AWIS-SD President's Letter

By Jenny Chaplin

Dear AWIS members,

Welcome to this special edition of the AWIS-SD newsletter. This edition marks the celebration of 20 years for this illustrious publication. Our Newsletter Committee has asked some of our long-standing members to contribute to this anniversary edition. Lynne Friedmann, to whom we owe many thanks for establishing the newsletter back in 1988, reflects on those days and the significant changes that have been made to enhance the publication. Itís sad to say, but I remember when a computer had 256 kB of memory. In fact, as the technology progressed, it almost became a perk to be one of those to get 365 kB and then 465 kB and finally, the remarkable Pentium, as it was too costly for everyone to get them at the same time.

Sandra Slivka and Susan Forsburg reflect on what AWIS has meant to them over the years. We are privileged to have women of their caliber still contributing to our chapter. We hope that there are hundreds of others who have passed through AWIS-SD through the years and felt the same benefits. For those still relatively new to the chapter, the greatest value from AWIS is found in volunteering. Lynne Friedmann mentioned how volunteering for the newsletter committee kick-started the writing careers of several of our members. There are many other benefits to volunteering, the least of which is to build your network and to provide a support system, which was critical to Sandra Slivka and Susan Forsburg.

As I sign off from this momentous edition, my final thank you is to those who have made the newsletter possible over the last 20 years and to the current committee members and others who take the time to keep us updated with news and articles. May the newsletter continue for at least another 20 years. By that stage, we may be receiving it on our wristwatches or other tiny but powerful devices!

Best regards,

Jenny

Chapter Newsletter Reaches 20-Year Milestone

By Lynne Friedmann

In 1988 the cost of gasoline was $1.38/gallon, the median household income was $27,225, and the U.S. presidential race pitted George H.W. Bush against Michael Dukakis. It was also the year that AWIS-SD started a chapter newsletter, and I was its first editor. At the time, the chapter had 74 members and was loosely structured. Starting the newsletter was a unilateral decision and part of a fledging public relations effort for the chapter.

It was the early years of personal computing, and the first chapter newsletter benefited from state-of-the-art technology: A Compaq Portable PC that weighed in at a luggable 28 pounds. Measuring 20 inches by 15.3 inches by 8.5 inches, these systems were affectionately called "sewing machines." It came with 256 kB of memory, had two 5.25 inch floppy disk drives, and a built-in, green-screen video display that measured 9-inches diagonally. In its day, this PC was nothing short of miraculous.

Layout was accomplished with Ventura Publisher, the first desktop publishing package for IBM PC compatibles. Output was on an Epson dot matrix printer. Also called an "impact" printer, a print head ran back and forth across a page creating letters by striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon; not much different than a typewriter.

Early newsletters were black-and-white, one-page, double-sided with two-columns of text only and issued on a bi-monthly basis. Provided as a benefit of chapter membership, I had the audacity to assign a $20/year subscription rate for non-members. I donít believe there were any takers. Software upgrades in the early 1990s added rudimentary clip art to the layout. In looking at the newsletter archives I chuckled that in some cases, I still did cut-and-paste of headlines and articles that somehow just wouldnít print out properly.

Barbara Armstrong maintained the chapter mailing list which was printed on peel-and-stick labels. At a kitchen table, fueled by soft drinks and pizza, we would fold, affix, and sort the mailings. In 1988, first-class postage was 25 cents.

Over time, additional volunteers joined these mailing parties and became the talent pool for future newsletter leadership. In 1995, I turned the editor reins over to Sharon Cherf who greatly expanded the page count, added more graphics, and solicited bylined articles from members at large. Internet use was becoming common, so Cherf polled readers: "Would you be interested in receiving the newsletter by e-mail?" Chapter membership had grown to more than 200, but only 32 members responded - all indicated it was a swell idea. Thus, the newsletter was distributed both as snail mail and as an e-mail WORD attachment for a few years.

