[ASA] ASA Women in Astronomy chapter update and invitation to new members

[John O'Byrne]

Dear colleagues,

The Women in Astronomy Chapter of the ASA aims to raise the profile of women in Australian astronomy and recommend future actions that will improve the environment for all astronomers. We invite you to visit the Chapter website to learn more about our aims and recent activities:
http://asawomeninastronomy.org/

One of the projects of the Chapter are to collate statistics on women in Australian astronomy as a means of monitoring the progress of the status of women in astronomy over time.  This includes statistics on ASA membership, participation at ASA Annual Science Meetings and the awarding of ASA prizes.  The Chapter also assists the National Committee for Astronomy in its demographics surveys for the decadal and mid-term reviews.  For details on the gender statistics in Australian astronomy, see 
http://asawomeninastronomy.org/statistics/

In 2011 the Chapter hosted the first Australian women in astronomy workshop.   A second women in astronomy workshop will be held in Melbourne 10-11 October.  A formal workshop announcement will be posted soon.  For details, see 
http://asawomeninastronomy.org/meetings/wia2012/

The Chapter also hosts women in astronomy meetings at the ASA Annual Science Meetings (ASM). Following our successful meeting at the 2011 ASA ASM, and maintaining the momentum from the  ASA Early Career Research workshop that was hosted in Shoal Bay earlier this month, the Chapter will be running another "speed meet-a-mentor" session at this year's ASA ASM in Sydney.  The event will run during a special lunch session on Tuesday 3 July.  A mailout will be sent to all registered 2012 ASM participants. We encourage everyone to participate - both mentors and mentees.

Finally, the Chapter will be holding Steering Committee elections in the next fortnight.  All Chapter members are welcome to nominate for the Steering Committee, and thus we encourage ASA members who are not yet Chapter members to sign up!  Membership is open to *all* ASA members (regardless of gender) who wish to support women in astronomy and can contribute to help raise the profile of women astronomers in Australia.  As a member, you will 
- be welcome to contribute to defining the Chapter's activities;
- receive emails members periodically about issues of interest to the Chapter;
- be eligible to serve on the steering committee;
- be eligible to vote for members of the steering committee;
To register, please visit http://asawomeninastronomy.org/registration/

See you at the ASA ASM!
Cheers,
Sarah Maddison
on behalf of the ASA Chapter for Women in Astronomy

-- 
A/Prof Sarah Maddison
Associate Professor of Astrophysics & SAO Coordinator
(visit http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/sao/)
 Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing   
 Swinburne University of Technology       
 PO BOX 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122,  AUSTRALIA  
 t: 61-3-9214 5971
 f: 61-3-9214 8797
 e: smaddison at swin.edu.au
 w: http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/maddison/

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