MPOWIR - Mentoring Physical Oceanography Women to Increase Retention

The MPOWIR Book Club

The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies

by Scott E. Page

Rather than ponder moral questions like, 'Why can't we all get along?' Dr. Page asks practical ones like, 'How can we all be more productive together?' The answer, he suggests, is in creative organizations and environments with individuals from vastly different backgrounds and life experiences.

Job Opportunity

The Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University (IONTU), invites applications for four faculty positions, at the level of assistant professor or higher, starting August 1st, 2010. Applicants should hold a doctoral degree and specialize in research fields related to broad marine studies, especially in Physical Oceanography, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Biological Oceanography and/or Fisheries. Applicants should send (1) curriculum vitae (including publication list), (2) reprints of up to three representative publications (published after June, 2007), (3) a proposal for future research and teaching preferences, and (4) three letters of reference before January 15th, 2010 to:

Prof. Ling-Yun Chiao
Email: chiao@ntu.edu.tw
Director, Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University
No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106 Taiwan
Please check http://www.oc.ntu.edu.tw for more general information on IONTU.

Job Opportunity

VISITING RESEARCH ASSOCIATE/ ENDOWED POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW POSITION 12563

The College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida (USF) is offering a 2-year Visiting Research Associate/Endowed Postdoctoral Fellow position. We are seeking an outstanding scientist with a recent doctoral degree, generally awarded within the last 5 years in marine science, oceanography, or a closely related field.  The successful candidate should demonstrate excellence in scholarly productivity and academic achievement, and have an expertise that complements a specialty within the College of Marine Science. Successful candidates must meet the completion of the Ph.D. requirements no later than end of Spring 2010 semester at their institution. The successful candidate will work with one or several of our ranked faculty for the purpose of conducting high-quality research, publishing results, assisting in training graduate students, and participating in securing extramural funds.

The St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership Peter R. Betzer Endowment provides a 2 year appointment with a competitive salary including a full fringe benefits package and $2,000 for research  expenses.  After the completion of the 2-year term, the appointment can be continued using extramural funding and assuming satisfactory performance.

The College of Marine Science at USF is a rapidly expanding group spanning all of the major marine science disciplines. We encourage interested applicants to review our research programs by visiting our web site at:http://www.marine.usf.edu.  

For information regarding the available position, please contact Dr. Albert C. Hine, Chair, Visiting Research Associate Search Committee, 727-553-1161 hine@marine.usf.edu.

Apply online at https://employment.usf.edu Please submit a statement of research interests specifying the research contributions you could provide to College of Marine Science;  include name(s) of potential collaborating College of Marine Science faculty, a cover letter, curriculum vitae and contact information for three referees, no later than December 1, 2009. For disability accommodations, please call (727) 553-3942 at least five (5) working days in advance of need.

Under the Florida Sunshine Law, applications and search committee meetings are open to the public.
USF is an EO/EA/AA Institution

Powerful Presentations – COACh Workshop

Powerful Presentations – COACh

Workshop Description: This workshop is designed to complement COAChing Women in the Art of Strategic Performance and Strategies for Leading Change, will give women the opportunity to hone their speaking skills. In an interactive format, participants will learn techniques from the theater for increasing confidence and charisma, expanding vocal power, using effective body language, and dramatic strategies. They will learn how to bring structural clarity to the content of their speech, whether speaking spontaneously or with prepared remarks. They will discover how power point can become a tool rather than a distraction. They will explore the relationship between time, structure, and silence, in order to most effectively land their points.  Facilitators Lee Warren (http://www.anitaborg.org/about/who-we-are/lee-warren) and Nancy Houfek (http://anitaborg.org/about/who-we-are/nancy-houfek).

Friday, November 6, Clarion Hotel, Northampton, MA Cost: employed $40;  student or unemployed $20.

Optional and no charge – Lunch 12-1 Reception 4:30-5:30

To register for the workshop and/or lunch, send an email to Suzanne OConnell (soconnell@wesleyan.edu).  Space is limited.

NOAA MPOWIR Internship - Apply Now!

With generous support from NOAA, MPOWIR is soliciting applications for the NOAA MPOWIR Internship.

The goal of the NOAA MPOWIR internship program is to familiarize junior women in the field of physical oceanography with the research conducted at the NOAA labs and to afford NOAA scientists the opportunity to work with a graduate student on a project of joint interest. Each year, two junior scientists will be chosen for an internship at either AOML, GFDL or PMEL. The students will be integrated into an ongoing program of mutual interest for a period of 8 to 10 weeks. The students will be supervised and mentored by a designated NOAA researcher.  The internship includes funds for lodging, travel, meals and incidentals (approximately $10,000 for 10 weeks).

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants must be female scientists currently in a graduate program at a U.S. institution and self-identify as physical oceanographers. Additionally, applicants must be within 2 years of completing their dissertation.

To apply, please click the link below.  The deadline for applications is October 30, 2009.

http://www.MPOWIR.org/NOAAreg.htm

PAESMEM-AAAS Leadership Workshop for Women

PAESMEM-AAAS Leadership Workshop for Women, October 1-2, 2009

This workshop is for women who have degrees in science, engineering or technology and who have been in the professional workforce 10 years or less. Participants do not need to be in SET-specific careers.

- Get the best advice that successful executives, administrators and senior faculty have to offer.
- Meet and compare notes with peers from throughout the country.
- Gain skills for your own mid-career planning.

For more details, visit www.aaascapacity.org.  To register, visithttp://tiny.cc/PAESMEM.  Seats are limited, so register now. Please contact Sabira Mohamed (smohamed@aaas.org, 202-326-8974) if you have any questions.

