interesting how we call it a “two-body” problem and not an “academia doesn’t give a fuck about families and community” problem. placing the onus on the academic(s) for being partnered rather than the system for being individualist and inhumane.
I love seeing people more open about struggles along the journey
PhD rejections:
UC San Diego
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
PhD Acceptance:
UC Irvine
I used to be embarrassed about this but it really only takes ONE 🙌🏾 and I am thriving ✨
Hey STEM academics, it's time for some mutual aid/reparations.
#BlackAndSTEM
students, drop your venmo/cash app/paypal below so we can support y'all financially 👇🏼👇🏼
do y’all know how averages work? for 5 years to be the average it means a significant # of people need to be finishing their PhDs in <5 years. please show me who is out here finishing their PhDs in <5 years in phys/astro. I’ll wait.
Hey academics tweeting
#BLM
: commit to abolishing the qualifier exam on y'all's little equity and inclusion statements. An unnecessary gatekeeping tool used to push Black students out of PhD programs in the U.S. Quals are racist, ableist, and classist AF. Get rid of them.
To my irritation, I'm hearing a lot of misrepresentation of imposter phenomenon (widely known as imposter syndrome) so I'm gonna break this down for y'all (a thread)
I need y’all to realize that there are white men and white women in this field who have passed off POC’s DEI ideas/initiatives as their own and enjoy funding, titles, and accolades while Black women struggle to get research positions for being “too political”
Tip: ask POC how to pronounce their name. If you can’t get it right, ask if they can write it phonetically. Practice at home until you can do it correctly + without hesitation. POC deserve to own their names with pride, without resorting to a nickname for your convenience
I really wish European
#astronomers
would sit the fuck down when Black Americans are speaking. The "I dOnT gEt CoLoNiZaTiOn oR rAcIsM BeCaUsE I'm FrOm EuRoPe" bit, when y'all colonized half the world. Sir if you don't shut the hell up because literally no one asked you!
The way that astronomers in these “professional” FB pages act when presented with something concerning a Black woman’s decision to leave astronomy because of its hostility is telling. Gaslighting galore. Gymnastics 🤸♂️ to miss her point. Y’all snitching on ya self!
#BlackInAstro
I got rejected from every grad school I applied to, so my undergrad advisor called GSU and asked them to consider my application (weeks past the deadline). I submitted my application on a Monday, Tuesday they made selections, and Wednesday I got the acceptance.
As PhD admissions start rolling in, I just wanna drop a little encouragement.
I got rejected or waitlisted from every program I applied. And of the places I was waitlisted…I ended up getting rejected from all, except one-the institution I’m at now.
It only takes one yes.
Astro twitter fam: application season is upon us! Please reply to this tweet If:
- You want to volunteer to read astronomy students' applications
- You're a marginalized student in astronomy who would like to be supported
Please RT far and wide ❤️
my lyft driver is a white dude who came to Hawaii on vacation in 93 and never left, and his take on TMT is that the site does not belong to Native Hawaiian people because they “lost the war.” I hate everything.
There's less than 200 black women that hold PhD's in physics/physics related fields in the US. How can we continue to support black women that want to pursue their dreams? How can we hold people in positions of power accountable for pushing many black women out of the field?
I’ve heard too many faculty say that pursuing a PhD without plans for an academic career is a “waste” of *everyone’s* time. Y’all crunch the numbers and let me know how they plan to give all these astro phds a tenure track position. I’ll wait.
The Imposter cycle:
1. feelings of incompetence --> avoidance --> anxiety + rush job --> believing success can only be accomplished thru tormented process
OR
2. feelings of incompetence --> overwork/overprepare --> believing success can only be accomplished thru tormented process
Professors who are out here swearing up and down that some people are just “not cut out” for science THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES FROM YOU to ensure their success. so the question isn’t are they good enough, but are YOU
#marginsci
no matter what your reasons are or how "illogical" they may seem to others, you are the only person who will have to live with this decision. seek counsel, talk to people, weigh your options. but what I tell all my students: no matter what you decide, I will support you.
maybe you would secretly pass up that ivy league school so you can be closer to your family. maybe you need to go with the highest stipend so you can send part of it home every month. maybe you want to live in a coastal town because it reminds you of your home country.
divorce day is today. it’s been a 2 year process and though I’ve grieved and built a new life it’s still hitting deep. it’s hard to explain the nuances of this experience. it’s mourning the death of my old self while ushering in a bright future. light a candle for me y’all.
Erin Flowers: "Unless you are paying them, DON'T expect your Black students to educate you [about racism]. YOU are the paid faculty member here. You can look it up. Learn to do better on your own."
