If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Poll Highlights the Need for More Visible Female Role Models in Science

Results Coincide With the announcement of the Winners of the 2009 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Fellowships, Which Celebrate the Achievement of exceptional female scientists in the UK and Ireland

L’Oréal and New Scientist today announce the results of a poll revealing the most inspirational female scientists of all time. Nuclear physicist and chemist Marie Curie topped the poll which was created to celebrate 10 years of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme, with around a quarter (25.1%) of the vote.

Voted for by more than 800 members of the scientific community and visitors to http://www.NewScientist.com, the poll highlights the absence of modern role models on the list; Astrophysicist Dame Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell (4.7%), responsible for the discovery of radiopulsars, and Jane Goodall, the primatologist (2.7 per cent) were the only scientists in the top ten to have research published in recent years, polled 4th and 10th, respectively.

The poll comes as data from the UK Resource Centre For Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, confirms that women remain under-represented in UK scientific research. Statistics reveal that women comprise less than 30% of those in SET research positions in UK Universities, with lower proportions at later career stages. While girls make up 42.4 per cent of GCE A level students in science, this drops to 33.5 per cent at higher education level. Furthermore, in the workforce, women make up only 18.5 per cent of those working in science and engineering overall.

Roger Highfield, Editor, New Scientist commented: “The poll indicates the vital need to celebrate and raise awareness of the many female scientists who have shaped modern science since Marie Curie, and who are making a bigger contribution than ever.

When we asked respondents to suggest who else should be included in our poll, the name of Rita Levi-Montalcini, the Italian neurologist who is the oldest living Nobel laureate, came up the most, with 1.5 per cent of the vote.”

The results of the poll coincide with the announcement of the winners of the four 2009 L’Oréal UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women In Science Fellowships (http://www.womeninscience.co.uk), at an awards ceremony held at the Royal Institution today. The fellowships promote the importance of ensuring greater participation of women in science and are run in partnership with the UK National Commission for UNESCO, the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Institution of Great Britain and the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology.

Grita Loebsack, Country Manager, L’Oréal UK and Ireland commented: “Women are at the forefront of advances in many scientific disciplines, particularly in health and life sciences. L’Oréal’s business is founded on science, making programmes like For Women In Science fundamental to our future development.”

She added: “The aim of the poll was to celebrate the contribution women have made to scientific research but also to highlight the lack of modern role models to encourage young women to pursue careers in science. It is through programmes such as For Women In Science that we hope to draw more attention to the pioneering scientific research undertaken by women around the world and provide more visible role models for the female scientists of the future.”

Winners of the 2009 L’Oréal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women In Science Fellowships are:

Dr Nathalie Seddon, Tutorial Fellow, University of Oxford for her research into the evolution of animal communication

Dr Elizabeth Murchison, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for her work on understanding the origins and development of transmittable cancers

Dr Jennifer Bizley, Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, University of Oxford for her research into the human perception of pitch, tone, and spatial location of a sound source

Dr Patricia Alireza, Honorary Research Associate, University College London for her research into new electronic transitions under extreme conditions of pressure, magnetic field and temperature.

Top Ten Most Inspirational Female Scientists:

1. Marie Curie 25.1
2. Rosalind Franklin 14.2
3. Hypatia Of Alexandria 9.4
4. Jocelyn Bell Burnell 4.7
5. Ada, Countess Lovelace – 4.5
6. Lise Meitner – 4.4
7. Dorothy Hodgkin – 3.8
8. Sophie Germain – 3.7
9. Rachel Carson – 3.4
10. Jane Goodall – 2.7

For more information on the top 10 most inspirational female scientists, as voted for by visitors to http://www.NewScientist.com in conjunction with L’Oréal, click on the links above or go to http://www.womeninscience.co.uk/bios.php

The poll was commissioned by L’Oréal and conducted by New Scientist, polling 838 visitors to http://www.newscientist.com in June 2009.

Source: L’Oreal and New Scientist

Filed under : Celebrities, Chat, Life Stories, Work

0 Comment »

Summer travelers can do their part by following important vehicle and driving safety tips

With the official start of summer underway and the Fourth of July holiday coming up, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and California Highway Patrol (CHP) remind motorists to do their part to keep the roads safe this summer.

“During the summer months many families hit the roads for long weekends, holiday celebrations and summer vacations,” said Office of Traffic Safety Director, Christopher J. Murphy. “Having a well maintained vehicle, planning ahead, and following traffic safety laws is the key to roadway safety for drivers and their passengers.”

Hot weather can be rough on cars. Higher temperatures speed up a car’s wear and tear, as fluids and lubricants break down more quickly. But by following your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule (see your car’s owner’s manual) and taking the following precautions, your car will be ready for a long, hot summer:

• Consider a pre-trip inspection by a qualified technician before you leave on a long trip.

• Operationally, check the air conditioning, and inspect the belts and hoses. You may want to have a service professional inspect the entire system.

• Inspect batteries and battery cables for corrosion, cracks and dirt. Hot weather can shorten a battery’s life, so have it tested if it’s near the end of its warranty.

• Have a licensed brake adjuster inspect your brake pads and linings for wear.

