From: <John.Lattanzio_at_email.protected>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 15:26:30 +1000 (EST)

On Thu, 27 Apr 2006, Kate Brooks wrote:

Well, I don't like to do this but let me be negative for a minute :-/

I have already said that this is the "ASM" and "AGM" of the ASA.
i.e. the "Annual Scientific Meeting" (and Annual General Meeting).
So technically I don't think that an education session belongs - and
neither does a session on PASA. However, both are important issues to
the ASA and could perhaps be included under the AGM banner?

Education is of course crucial not only because it concerns the
training of all scientists but especially the next generation of
astronomers. So despite the negative comment above, I am very much in
favour of such a session.

But I think the focus should be on the teaching and involvement of
students (and others) in astronomy - rather than finding jobs for
graduate astronomers. That is also something of concern to the ASA but
I think its not the core business.

A session on astronomy education, teaching, etc is relevant to the
large number of ASA members who work in Universities and must teach,
and attract students to the discipline. And although finding jobs for
graduates is important, I am not so sure that this is the venue for
those discussions.

I am happy to be shouted down, but that is my opinion :-)

And I am sorry for sounding negative to the idea...

JL

>Hi all,
>
>Regarding the Education session:
>
>I was speaking with Helen Sim yesterday (ATNF's/AAO Public Relations
>and Media Liaison officer). She suggested that the Education session
>includes a focus on those graduates who have completed a PhD in
>astrophysics and then moved on to other disciplines. She argues that in
>the past these people were swept under the rug by the astronomy
>community and often considered as failures. Thankfully this attitude
>is changing (albeit slowly). As we see from the Decadal Plan case study
>on Dr Paul Brooks, a PhD in astrophysics can be a great launching pad
>for successful careers in the industry sector. This fact is often
>overlooked when encouraging students to embark on a PhD in astrophysics
>and yet it can be used in a positive way to counter-act the bleak
>permanent job prospects in astronomy in Australia. Helen suggests we
>highlight a couple of such case studies in the education session. For
>example we could ask Paul Brooks to give a talk about his career path
>and what skills he gained from completing a PhD in astrophysics. I
>really like this idea and think it would appeal to the ASA audience.
>What do you think?
>
>I am sure we could come up with a list of numerous PhD graduates in
>astrophysics who are now success stories in other disciplines.
>
>Kate
>
>
>
>
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>Dr Kate Brooks
>Australia Telescope National Facility
>PO Box 76 Epping NSW 1710 Australia
>Phone: +61 2 9372 4683
>Fax: +61 2 9372 4310
>Kate.Brooks_at_csiro.<!--nospam-->au
>http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/Kate.Brooks
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>

-- 
Professor John Lattanzio
Centre for Stellar and Planetary Astrophysics
School of Mathematical Sciences
Building 28, Monash University
Victoria 3800 AUSTRALIA
Ph:  +61 (0)3 9905-4428
Fax: +61 (0)3 9905-4403
WWW: www.maths.monash.edu.au/~johnl/
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  "Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time   |
|             he will pick himself up and continue on."                  |
|                                          Sir Winston Churchill         |
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Received on 2006-04-27 15:28:07