In 1999, the newsletter ceased as an editor-driven operation and became a full-fledged committee with a "staff" of writers. Under the leadership of Barbara Armstrong the newsletter made the transition to the digital age as a PDF e-mail attachment. When problems were encountered opening/downloading issues, the decision was made to post the PDF to the chapter's newly launched website.

The newsletter PDF proved so popular with contributors that it verged on getting out of hand both length- and editing-wise. Input from a chapter survey indicated readers primarily scanned the newsletter, so writers were encouraged to adopt a web-friendly writing style: shorter stories, bullet points, sidebars, captions, etc.

When Janice Payne and Hima Joshi became co-chairs in 2004 they created a newsletter governance document that set word counts for news vs. feature articles, the number of articles writers were expected to contribute, and a style guide that facilitated more consistent copy editing. In the area of writer development, I was approached to conduct an "in-house" writing clinic specifically tailored to meet committee members and newsletter contributors' needs. This has become an annual workshop.

When Hima Joshi left San Diego to accept a faculty position, Siobhan Malany replaced her as co-chair and was instrumental in furthering the newsletterís web evolution by introducing, in late 2007, a hyperlinked e-mail. The advantages of the HTML version are that it allows readers to link to newsletter stories, drives traffic to the website, and tracks how many open the e-mail and what features are accessed.

Co-chairs Sama Tamrakar and Paula Campos Soto took over the HTML version and have added their own creative updates to the hyperlinked template.

Inspired by their work as committee members or newsletter contributors several AWIS members have gone on to pursue writing and journalism courses and/or degree programs to enhance their skills and in some cases start new careers. They include Joanne Mullen, Amber Dance, Susan Brown, Jennifer Wampler, Julie Kinyoun, Rachel Schwartz, Karen Josephson, Wendy Hancock, Siobhan Malany, and Norma Velázquez Ulloa. Their work has appeared in the AWIS Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, New Scientist, Los Angeles Times, Nature, Ophthalmology Times, and San Diego Women magazine as well as in the news offices of UCSD and the National Cancer Institute, and in PR agencies and bioscience companies.

Over the course of 20 years, the AWIS-SD chapter newsletter has evolved from a seat-of-its-pants operation to a publication of high regard and quality. Itís a shining example of how risk-taking and a dedicated team of volunteers can open unexpected doors that lead to professional development opportunities for AWIS members.

Lynne Friedmann, AWIS Fellow, is a freelance writer/editor and science communications expert who has been involved with leadership and outreach on behalf of AWIS-SD since the 1980s.

AWIS-SD Chapter Newsletter
Editors and Committee Co-Chairs
1988-1995 Lynne Friedmann
1995-1999 Sharon Cherf
1999-2004 Barbara Armstrong
2004-2006 Janice Payne and Hima Joshi
2006-2007 Janice Payne and Siobhan Malany
2007-2008 Sama Tamrakar and Paula Campos Soto
2008-current Sama Tamrakar and Kerri Hebard-Massey

AWIS and Me

By Sandra Slivka

Oh Wait! It's not about me it's about YOU, because you are AWIS. I have watched AWIS-SD almost from the Chapter's inception. Here are my recollections:

In 1981, I was a mother with 2 small children. I had worked as a biochemist for 5 years before starting my family. As a stay-at-home mom, I found myself in San Diego without a support system and decided to return to SDSU for a M.S. in microbiology. In many ways, that is where my career as a woman in science began. I met Barbara Hemmingson, a faculty member who was struggling against an old world network to develop her career. A few of us women scientists met in the Mission Hills living room of UCSD faculty member Carol McCloud's house. This was my first recollection of AWIS. These meetings were unstructured but gave us a chance to meet, talk and complain.

I transitioned to a doctoral program at UCSD, then to a post doc at Scripps and then to Advanced Tissue Sciences, a unique company founded by Gail Naughton. In 1991, this company and AWIS coordinated one of the first in-company events. We hosted a panel discussion and I remember there were about 20 attendees. I was a liaison for the event. Naughton and my supervisor, Rhonda Bartel, were on the panel to discuss their careers and transitions.

