Our Picks for February 4th

Network Like a Woman

We all know that being part of PWN is fun and informative -- and a new study in PNAS suggests that it's also excellent for our career development. The authors assessed the post-graduate placement of students in both STEM and non-STEM graduate programs. They found that for women (but not men), students got better jobs when they had networks that included other women. The authors attribute this to women with strong women-containing networks having "simultaneous access to gender-related tacit information important for women’s success as well as diverse job-market data needed for successful job search and negotiations."

In a Washington Post article about this study, a researcher who was not involved in the study noted, “Women’s networks you haven't necessarily thought of as strategic are strategic.” So if you haven't realized already, your membership in PWN is strategic! Want to strengthen those connections? Come hang out with us on Slack (click here to join!).

Thanks to Kasia Bieszczad for sharing the Washington Post article! If you have articles you want to share, feel free to e-mail us or post them on Slack!

Other Articles of Interest 

"Diversity without inclusion is an empty gesture."

In an insightful article in Nature this week, David Asai argues that managers (i.e., PIs in academia) need training on how to be more inclusive of those from minoritized backgrounds. It's not enough to just hire people from diverse backgrounds, we must also insure that everyone feels included in the scientific community -- otherwise we'll be stuck with the same "leaky pipeline" we have now. The sad reality is that most of the people in charge are from a very narrow set of backgrounds and may never have thought about the ways in which they are not being inclusive. Thus, training in inclusion is essential to build a scientific community that looks like the global community.

Co-First Author Bias

A study published in eLife this week suggested bias in co-first authorship. Specifically, it suggests that in co-first author situations that include both an man and a woman, the man is more often listed first. As the first co-first author often gets more credit for the work, this raises concern about such bias impacting women's careers.

Job Posting: Postdoc at Massachusetts General Hospital

Post-doctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Ksenia Kastanenka at Massachusetts General Hospital an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. The laboratory is part of a larger multi-disciplinary group, the scientific effort of which is geared toward understanding the etiology and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The laboratory is focused on studying circuit disruptions during the disease progression and understanding mechanisms of action of therapeutics aimed at reversing the disease. To that end state-of-the-art technology, such as in vivo imaging with multiphoton microscopy, is used to monitor circuit dynamics. Additionally, optogenetics is used to modulate circuit activity. For more information, visit https://www.massgeneral.org/neurology/research/researchlab.aspx?id=1803

Desired qualifications:
We seek a self-motivated individual with a Ph.D. in Neuroscience or related biomedical discipline with a strong intellectual commitment to understanding mechanisms of disease using murine models and an enthusiasm for multidisciplinary research. Evidence of prior productivity is required evidenced by high-quality research publications. Good inter-personal and communication skills are a must.

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter summarizing your experience, along with the contact information of three references to kkastanenka@mgh.harvard.edu addressed to Dr. Ksenia Kastanenka.