Professional Skills Development

APS is pleased to offer a series of workshops designed to provide women physicists with professional training in effective negotiation, communication and leadership skills.  In addition, the workshops offer a special opportunity for networking.  Past workshops have been well-attended and have received very enthusiastic evaluations from the participants.

This series of workshops will offer sessions aimed at postdoctoral associates and sessions aimed at women faculty in physics in US institutions.  Women of color are especially encouraged to participate.  These workshops are intended to produce more women leaders in physics through professional training and networking, to achieve their full potential, advance in their careers and reach the top ranks in their profession. In 2008, the two professional skills development workshops will offer one session aimed at postdoctoral associates and one session aimed at newly tenured (or tenure track) women faculty in physics. 

  •  Program & Agenda
      (NOTE: the deadline to apply for the workshops has passed)
  •  Find out how to apply  
      First consideration is given to applications received by the deadlines.
  •  Apply Online
  •  Travel & Housing

Workshops Conducted to Date

St. Louis, April 11, 2008: 32 women physicists (16 women post docs, 16 tenure-track women faculty).
New Orleans, March 9, 2008: 32 women physicists (16 women post docs, 16 tenure track women faculty.

Jacksonville, April 13, 2007: 12 women physicists in industry and research facilities
Denver, March 4, 2007: 34 women physicists in industry and research facilities

Baltimore, March 2006: 30 tenure-track women faculty
Dallas, April 2006: 29 tenure-track women faculty

Tampa, April 2005: 29 tenured women faculty
Los Angeles, March 2005: 32 tenured women faculty

Advisory Committee

The nine volunteer members of the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics serve as advisors to this program. CSWP was founded in 1972 to address the encouragement and career development of women physicists and sponsors a number of studies, programs and publications.

Background

Currently, women are severely underrepresented in the physical sciences and engineering.[1]  As of 2003, women receive 22% of the BS/BA degrees in physics, but only 18% of the PhDs, and only 5% of full professors in physics were women in 2002. [2]    In addition, women are less likely than their male peers to be nominated for prestigious prizes and awards.[3, 4, 5]. We will need to increase the number of women in leadership positions if we are to attract and retain more women in physical science and engineering.

References

1.  National Science Foundation (NSF). Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2007.   NSF 07-315. Washington, DC. Table H-5, Employed scientists and engineers, by occupation, highest degree level, and sex, 2003.
www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/employ.htm

 2.  Ivie, R., Guo, S., & Carr, A. 2004 Physics & Astronomy Academic Workforce. American Institute of Physics Statistical Research Center, College Park, MD, 2004.
www.aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/awf.pdf
 
3. Sonnert, G. & Holton, G.  Gender differences in science careers: the Project Access Study, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ, 1995. 

4. Valian, V., Why so slow? the advancement of women.  MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2000 (paperback), 233, 234.

5. Urry, M. Speeding up the long slow path to change, American Physical Society News, Back Page, February 2003.
www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200302/backpage.cfm

Sponsor

Support for this program has been received from the National Science Foundation under Award No. PHY-0752540.

Further Information

Email Sue Otwell.