Updates & News
“Be bold. Be courageous. Never be afraid to speak up and speak out. Together we can build a more perfect union. #goodtrouble” Representative John Lewis
The Declaration of Independence in the U.S. is a document of protest. If you are an American, there is no better way to show your patriotism on the 4th of July, than to take an action to improve your country. =
My mentor sent me a message yesterday, she said "We have had conservative Supreme Courts before and lived through it. We will weather this storm and come out the other side." It may not be comforting to know that an even larger storm is coming, but know, no matter what arrives, we will stand together. To prepare yourself and get some good motivation, I recommend reading Dr. Chandra's thread and the links. Keep your heads up!
As said perfectly by Dr. Needhi Bhalla earlier this week - At some point, you no longer get props for recognizing the problem. So whether it be Nature journals, the US government, or societal injustices - we need to do more than point out the problem. We must take action. Our weekly action:
This week on #MeetAScientist, learn about University of Washington Chemical Engineering professor Lilo Pozzo. Lilo's research group explores properties of nanomaterials with applications spanning from photovoltaic cells to protein engineering. Born in Argentina and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Pozzo recently spent time in Puerto Rico with her research group helping restore power to the island using microgrids and solar arrays.
I know this week was overly frustrating in the US (we have some suggestions below on how to #keepfamiliestogether). While the US administration, and governments around the world, try to sow chaos and distrust in their citizens it is our responsibility as scientists to be leaders in our communities. We have the opportunity to share facts and support policies backed by the truth. We can be leaders by writing op-ed's in our local papers, doing interviews with media on policies relevant to our research and communities, and we always have the option to stand up for what we know is right. As part of 500WS you never will be alone in your activism. Happy Summer Solstice, keep up the good fight!
Inspired by an article we wrote last year, the El Paso women recognized that their border community was uniquely positioned, and a pod could bring together people from many backgrounds with one goal in mind: to change perceptions of what a scientists looks like in their own community. While the pod is still in the early stages of growth, already they are finding creative ways to interact with their community - including a fossil hike! Thank you ladies for taking time to introduce your pod to us!
Well this week was just a bit too much. North Korea barely made a blip because many of us had our heads buried in the NAS report on sexual harassment or were worrying over immigration or ... well you get the idea. We have thoughts on the NAS report, but will take our time to put them together, stay tuned. In the meantime, refuel this weekend because the summer is looking to be full of resistance! Or at the least get your 500WS number, subscribe today!
Become a 500 Women Scientists subscriber! Today, we are excited to launch our monthly subscription program! We are now officially a registered 501c(3) non-profit organization -- which means all your contributions are tax-deductible. Although the last year and a half has presented challenges and frustrations, we have channeled our energy and activism to grow into an unapologetically feminist organization with a vision towards making science open, inclusive, and accessible to all.
Already a supporter? Send this request to 3 people who could also support women in science.
A contribution at any level - $3, $5, $10, $25 or more a month is valued. All subscribers will receive a personalized 500 Women Scientists card and access to many of our organizational resources. Your committed support will benefit the entire organization and is crucial as we grow into a sustainable, permanent organization. Reliable, recurrent financial contributions will help pay for the vital infrastructure we need, will provide a stable foundation from which we can launch and grow our various initiatives, and will allow us to fund our national and local pod activities. We are a grassroots organization, and your support is what keeps us going every day.
This week on #MeetAScientist, get to know science communicator Laurel Allen, one of the co-organizers of the 500 Queer Scientists campaign! She chats about her path to science communication, the success of 500QS, which is now in its second week and has been featured in outlets like Mother Jones, and what we can all do to maximize their impact.
Last weekend we held our third board meeting and it was a blast. I won't go so far as to say we can save the world, but we sure are trying our best to change the face of science. You can read a summary our our meeting here, and we'd love to hear from you - what ideas have you been thinking about, which changes have you seen make a difference that you want us to include (or not include) - our email is always open. Enjoy the weekend friends!
We've said it before, but 500WS is a truly global organization! We have 146 pods in the US, and also 145 spread across the world! Every week or so we highlight a pod that has gotten off the ground and is making progress in their own community. This week that pod is Vancouver, BC. Jen Rowland is leading the group and changing perceptions of what a scientist looks like. Keep up the great work team!
Happy Pride Month! We’re thrilled to partner with 500 Queer Scientists, which launched yesterday to increase visibility for LGBTQ+ people in the scientific community. Whether you are a member of the LGBTQ+ STEMM community or an ally, you can do your part to make this campaign a success.
Happy Pride Month! This week on #MeetAScientist, get to know Dr. Lauren Esposito, an arachnologist, educator, and co-founder of the campaign 500 Queer Scientists, which launched today! 500QS is a new visibility campaign for LGBTQ+ people and their allies working in STEMM and STEMM-supporting jobs. In this interview, Lauren chats about her work and the need raise awareness around issues facing LGBTQ+ members of the scientific community. You can follow 500QS and amplify their work on Twitter @500QueerSci and Instagram @500QueerScientists!
We are so excited about this weekend! We are meeting for our third board meeting in Atlanta. Are you in the area? Join us for Saturday's meet-up, RSVP here. Otherwise, keep an eye out for updates, a summary of the meeting, and new projects for 2018. We wouldn't be able to do this without the help and support of all of you, so thank you!
Our mission is to serve society by making science open, inclusive, and accessible, and to transform society by fighting racism, patriarchy, and oppressive societal norms
