Announces Webinars for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Fields
From eNewsChannels: US Dept. of State Announces Webinars for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Fields
WASHINGTON, D.C. /eNewsChannels/ — The Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, in partnership with the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the global engineering firm CH2M HILL, will host a series of webinars starting November 29th to support emerging women leaders in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields who are studying in the United States as part of Brazil’s “Scientific Mobility Program” (also known as “Science Without Borders”).
The first webinar on “Career Paths for Women in STEM” will focus on the successes and challenges of women leaders in the STEM fields, and will take place at 12:00 p.m. EST Thursday, November 29th. IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives will moderate the panel, which will include a top executive from CH2M HILL, a leading scientist from the National Cancer Institute, and a leading engineer from Juniper Networks. To view a recording of the webinar after the event, visit www.iie.org/women.
This series of webinars for women in STEM falls under the U.S. – Brazil Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Advancement of Women signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim in March 2010. Through the MOU, the United States and Brazil focus on recruiting, retaining, and advancing women and girls in STEM fields. The two countries have jointly conducted numerous professional and educational exchange programs and events to promote these goals.
WASHINGTON, D.C. /eNewsChannels/ — The Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, in partnership with the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the global engineering firm CH2M HILL, will host a series of webinars starting November 29th to support emerging women leaders in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields who are studying in the United States as part of Brazil’s “Scientific Mobility Program” (also known as “Science Without Borders”).
The first webinar on “Career Paths for Women in STEM” will focus on the successes and challenges of women leaders in the STEM fields, and will take place at 12:00 p.m. EST Thursday, November 29th. IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives will moderate the panel, which will include a top executive from CH2M HILL, a leading scientist from the National Cancer Institute, and a leading engineer from Juniper Networks. To view a recording of the webinar after the event, visit www.iie.org/women.
This series of webinars for women in STEM falls under the U.S. – Brazil Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Advancement of Women signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim in March 2010. Through the MOU, the United States and Brazil focus on recruiting, retaining, and advancing women and girls in STEM fields. The two countries have jointly conducted numerous professional and educational exchange programs and events to promote these goals.
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