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Global Cornerstone Projects - She is an Astronomer PDF Print E-mail

Promoting gender quality and empowering women is one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The IYA2009 Cornerstone project, She is an Astronomer, will promote gender equality in astronomy (and in science in general) and tackle gender bias issues by providing a web platform where neutral information and links about gender balance and other related useful resources are collected.

Approximately one quarter of all professional astronomers are women. The field continues to attract women and benefits from their participation, but there is a wide global variation. In some countries there are no female astronomers, while in others more than half the professional astronomers are female. Moreover, the significant number of female dropouts suggests that scientific careers are heavily affected by social and cultural factors and are not determined solely by ability.

The project targets a varied audience, including professional and amateur astronomers, students and all those who share an interest in the gender-equality problem in science and in astronomy in particular. The project will develop around its own dedicated website, which will host a special "Portrait Diary" section where female astronomers will present their own career paths, some aspects of their private lives and the difficulties they may have encountered in their professional life and during their education, set in the context of gender equality issues. As part of a voluntary ambassador programme professional astronomers will talk to female students in schools, colleges and universities near where they live and work.

Project description

1. Objectives, aims

The aim of the project is to provide neutral, informative and accessible information to female professional and amateur astronomers, students and those who are generally interested in the gender equality problem in science. We believe that providing these information can help to increase the interest of young females to study astronomy, and to pursue a career in astronomy.

Objectives of the project are to build and maintain an internet based, easy-to-handle and maintain forum and database, where people regardless of the geographical location can read about and discuss the subject, discuss the subject, ask questions and find answers. As a special part, the project shall provide Internet based forum to discuss the astronomy sector specific problems (such as observing time and family duties etc.).

2. Project description

The project, currently named "She is an astronomer @ success.com", is internet based in order to get the maximum geographical scope. The project contains the following pillars:

• "Her Cosmic Diary" blog: Well-known female astronomers chosen based on a fair geographical distribution will be asked to present themselves as part of the IYA2009 Cosmic Diary blog: their carrier path, professional and part of their private life in essays and pictures. The site shall provide forum-chat option for everyone who wants to engage in discussion on the topic. The discussion will be non-moderated, community driven.

• The chosen female astronomers will be special contributors to the 24 Hours of Astronomy project as well.

• The Portal to the Universe web portal will provide a collection of links of all the existing programmes, associations, international organizations, NGOs, grants, fellowships supporting female scientists. Also the EU FP7 gender mainstreaming possibilities will be described on the website.

• The project intends to seek a cooperation agreement with already existing prestigious initiatives that provide fellowships to female scientists to enhance their career chances. ( like UNESCO - L'Oreal initiative)

• A Woman Ambassador programme shall be established to reach the high schools and universities. The ambassador programme will be a voluntary activity of female astronomers. During the IAU GA in Brazil the ambassadors will be instructed by the project leader about the activities that they could do as honorary ambassadors.

3. Implementation

Phases of the project:

        • • Planning: 2007 September - May
        • • Preparation: 2008 (hiring the person in charge, building website, filling it with
          information, contacting participating female astronomers)
        • • Implementation: 2009 (website running: blog, 24 hours astronomy, discussion
          forum, ambassadors instruction kit completed)
        • • Closing, follow-up: 2010

 

Deliverables and expected milestones

1. Planning:

- Project working group establishment. Working group first teleconference in October.

- Detailed Draft project plan by December 2007. Final project plan by 2008 May.

2. Preparation:

- Hiring person in charge of IT tasks should be done by 2008 July. This person would be in charge of the technical aspects: building and maintaining the website, collecting the links, according to the instructions of the working group.

3. Implementation:

- Internet site has to be up and running by the opening ceremony of the Year, and will be introduced to the public during the event.

- Maintaining and updating the website is continuous during the whole year, in collaboration with the other IYA projects.

- One month before the IAU GA in Brazil, a kit for the ambassadors has to be completed (a guide).

Detailed project description

  1. "Her Cosmic Diary" blog : Well-known female astronomers chosen based on a fair geographical distribution will be asked to present themselves as part of the IYA2009 Cosmic Diary blog: their carrier path, professional and part of their private life in essays and pictures.

One astronomer will present herself per month. The list of the 12 astronomers should be complete by August 2008 (with confirmation from the scientists that they are willing to participate). They will be contacted during the course of September, and will be asked to present their short story in Word document 2 months before their "month". The personal stories should contain:

  • - What was my drive to become an astronomer
  • - The years of studies/ The early professional carreer
  • - How to manage a family and a career
  • - Was there any help or support/Advise to young scientists

The parts will be presented on a weekly basis. Ideally pictures from the scientist and family should also be published.

Needs: - Person to build the website (as part of the Universe website and the Cosmic blog website)
- Person to proof read the papers of the scientists
- Person to maintain the website (max 1 day per week)

 


Task Group

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (ESO) - Chair
Eniko Patkos (Hungary, ESO)
Helen Walker (UK, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)
Chris De Pree (USA, Agnes Scott College of Atlanta)
Mary Beth Laychak (USA, Hawaii, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope)
Maria Lugaro (Italy, currently at the Astronomical Institute, University of Utrecht)
Gloria Dubner (Argentina, Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio)
Yiping Wang (China, Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing)
Sarah Maddison (Australia, Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology)
Danielle Alloin (France, CNRS)
Lebohang William Kompi (Lesotho, National University of Lesotho)
Patricia Knezek (USA, NOAO, Tucson)
Doug Duncan (USA, Dept. of Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado)


Files

Report from December 03, 2007 (.pdf format, 143 KB)

 
An and initiative

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