Building Science, Engineering and Technology Leadership
A PAESMEM/AAAS Workshop for Women in Industry, Academia and Government
October 1-2, 2009
AAAS, 1200 New York Ave., NW Washington, DC 20005

Guest Blog: Reviewing Proposals and Papers

LuAnne Thompson from the University of Washington sent the following information on reviewing papers and proposals.  Thanks LuAnne!

I thought I would write some tips about how to review papers and proposals for the first timers.  The first time you get a paper to review, you often don’t know how detailed to be with your comments, you don’t trust your opinion on the work, and you spend too much time on the review.  You will find that as you review more proposals and papers it gets easier, mostly because you trust your first impressions more.  I hope that the following tips will help with your first few times. 

General comments for both papers and proposals

1. First of all don’t spend more than one day (total) on either a proposal or paper review!
2. When I review a paper or proposal, I often give them a quick read to get a first impression, then I go back, usually on a different day, making notes as I read.  Then I write up the notes.  Before you start writing the review, be sure that you make a note of the format of the review that the journal/funding agent wants.  For instance, for NSF, they want separate statements for Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts, and Summary Statement. 
3. Be clear in your recommendations and give reasons why you are recommending acceptance/funding or rejection/not funding.  This helps the editors/program managers. 

Paper Reviews

1. Don’t correct grammar.  If the English not good enough to understand what the authors are saying, let them know that they need to have the paper read by either a professional editor, or if they are not native English speakers, by a native English speaking colleague.
2. When reviewing a paper, make sure that can you follow their logic, and if you see flaws in their logic, and have questions that could be answered by an additional calculations, let them know.  You don’t have to do the research for them though! 

Proposal Reviews

1. When reviewing proposals, you should comment on your overall impression of the project and whether what they are proposing will answer the questions that they are asking, but do not suggest other calculations approaches or how to rewrite the proposal.  Because the reviewers and panel members are different every time you submit a proposal, if the authors take your suggestions seriously and the next reviewers don’t like the suggestions, you can put the proposers in a bind.  Instead, focus on logic flaws, whether the questions that they are asking are important, and whether they are using techniques that will allow them to answer those questions.
2. Ask to see proposals and reviews from some of your senior colleagues to get an idea of how well reviewed and poorly reviewed proposals read, and how reviews are generally written. 

Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position Workshop

A workshop on Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position will be held at Rice University in Houston, TX October 18-19.  The deadline for applications is August 13.  Please read the description below and visit the Rice Advance website for more information.  This is a fantastic workshop that shouldn't be missed!

A recent study of diversity in engineering notes that “the most accurate predictor of subsequent success for female undergraduates is the percentage of women among faculty members at their college [1].” At Rice University we are strongly committed to increasing the diversity of science and engineering faculty and students. As part of this goal we are sponsoring an exciting workshop for senior women graduate students and post-docs who are interested in pursuing an academic career. The workshop, Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position, (October 18-19, 2009), is designed to provide participants hands-on experience to enhance their knowledge of and ability to find the right faculty position. Through support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award, all travel, meals, and lodging costs will be provided for workshop participants.
Applications are due August 13. 

The online application can be found at http://advance.rice.edu/negotiatingtheidealfacultyposition/form_intro.cfm

Topics Covered in Negotiating the Ideal Faculty Position Workshop

1. Finding the right institutional fit

2. Understanding what a search committee looking for

3. Putting together a successful faculty application

4. Standing out in the interview

5. Maximizing the impact of your interview seminar

6. Negotiating a good start up package

7. Finding out about the culture of the department & college

8. Choosing good collaborators

9. Obtaining funding

10. Building your lab/research program

11. Understanding the tenure process

12. Balancing work and family

Writing Retreat for Women Geoscientists and Co-authors

An announcement from the Earth Science Women's Network:

We are pleased to announce the third annual GAIN writing retreat for women in the Geosciences, July 26-31, at the Connors Family Retreat & Conference Center in Dover, MA (same place as last two years, about 20 miles SW of Boston). 

This is a great opportunity to finish that paper that's been languishing on your desk, or to write up the data you've collected this last year. In addition, we swap successful strategies on grantsmanship, teaching, and work-life balance.

This is an NSF-(ADVANCE PAID) funded program; we will provide reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses and will cover all room and board.

Bring a colleague! The grant will pay for some travel funds for colleagues who live outside of New England.

There is wireless internet service and 80 acres of lawn and woodland on the Charles River to relax and let your right brain work on these knotty problems. More information about the facilities is available at: http://www.bc.edu/offices/retreat/. Maps to the Center are included and directions are available at: http://www.bc.edu/offices/retreat/directions/

We will once again have Anne Green as our writing coach on Tuesday. There will be an ice-breaker Sunday evening.

Please register by July 24 for meal-planning purposes (that's right! no cooking and no cleanup for a whole week!). Return the completed application

http://www.geosciences.unl.edu/GAIN/writing_retreat_09.htm

via email to: jhochstein2@unl.edu. or via paper mail to:

Jill Hochstein, ADVANCE-NE/OSVCAA, 21 Canfield Admin., P.O. Box 880420, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln 68588-0420.

$250 Deposit is $250, $150 for week, $100 to be returned at end of retreat.

For questions or additional information contact Suzanne O'Connell (soconnell@wesleyan.edu, 860-685-2262) or Jill Hochstein (JHOCHSTEIN2@unlnotes.unl.edu, 402-472-3304).

The Glass Ceiling's Math Problem

Women are 37 percent less likely than men to earn science-related bachelor's degrees, and they hold only a quarter of the jobs in the field. In a new paper titled "Sex and Science," economists Scott Carrell, Marianne Page and James West offer one non-Larry Summersesque explanation: Some women lag in science not because they're women -- but because their professors aren't.

A review of the paper appears in the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/29/AR2009052901552.html

The full article is also available for download:

Download Sex and Science Article