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.

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

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)

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

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zRxY)

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

Editor-in-Chief: Kimberly D. Douglas-Mankin
Associate Editors: Howard Adams , Annie Canel , Laura Rendon

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.

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INCREASING ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGHER-EDUCATION REPRESENTATION OF UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS FIELDS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT K-12 INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
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
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PERSISTENCE OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING CAREERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF CURRENT AND FORMER FEMALE ENGINEERS
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STEM SWITCHING: EXAMINING DEPARTURES OF UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS
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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.

 

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.

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.

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.

 

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.