LPSC 2009

It’s that time of year again. Scientists in our field are busily making powerpoint slides, printing posters, packing suitcases, and checking over their contact lists (Yes, my dears, this is very useful before a conference — who are you looking to make contacts with this year? Who do you want to catch up with?). The Lunar and Planetary Science Conference is just a few days away.

The Women in Planetary Science breakfast at LPSC this year will be Tuesday, March 24, from 7:30 to 8:30 am, Montgomery Ballroom A. All women, graduate student through emerita, are invited to attend, and we hope to see you there.

This year, we plan a more informal gathering, with a time to talk about advances in our departments or subfields, what steps we’ve decided to take to advance our work this year, and what good news we can share about the field overall. We’ll also have time to discuss issues that are brought up on the spot.

If you’re wondering what was discussed last year, here are some links:

• Networking Breakfast 2008
• Recruitment and Retention
• Flight Missions
• The Two-Body Problem
• Graduate Student Issues
• Babies at Conferences
• Grants, Balance, Networking, and LPSC 2009

And what has come of this? Well, several of the recommendations were implemented.

• An email list was created, at womeininplanetaryscience@yahoogroups.com;
• A web site was created, at http://womeninplanetaryscience.com;
• Five contributors, and four guest posters, wrote 81 articles for the website about a wide range of career issues and events relevant to women in planetary science;
• A survey was taken of potential LPSC attendees about the need for LPI to provide a nursing/pumping room;
• Survey results were communicated to LPI — and they will provide a mothers/nursing/pumping room this year!; and
• Web pages were set up to encourage women to write proposals, to publicize women speakers lists maintained by other organizations, to highlight studies of our field, to promote networking opportunities, to connect undergraduate and graduate students, and to link to resources for moms balancing work and family.  (Each of these topics can be accessed by selecting a menu item at the top of this web site.)

What will happen this year? Come to the breakfast (or follow @womenplanetsci on twitter) and find out!

Have an extra half hour at the conference?  Volunteer to be interviewed for the Women in Planetary Science: Profiles project!  Your words could help inspire future scientists.