Interesting Features at PWN for 3.23.15

News from the PWN Pipeline

'The 5 things I want to tell employers about women returning to work.'

A recent article in The Guardian by psychologist and co-founder of Women Returners, Julianne Miles, places emphasis on the difficulties faced by qualified women attempting to return to the workforce after time away focusing on their families. Miles cites a Northeastern University study that showed managers prefer to hire a less qualified candidate over one who has been out of work for six months, based on the assumption that the career gap reflects deterioration of skills. She suggests that ingrained biases against women 'returners' must be addressed and eliminated, and offers 5 arguments against these biases, including the great motivation of returning professionals as well as quick adaptation to senior managerial positions.  


Advancement Opportunities

Postdoctoral or Research Associate positions available in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Minnesota Medical School

Fantastic opportunity for researchers interested in studying molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying excitability in the brain, with an emphasis on processes related to addiction, cognition, and mood. The research program incorporates state-of-the-art techniques and approaches, including brain slice and cultered cell electrophysiology, intracranial pharmacology and chemogenetics, and rodent behavioral analysis.

Candidates must have a PhD in biomedical sciences or biophysics. Prior experience with electrophysiological techniques is preferred but lab will provide training if needed.

Interested applicants: CV | Brief statement of research experience + interests
Send to: Dr. Kevin Wickman | wickm002@umn.edu

Interesting Features at PWN for 3.16.15

News from the PWN Pipeline:

'We must still refine how to promote gender equality.'

The Guardian online offers an important update on gender disparity in STEM-related fields by examining findings from several research studies on the issue. Importantly, it seems that gender biases may persist in specific fields, such as life sciences (psychology, social sciences), where women are still paid less than men, have trouble gaining tenure, and are less likely to apply for assistant professorships. In other fields, however, such as math-intensive fields (geoscience, economics, mathematics/computer science, chemistry, physics), women's careers are progressing more equally to those of men. Unfortunately, in math-intensive fields, there are simply fewer women who have chosen to pursue careers in these fields. The more women who become successful academics in  math-intensive and life sciences fields, the more girls will be taught by women and thus will perceive of greater options and opportunities for themselves. The article also summarizes several key policy interventions that were proposed in a recent research article that could promote gender equality in STEM, among them recruiting gender-balanced review and speaker selection committees and creating institutional report cards for gender equality.

Interesting Features at PWN for 3.9.15

News from the PWN Pipeline: 

"There used to be a girl in the Robotics class but she quit, and so, I'm the only girl left."

Click the link above for a brief clip from Microsoft on their new initiative to inspire girls to stay interested in science despite prevailing perceptions that science is a "boy thing." The video features statements from young girls who have demonstrated their interest in science and technology in various ways; one young science enthusiast built her own computer and another developed a garage door opener.

'Call for action to make sure that women and girls are at the center of the global science and technology revolution.'

UN Under-Secretary-General, and executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka recently reported in The Huffington Post that UN Women has joined forces with the Global Fund for Women and its IGNITE: Women Fueling Science and Technology campaign in an effort to call for global action in eliminating barriers for equal access and participation for women and girls in global science, technology, and innovation industries. The campaign is also advocating for supporters to sign a petition demanding that critical steps be taken by governments, regional institutions and leading decision makers in the UN to promote global women's empowerment and gender equality in STEM fields.

Interesting Features at PWN for 3.2.15

News from the PWN Pipeline:

"Girls taught by women scientists are more interested in science and more confident of their abilities."

This article features an interview with Shulamit Kahn, an associate professor in the markets, public policy and law department of Boston University School of Management, who, together with three colleagues, conducted research showing that women faculty in math-intensive science fields, including geoscience, engineering, economics, mathematics/computer science, and physical science (GEEMP) feel as professionally fulfilled as their male colleagues. Though women are still underrepresented in these fields, Kahn and her coauthors found that women faculty in GEEMP fields received comparable pay rates, had equivalent access to tenure-track academic positions, and had manuscripts accepted and grants funded at equal rates as their male colleagues. The interview with Kahn offers some interesting perspectives on eliminating pre-college perception barriers to women studying and entering GEEMP fields as well as the importance of female role models in science and engineering.


PWN Member-Led Initiative

Upcoming free Webinar entitled "Protein Analysis Made Simple" offered through The Scientist magazine. 

PWN Member Sarah Barry, graduate fellow in the Jaqueline McGinty Lab in the Neuroscience Institute at the Medical University of South Caroline and Dr. Asima Kerimi, research fellow in the Gary Williamson Group at the University of Leeds, will lead this Webinar on recent advances that can automate protein analysis techniques and procedures in order to obtain more quantitative reproducible data.

Live Webinar | Tuesday March 17th
Free
1-2 pm
Click link above or register here


Advancement Opportunities

Postdoctoral fellowship available in the Department of Psychology at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 

Excellent postdoctoral research opportunity for a candidate with a PhD in neuroscience, pharmacology, psychology or related discipline to study molecular mechanisms through which sex steroid hormones regulate memory in mice throughout the adult lifespan in the laboratory of Dr. Karyn Frick. Successful candidates will have past experience with chemogenetics, gene silencing and/or molecular biology/biochemistry techniques as well as a background in memory and/or behavioral endocrinology and a strong track record of manuscript publication.

More details in link above
Interested applicants: CV | 3 references | Statement of research interests
Send to: Dr. Karyn Frick | fricklab@gmail.com