Luise Meyer-Schutzmeister Memorial Award
for an Outstanding Woman Graduate in Physics
The Luise Meyer-Schutzmeister Award was created by the Association for Women in Science for graduate students in physics. Meyer-Schutzmeister (1915-81) was Senior Physicist at Argonne National Laboratory from 1956-1981. She helped perform measurements of gamma rays produced in nuclear reactions and conducted studies of the behavior of nuclei.

The deadline for application materials is January 10. Only women are eligible for this award; no U.S. citizenship requirement is specified. See the Association for Women in Science site at <http://www.awis.org/ed/ed_foundation.html> for application details and other awards.
 

PROFESSION
"Profession Notes" by Kate Devine
DOE to Increase Women Scientists in Workforce

     Fueled by a booming economy, unemployment record lows have caused concern about the nation's future workforce in foundational areas such as science, engineering, and technology. The federal government is among concerned employers. Department of Energy secretary Bill Richardson says, "The Department of Energy, like the rest of America, has a soaring demand for a technically skilled workforce." DOE points out that in the next two decades, the workforce will become 50 percent women.
     Currently, however, women fill only 9 percent of jobs requiring engineering skills and 10 percent requiring a physics background. Thus, DOE recently announced actions embodying the goals of the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology (CAWMSET). Established in October 1998, CAWMSET's purpose was to recommend ways to improve recruitment, retention, and representation of women and minorities in the workforce. In
announcing this initiative, Richardson pointed out that DOE as a leading scientific and technical employer has the obligation to help build a workforce that will accommodate future demands.
     The planned activities include: collaborating with the National Science Foundation to use the DOE's national lab facilities for hands-on science education; partnering with the Office of Personnel Management and Congress to better compete for highly qualified technical personnel; undertaking aggressive outreach and recruitment; establishing formal training of scientists and managers to serve as volunteer mentors; and creating a database to monitor progress made in eliminating equal opportunity barriers. In conjunction with these actions, Richardson says, "Women today--young women in school and those who already are on their career paths--cannot lose sight of the many opportunities in science and technology that beg for their involvement."

The Scientist 14[19]:33, Oct. 2, 2000 - © Copyright 2000, The Scientist, Inc. - All rights reserved.
We welcome your opinion. If you would like to comment on this article, please write us at editorial@the-scientist.com
 
 
 

Relevant Links:  Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics
                   Recommended books, biographies, etc.
                   The Institute for Women and Technology
                   Association for Women in Science
                   4,000 Years of Women in Science