WIMSIG NEWSLETTER — August 2020
WIMSIG Executive Committee — Call for Nominations
At the end of 2020, WIMSIG will be electing new members for the Executive Committee, to commence terms in February 2021. The positions that will be open and the length of term are as follows:
- Student member, 1 year term
- Secretary, 2 year term
- Treasurer, 2 year term
- 2 x ordinary members, 2 year term
If you are interested in the opportunity to lead the drive for gender equity in Australian Mathematics, please consider nominating for a position by November 30.
Please contact the current members to answer any questions you may have about the roles:
- 2020 student member: Rose Crocker
- 2019-2020 secretary: Jennifer Flegg
- 2019-2020 treasurer: Valentina Wheeler
- 2019-2020 ordinary members: Sevvandi Kandanaarachchi and Julia Collins
The Returning Officer is A/Prof Vanessa Venturi (v.venturi@unsw.edu.au).
Nominations should be emailed to the Returning Officer, and need to include the nominee’s name, the second nominator’s name, the role, and a statement from the nominee on why they would like to take on the role, which will be sent out to the WIMSIG membership list should there be an election.
AustMS WIMSIG Cheryl E. Praeger Travel and Anne Penfold Street Awards
The next round of the AustMS WIMSIG Cheryl E. Praeger Travel Awards and Anne Penfold Street Awards is now open and will close on October 1, 2020.
The Cheryl E. Praeger Travel Awards are designed to provide full or partial support for Australian female mathematicians to attend conferences or to visit collaborators.
The Anne Penfold Street Awards provide additional financial support to Australian mathematicians, regardless of gender, for their caring responsibilities while they travel for conferences or research visits to collaborators. Also note that conference organisers may apply for Anne Penfold Street Awards.
OPTIMA
Prof Kate Smith-Miles (Melbourne), leading a team of university and industry partners, has received funding for an Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Optimisation Technologies, Integrated Methodologies, and Applications (OPTIMA).
Congratulations Kate and the team!
- https://ms.unimelb.edu.au/news/new-arc-industrial-transformation-training-centre-announced
- https://www.arc.gov.au/news-publications/media/media-releases/new-training-centres-undertake-world-leading-research
Honorary life membership for Dr Alison Harcourt
Dr Alison Harcourt AO, a lifelong supporter of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) and contributor to the statistical discipline, was nominated for Honorary Life Membership of the SSA in recognition of her inspiring career, remarkable achievements, and dedicated service.
Global Young Academy
The Global Young Academy (GYA) is currently seeking nominations for the 2021 membership round. The deadline for applications is 15 September 2020, 10 pm UTC.
The Global Young Academy gives a voice to young scientists around the world by developing, connecting, and mobilising young talent from six continents. The GYA empowers young researchers to lead international, interdisciplinary, and inter-generational dialogue with the goal to make global decision making evidence-based and inclusive. The GYA provides a rallying point for outstanding young scientists from around the world to come together to address topics of global importance. The vibrancy of this global organisation results from the energy of its members, who are passionate about the role of science in creating a better world.
Women and applicants from different minority groups, and from diverse disciplines including the natural, physical and social sciences as well as the arts and humanities and people working in government, industry, and non-governmental sectors are encouraged to apply.
Further information, including details about the nomination process, may be found at https://globalyoungacademy.net/call-for-new-members/.
Shakuntala Devi: Human Computer
A biographical Hindi-language film about Shkuntala Devi, known as the Human Computer after television appearances in the 1950’s is now available on Amazon Prime.
https://www.bloombergquint.com/opinion/the-untold-story-of-shakuntala-devi
OPPORTUNITIES
Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI)
- AMSI Director (fixed term, full time)
— Closing date: Friday 21 August, 2020
MEDIA
- Girls score the same in maths and science as boys, but higher in arts – this may be why they are less likely to pick STEM careers, The Conversation — June 18, 2020
- First-year and final-year undergraduate students’ perceptions of university mathematics departments, Mathematics Education Research Journal — June 21, 2020
- Yes, women outnumber men at university. But they still earn less after they leave, The Conversation — July 21, 2020
- Chief Scientist: women in STEM are still far short of workplace equity. COVID-19 risks undoing even these modest gains, The Conversation — July 24, 2020
- Equity:a mathematician shares her solution, nature — July 27, 2020
Have you read an interesting article? Have some news? Have an opportunity available?
Please send items to WIMSIG-news@women.austms.org.au.
Note: Newsletters are published on the 1st day of each month (or soon after). The deadline for submitted items is the 27th day of each month.
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