#AAS237
STOP pretending that IP can be overcome and success won with nothing but hard work and a lean-in, go-getter, can-do attitude. STOP pretending that privilege contributes nothing to success. That is WHITE NONSENSE. It is a **false meritocracy**.
do not worry about what school looks best on paper. don't fret about what school is the most prestigious. don't listen too long to what your advisor or your parents or your mentors want for you.
whatever you decide, you will have to live with that decision for the next 5-7+ years. you will have to learn from those professors, live in that city, and work with those colleagues. you will have to earn that salary, deal with that health insurance, & pay those university fees
STOP telling people of marginalized identities that IP is a choice. STOP telling people of marginalized identities that their IP is their own fault. STOP ignoring that toxic and discriminatory environments play a significant role.
it’s bittersweet knowing that Slepian and I received our PhDs in the same year, yet he is still in astro and I had to leave because of how toxic it was
The saddest part about this story is that the said professor is so young & got his PhD only in 2016!! 😲😲
And apparently, a
@Princeton
-
@Harvard
education doesn't teach you How To Be a Good Human Being 101. Why am I not surprised?
I didn’t want to publicly announce this until I had the chance to communicate directly with the IA2 committee, but I declined the invitation to participate (I was not selected as a speaker).
Congratulations
@NSFGRFP
awardees! Something to consider: the cost of education allowance (ie the extra $12k or so) can go directly to you for travel, equipment, computers, etc. Check with your uni about their policy. Faculty, advocate for students to get this instead of the uni.
Students of color in Phys/Astro: I’ve gathered several volunteers to read grad school/fellowship applications. If you’d like to get feedback please reply to this thread! Big thanks to
@BGG2gradschool
for the inspiration.
cc:
@VanguardSTEM
#marginsci
The
@AAS_CSMA
Micro-grants program grants $500 to BIPOC undergrads applying to grad programs in astro/physics. Applications now open until Oct 13. Please spread the word!
More info here:
1. if the school that has extended an offer invites you to visit, GO. being there in person is the best way to gauge the vibe. talk to other students (especially other
#MarginSCI
) one on one and ask them to be honest about their experiences.
What Imposter Phenomenon (Syndrome) is NOT:
1. Humble bragging
2. An "inexplicable" lack of confidence
3. Something that you "allow others to make you feel"
4. Something you can "cure" by simply "not letting things bother you"
5. Devoid of context
the most important piece of advice I can give you is this: you know yourself better than any of us looking out for you. you have it everything you need in your spectacular hearts and minds to make the perfect decision for you.
10. ASK ABOUT THE QUALIFIER EXAM. is the exam written? oral? is there a research component? is it based only on classes? are you required to take all the classes to prepare? how many chances do you get to pass? how is it graded? how many people have failed out of the program?
Just a PSA that mansplaining journalism to a Black woman who’s been interviewed myriad times without any understanding of the situation is rooted in anti-Blackness and misogynoir 🙃🙃 *Especially* bc you chose to use this as a “teaching” moment rather than engage her directly
Just a PSA that journalists often can’t include all the people we talked to, mostly because of space, narrative arc, and many other factors that we can’t even control. We can never guarantee we will quote you, but we will always appreciate your time and insight.
I tell every student: keep a time stamped journal of every single incident that makes you uncomfortable (evernote is great for this). it will help you catch patterns of behavior and in the event you need/want to report, can be used as evidence.
@astrochicana
one of the students at a school I visited was like, they have all these programs for women in STEM and not one program telling men in STEM how to act
From
@astrobites
: The genocide in Gaza demands our attention and our action. As astronomers and members of the global scientific community, we cannot ignore the immense suffering and devastation inflicted upon our colleagues.
I'm so freaking proud of my sister
@That_Astro_Chic
for everything you do, everything you've accomplished, and just for who you are. By simply being yourself you have impacted SO many people. I never stop learning from you. You are a light in this world!
some of y’all white academics in astronomy who claim to be “allies” (whatever tf that means) are nothing but wolves in sheep’s clothing and WORSE. the way y’all treat Black people in this field is DISGUSTING.
9. ask about funding! is your grad stipend guaranteed? what are the conditions? will it be tied to teaching or research? will it be tied to whether your advisor has funding for you or not? does the dept provide support for applying to outside fellowships?
6. pay attention to red flags. do the students seem generally happy? are you only hearing from privileged students? do some students seem more isolated?
5. ask students about the typical workload and faculty attitudes toward work hours and vacation time. ask professors too, but be aware that they may not be totally honest and in some cases may even outright deceive students about their expectations.
4. ask other students about department attitudes to careers beyond the academy. are they supportive of students participating in professional development such as workshops, classes, and conferences outside the field?
2. ask the faculty about their equity and inclusion efforts. do they have an E&I committee? do they have a strategy for recruiting and retaining students like you? are they familiar with the literature on
#MarginSci
?
