Archive by tag | physics

The leaky pipeline: Thank putdowns, slights

Posted by Karen Kaplan | Categories: , , , , , , ,

A study involving interviews and online posts of 28 women in the later stages of PhD studies in engineering and physical sciences in the United States, published 31 January in the journal Social Sciences, revealed many day-to-day slights that left them feeling alienated and undervalued. Some said they were contemplating leaving research as a result. “There’s a culture in male-dominated environments,” says Bianca Bernstein, a co-author of the study and a psychologist at Arizona State University in Tempe. “Some women feel it’s not for them.”  … Read more

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The struggles of female and underrepresented scientists

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The struggles of female and underrepresented scientists

Female and Hispanic faculty representation in the United States increased significantly between 1992 and 2015, but more slowly for black and indigenous faculty members, according to a review study of personnel records from four large US land-grant institutions published in PLoS One . The small numbers of URM lack the data necessary to draw valid  conclusions about retention. However, the study found, URM hiring is increasing, but not at the rate expected for the number of STEM doctoral degrees earned by the populations.  Read more

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How to escape a ‘paint-by-numbers’ career

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , , , , ,

How to escape a ‘paint-by-numbers’ career

If you’re like me, you entered university with a plan: to follow a career path that many had followed before. This is common, because school trains us to follow directions. Earning a degree involves predefined steps:  … Read more

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Reflections on the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science program

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Reflections on the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science program

Springtime in Paris seems a fitting backdrop for any awards ceremony but particularly so in the case of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program. I recently had the honour of attending the 2017 International Awards along with 14 other early career researchers from around the globe, as part of the L’Oréal-UNESCO International Rising Talents Fellowship.  Read more

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Away from home: Making graphene flakes in a kitchen blender

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Away from home: Making graphene flakes in a kitchen blender

The ‘Away from home‘ blogging series features Indian postdocs working in foreign labs recounting their experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the cultural differences and what they miss about India. They also offer useful tips for their Indian postdocs headed abroad. You can join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag.  Read more

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A look out to a dark Universe: Three young scientists share their thoughts

Posted by Jack Leeming | Categories: , , ,

A look out to a dark Universe: Three young scientists share their thoughts

You can find the full Outlook, covering the Lindau conference, Nobel prize winners, and Q&As with George Smoot and Brian Schmidt, here.  Read more

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US research centres create opportunities

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US research centres create opportunities

NSF on 26 September announced US$94 million to support four new Science and Technology Centers (STCs). Each awardee will receive up to $24 million over a 5-year period, with the possibility of a continuation for 5 more years. In addition to these latest awards, NSF supports eight active STCs across the United States. Each STC involves partnerships across universities, federal labs, industry and other organizations.  Read more

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