Next, I remember the first Women in Bioscience day, held at UCSD in 1992; Lynne Friedmann's brainchild was borne into an awesome event.

What I am most pleased to recollect is my relationship with the AWIS-SD chapter that has grown and flourished into something beyond my wildest imagination in the early 80's. In many ways, AWIS has remained the same. It is still led by a group of dynamic women who offer true career assistance and support and a place for fun and interesting events. And yes, it's all about YOU, just as it should be!

Sandra Slivka is the director of Southern California Biotechnology Center at Miramar College.

AWIS-SD: 1988 and Today

By Barbara Armstrong

Happy 20th Anniversary, AWIS-SD newsletter!

The AWIS-SD chapter has steadily progressed in the last 20 years. In 1988 there were 74 official members; today we have approximately 350 members. In 1988, there were 4 board members who planned the monthly events, maintained the membership database, and kept track of our finances. Today, there are 6 board members, 18 committee chairs, and 52 committee members. Today there are two standing committees that plan monthly events and two ad hoc committees that plan the Gala and Women in Bioscience events. The percentage of members serving on boards and committees has grown from 5% to about 22%.

20 years ago, communication with our membership was in the form of a printed flyer (describing the monthly meeting topic) and our newsletter. The flyer and newsletter were distributed by snail mail, as websites and email were not widely used.

With the great fundraising success of our Sponsorship Committee and prudent spending by our board and committees, we have increased our outreach efforts from 4 high school science fair awards to 8 science fair awards, 10 scholarships and, more recently, a Career Development award.

Certainly, this article does not address all aspects of our chapter's progress over the last twenty years, but you can access our newsletter archives (1998 to 2008) at this link: http://awis.npaci.edu/members/newsletter_issues.htm if you want to learn more. The Website committee is scanning the pre-pdf newsletters and will make them available at the above URL.

AWIS-SD and Me

By Susan L. Forsburg

In late 1993, I arrived in San Diego to take up a faculty position at the Salk Institute. I had been an AWIS-national member on and off for a few years, though my membership had lapsed. AWIS wasn't really on my radar except for a highly motivated postdoc in the lab next door, Emelyn Eldredge, who connected with me as one of the few women faculty at Salk and who constantly talked up AWIS for its potential.

Any discussion of AWIS in those days must include Emelyn, a true force of nature whom we lost tragically and far too young to breast cancer. She recruited me to speak at the Women in Bioscience (WIB) Conference in 1995, which frankly knocked my socks off. I had such fun! I rejoined AWIS (and the San Diego chapter) and began a long association with the group. Back in those days, AWIS was widely viewed by many local women as the place postdocs went when they wanted to leave academe. This led to a certain instability in membership, actively countered by the efforts by Emelyn, Lynne Friedmann and others to connect AWIS to women past the postdoc level. This has been particularly successful with women in industry, writing, and patent law. However, I believe the relative paucity of senior academic women in AWIS-SD continues to be a challenge, as well as a source of unique opportunity.

I continued my involvement with the WIB conference; spoke at one or two more, eventually becoming a member of the organizing committee (I think that was 2003). I also became a member of the Board in 2003, during an era of reorganization under the leadership of Janet White, whose considerable management experience solidified and professionalized the impressive strides the group had been making.

My association with National AWIS also increased around this time, thanks both to AWIS-SD and other activities. I am a member of WICB, the Women in Cell Biology Committee of the American Society for Cell Biology. Through WICB, I met Donna Dean (AWIS past president) and Phoebe Leboy (current AWIS president), which connected me with the National Office. I have watched with considerable interest the reorganization of AWIS-national, which is truly synergistic with the more immediate activities of the local chapter.

I moved to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 2004, but in the absence of an active LA chapter, I retain my San Diego chapter affiliation. Shortly after my move to LA, I was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, thanks in part to a nomination from AWIS. And in 2007, I became a fellow of AWIS, which was an honor and a delight. Truly, my experience with the group has highlighted the value of a network, a resource, and a voice. I look forward to hearing much more in the next 20 years!