I just want to say a big hearty FU to all the astronomers showing their asses & coming out of the woodwork to drag the junior women of color who came out in support of
#ProtectMaunaKea
. Y’all grown ass people are just pissed that you can’t have everything u want. I’m tired.
attention students making decisions about grad school:
@GradShopper
has a list of phys/astro grad programs in the US with info about stipends, healthcare, department culture, and much more! s/o to
@_scientistsarah
for sharing this amazing resource 🙏🏽
Thread: In the aftermath of issues that came to light about
#InclusiveAstro2
, many marginalized people in the astronomy community have been having conversations about the need for a community-organized conference. Not about diversity or inclusion, but rather
#astronomyforjustice
3. ask faculty and students about the support structure in the department. is there help available for finding housing? can the department fund you to attend conferences like SACNAS and NSBP? is there a mentoring program?
the qual is important, so I'm gonna stay here for a second. there are some departments that use the qualifier as a way to "weed out" students. this means they accept more students than they think will make it to the phd, then have a cutoff score for the qual
When it comes to measuring imposter phenomenon (IP), it turns out that **context matters.** For instance, while 70% of people experience IP at some point in their lives, being the minority in a group means you are more prone to IP
7. ask the senior grad students how many other
#marginsci
there have been around in recent memory. are you the first? faculty will not volunteer this information and it will be extremely relevant.
most departments with smaller cohorts don't do this, and they expect everyone to pass. but I've still seen students get pushed out of their program, by being discouraged to retake the qualifier after they did not pass the first time for example. stay away from those departments.
as a trained astronomer I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I actually love astrology. I think it’s one among many cool ways to understand ourselves. I don’t think it’s harmful, and a lot of our ancestral roots are in astrology, brujeria, etc.
a serious double standard in white supremacy culture: creating a system where awards and recognition legitimize you, and then judging Black women for using those very same tools for survival
12. if you are 100% sure about the research you want to do, interview your potential advisors. ask them about their mentoring style, how they prefer to give and receive feedback, and what they expect from their students, including work hours and vacation time...
I think my biggest accidental accomplishment is becoming the voice in my students’ heads telling them to choose self care over work. I have many independent accounts of this! ya girl is a self care Morgan Freeman
13. even if you're 100% sure about your research topic, BE OPEN to changing your mind. in my opinion, your relationship with your advisor is just as if not more important than the science. it can make or break your career, and you want to be sure you'll be supported.
one last thing: sadly, no one school will live up to all these very reasonable expectations. but these questions are tools for comparison, and it's good to know what you're getting into so you can plan accordingly.
8. during your visit, speak to some affinity groups on campus such as Out in STEM, Black Student Association, and the Disability office. is there room for grad students to participate?
not surprised bc not only do they work hard and have unique perspectives, but they are KILLING the research game and are some of the best presenters I've ever seen. ON TOP OF THAT they wanna give back to their communities & care about equity and inclusion in STEM.
The AAS CSMA will host a town hall on Wednesday to discuss how the astronomy community can support Black astronomers. Black folks will have a separate breakout room to decompress. Register with your institutional email here:
11. scope out the location and determine if it's right for you. if you're naturey, is there nature? is it close enough to your loved ones? do you have/could you form a support system there? can you imagine yourself living there for half a decade or more?
“There are 25 times more white women than Black women with physics bachelor’s—while white women hold only 6 times more bachelor’s degrees in any subject than Black women.”
Today’s post for
#BlackInAstro
week looks at the underrepresentation of Black women in astronomy and physics, and summarizes two papers on their lived experiences in the field.
Non-Black astronomers read this allllllll the way through. And if you’re a white astronomy professor and you want to work on becoming a better advisor and mentor to marginalized astronomers, DM me
#BlackInAstro
I just wanted to get on this bird app to say that I wrote a poem to myself last night. I’ve never written to myself before, only to my lovers. This is a big deal. We can give ourselves love and romance y’all.
My thesis defense includes a free PUBLIC TALK about my research, which tries to understand where in the Milky Way galaxy life might be most likely to form 👽💫
That talk starts next Tuesday, April 6th at 1:30pm ET and you can watch it at this link: !!
Watch this video and like this tweet if you think
@jimmyfallon
should invite me, an actual astrophysicist, onto
@FallonTonight
to teach him about space
My
#EWASS2019
talk Collective Counterspaces: Reimagining Mentoring Mentoring and Pedagogy in Astronomy was very well received! We had an important discussion about how European astronomy must be decolonized.
...is there a nearby airport? are flights to your home city affordable? do they have your favorite things (hiking/surfing/rock climbing/underwater hockey)? do you have access to food or restaurants from your country of origin? do u have access to people from your place of origin?
is there a committee of faculty that will review your qual? do you get to choose it? if there is an oral exam, how do the students who have taken it recall feeling about it? i.e. did it feel like a humiliating experience? did the questions seem fair?
PSA for astro students: it's ok to take time off to recoup after an observing run. Changing your sleep & eating schedule can wreak havoc on your body. Also, full observing runs are much longer than a usual workday & don't take weekends or holidays into account
#phdchat
#selfcare
the date of the exam is also important! does it happen in the middle of a semester when you're also expected to take a full load of classes, teach, and do research? if so, that shows poor regard for students' well being and mental health