• Change the engine oil and filter according to the manufacturer’s service intervals and specifications. The service technician should also check the coolant, brake, automatic transmission, windshield wiper and power steering fluids.

• Replace ragged wiper blades.

• Check the air pressure in all tires, including the spare, to make sure they are properly inflated. Uneven or excessive treadwear are signs that it may be time for rotation or even replacement.

• Test your car’s interior and exterior lights, including turn signals and high beams, to make sure they work. This is also a good time to clean the lenses to get maximum visibility.

“While summer is a time for fun, travel and relaxation, we can never relax from our responsibilities on the road whether riding on two, four or eighteen wheels,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.

OTS and CHP also recommend that you prepare for your trip by having the right resources on hand. This includes packing a flashlight, jumper cables, and flares, and having food, water, any needed medications and a cell phone in your vehicle.

Preparation also means planning your travel route and allowing plenty of time to get to your destination. Be familiar with the maps/directions and let others know your route and anticipated arrival time.

With the increased numbers of drivers on the roads, it’s important to remember key traffic safety laws and practices. These include:

• Always buckle up, and if traveling with children, properly secure them in the back seat. California law requires children younger than 6 or weighing less than 60 pounds be properly secured in the back seat.

• When celebrating, do so responsibly, always plan ahead and designate a sober driver. If you spot a drunk driver, report them by calling 911.

• If talking on a wireless telephone, use a hands free device. Under California law, motorists over the age of 18 can use a hands free device to talk on wireless telephone while driving.

• When driving, do not send text messages, it’s distracting, dangerous and as of January 2009, it’s against the law.

• Motorcyclists need to follow California law and always wear a helmet. Preliminary numbers from CHP indicate more than 550 motorcyclists were killed in collisions statewide in 2008.

• To prevent motorcycle crashes, CHP and OTS encourage all motorcycle riders to participate in the California Motorcyclists Safety Program before beginning to ride or coming back to riding after a long time away.

• Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in the roadway.

• Slow down and increase distances between cars.

• Avoid fatigue – get plenty of rest before a trip, stop at least every three hours, and rotate drivers if possible.

If motorists follow these safety tips, it will help keep our roadways safer during these summer months. This effort is part of the on-going California Strategic Highway Safety Plan, where hundreds of state and local agencies, advocacy groups and private industries helped develop tactics to significantly reduce deaths and injuries. For more traffic safety tips and information log on to www.ots.ca.gov or http://www.chp.ca.gov/.

Sources: California Office of Traffic Safety, Bureau of Automotive Repair, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Filed under : Advice, Chat, Family & Home, Travel

0 Comment »

iKeepSafe, AT&T and the American School Counselor Association Launch National Project PRO: Privacy and Reputation Online

As youth grow up in a digital environment, they have a world of opportunity, learning, and interaction at their fingertips, but with this constant access comes the challenge to protect and manage their digital reputation. AT&T*, iKeepSafe, and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) announced today at the ASCA conference the launch of Project PRO, interactive resources to help educate teens and parents about the potential consequences of their online reputations.

A recent survey reflects some startling teen online behavior that will have lasting consequences:

• 71 percent of teen girls and 67 percent of teen boys who have sent/posted sexually suggestive content (also known as “sexting”) say they have sent it to a boyfriend/girlfriend.

• 51 percent of teen girls say pressure from a guy is a reason they send sexually suggestive messages or images. Only 18 percent of teen boys cite pressure from female counterparts as a reason.

• 1 in 5 teens say they’ve “sexted” even though the majority knows it could be a crime.

Survey Statistics: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (1300 teens)

Sexting is just one of the aspects of digital reputation that can have long-term consequences as colleges, potential employers, friends and family members check an individual’s online reputation. While the resources address the behaviors that can have negative consequences, the materials focus heavily on providing tips and tools to help teens create a positive digital reputation that will benefit them in the future.

“The Internet is a wonderful tool for students, making research and communication available on a global scale,” said Brent Olson, AT&T assistant vice president of Public Policy and former chair and current vice-chair of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI). “Of course, that access comes with challenges, so students need to learn how to create a positive digital dossier that will serve them now and in the years to come.”

The resources, stressing the importance of privacy and online reputation, will be distributed to over 2,000 school counselors at the conference and will reach over 25,000 school counselors nationwide. Educators will also receive professional development instruction by Davina Pruitt (Univ. of MD), an expert in the measurement of online education effectiveness and behavioral modification.

“We appreciate the efforts of iKeepSafe and AT&T to provide educators with critical resources bridging the gap of understanding and providing essential training and materials allowing educators to confidently address security and digital reputation in the classroom,” said Jim Bierma, ASCA president. “These two topics are leading concerns of our association members.”

“It’s critical that students understand the important role that digital reputation plays in their future opportunities,” said Marsali Hancock, iKeepSafe president. “It can either serve as a liability or a benefit for future opportunities. The Project PRO resources help educate and inform to create a generation of responsible, resilient, and ethical cyber-citizens.”

In addition to online safety services, AT&T provides free education programs for children, parents, communities and seniors. Materials and more information can be found at www.att.com/safety.

Filed under : Advice, Chat, Entertainment, Family & Home, Gadgets

0 Comment »