Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Physics and Astronomy

INCREASING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

lthough women make up almost 50 percent of physics students in high school, they comprise only 10 percent of full A professors in the United States. In astronomy, women make up only 15 percent of full professors. The goal of the Heising-Simons Foundation’s Women in Physics and Astronomy grantmaking is to increase the number of women in these fields, both in colleges and in academic and research careers in the United States. Below are some innovative and scalable initiatives that the Foundation supports in order to promote a more inclusive and diverse physics and astronomy braintrust in the United States. By sharing this work publicly, the Foundation hopes to inspire more such efforts from the funders’ community, and within academic institutions.

MARIA GOEPPERT MAYER MIT PHYSICS CECILIA PAYNE LECTURE SERIES RESEARCH FELLOWS GAPOSCHKIN AWARD Dr. Young-Kee Kim created Dr. Winslow runs this Fellows The Doctoral Dissertation and oversees the Maria pilot program which supports Award in Astrophysics Goeppert Mayer Lecture students and postdocs, annually recognizes an Series as well as an undergraduate summer especially within the particularly exemplary doctoral thesis research program for women underrepresented group of in this field. Nominations in physics. The lecture series female physicists. The program of women, members of hosts outstanding women teaches preparation and review underrepresented minority physicists in honor of the of research proposals, several groups, and scientists from theoretical physicist who won of which are actually funded. outside the United States the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physics are especially encouraged. for the nuclear shell model. Host institution: Host institution: Massachusetts Institute Host institution: University of Chicago of Technology American Physical Society

STEM EQUITY RISING FUTURE ACHIEVEMENT STARS OF PHYSICS (SEA) CHANGE WORKSHOPS AT CALTECH This self-assessment, These two-and-a-half The program welcomed metrics, and awards day workshops bring 25 33 undergraduate women program advances of the next generation of in 2018 for two days of institutional transformation astronomy and physics networking and engaging in support of diversity academic leaders together in science discussions and inclusion in colleges for discussions aimed at with Caltech faculty and universities. navigating the early stages as they consider of the academic career. graduate school options. Host institution: American Association for Host institution: Massachusetts Host institution: California the Advancement of Science Institute of Technology Institute of Technology

VERA RUBIN PRESIDENTIAL MARGARET BURBIDGE DEBORAH JIN CHAIR FOR DIVERSITY VISITING PROFESSORSHIP FELLOWSHIP IN ASTRONOMY AT OF PHYSICS AND UNIVERSITY OF UC SANTA CRUZ ASTRONOMY COLORADO, BOULDER The endowed chair This visiting professorship The fellowship is in advances diversity, equity, brings eminent female honor of renowned and inclusive excellence physicists and astronomers physicist Deborah in astronomy by attracting on a short-term basis for (Debbie) Jin, and and supporting aspiring collaborative research and provides financial astronomers from discussions within the support for two graduate underrepresented groups. Department of Physics. fellowships for women in physics and their mentors. Host institution: Host institution: Host institution: UC Santa Cruz UC San Diego University of Colorado Boulder

MIT: John Phelan, CC BY 3.0; Gaposchkin: Smithsonian Institution, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_Payne-Gaposchkin#/media/File:Cecilia_Helena_Payne_ Gaposchkin_(1900-1979)_(3).jpg; Caltech: Canon.vs.nikon, CC BY 3.0; UC Santa Cruz: Dynaflow, CC BY 3.0; Burbidge: Annie Gracy, CC BY-SA 4.0; University of Colorado: MECU, CC BY 3.0