Susan Forsburg is a Professor of Molecular & Computational Biology at the University of Southern California

Strategy Sessions Help You Make an Impact

By Rachel A. Schwartz

When you need a powerful vacuum cleaner, do you think of a Dyson? Does a trendy, portable music player conjure up the image of an iPod? When you envision a high-performance vehicle, does a BMW pop into your head?

The subconscious integration of these goods into our thought processes is a powerful example of the impact of branding. Such items have become our "go-to" products because they are well-known and have desirable qualities. So how can we use the branding strategies employed by marketing executives to our advantage? How can we become the "go-to" individuals in our professional environments?

The AWIS-SD Strategy Session held on October 6 tackled these topics in a seminar entitled "Making an Impact." Members gathered at Biogen-Idec to learn the tips and benefits of self-promotion in professional settings.

Dorothy Sears opened the session with an ice-breaker: how would you describe yourself, your brand, in four words? Many of the scientists present came up with similar, desirable traits (organized, intelligent, efficient, etc.). However, identifying and advertising your unique combination of qualities can facilitate self-promotion and improve your perception in the workplace.

Tips on establishing your brand:

Debra O'Leary continued the session by discussing the strategies for making an impact in the workplace. Fortunately, everyone can take steps to improve their visibility in professional settings, and this can be crucial to a future promotion or job transition. The session later broke into small groups to analyze case studies that emphasized these tactics.

Tips for increasing your visibility within and outside of your organization:

In the end, we should all take cues from well-branded products. We all have values worth advertising, and making these qualities visible is critical to our own success.

Dr. Ben Barres Discusses Challenges Facing Women in Science

By Corinne Teeter

The Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (gradWISE) hosted Ben Barres M.D., Ph.D. at UCSD on October 7, 2008, to discuss issues concerning women in science. As both a distinguished, highly respected neuroscientist and as a female-to-male transgendered person, Dr. Barres has a very unique perspective on the issues facing women in science. Dr. Barres is a professor of both Neurobiology and Neurology & Neurological Sciences at Stanford University in addition to being Chair of the School of Medicine-Neurobiology. His research focuses on neuron-glial interactions in the developing central nervous system.

In 2006, Dr. Barres became a very influential advocate of women and minorities in science when he published an article titled "Does Gender Matter?" in Nature, a leading scientific journal. He wrote this article after Harvard President Larry Summer's highly publicized comments suggesting that innate differences between the genders are a major factor influencing the under-representation of women at the top universities in science. Dr. Barres's article refutes the idea of innate gender differences and instead argues that discrimination is a serious problem in science.

After the article was published, Dr. Barres became an AWIS Fellow and received hundreds of invitations to speak about the relatively low numbers of highly accomplished women in science. Of the invitations, he only accepted one at Harvard in early 2008. The video recording and the Power Point slides of his talk titled, "Some Reflections on the Dearth of Women in Science," can be found online. In his talk, Barres systematically dissects the origin of the 'innate differences' hypothesis and the lack of evidence for innate differences in cognitive abilities between the genders. In addition he provides substantial evidence of severe discrimination against women and the damage the 'innate differences' hypothesis causes.

The gradWISE event was an open discussion where attendees could ask questions and discuss topics. Some of the topics included the need for childcare packages at universities, what should be done to help change the climate in science, the subtleties of discrimination, and inappropriate questions that often get asked during interviews. Dr. Barres advises women to ask for what they need. Women should not restrain themselves when requesting essential resources, standing up for themselves, or pointing out inappropriate behavior because they are afraid of repercussions. Often women gain both respect and what they want. Dr. Barres claims an increase in diversity in influential academic positions is essential; discrimination will not subside until more women sit on hiring and selection committees. In addition, Barres believes the problem of child care must be addressed to ease some of the burdens of mothers pursuing science. The response to the event was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees including men and women on academic hiring committees expressed much thanks to gradWISE for hosting the event.

Updated 11/9/08 ba