A significant gender disparity is widely known to occur within the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Women are both under-represented in their participation in Australian STEM education (compared to their fraction within the population at large), and face a much higher attrition rate from STEM subjects throughout secondary and tertiary education. Even within STEM careers the proportion of women frequently generally decreases with increasing position of seniority. In 2015 organisers and members of the Australian Space Research Community began to analyse the data from participants of the Australian Space Research Conference, in order to derive statistics relating to the gender balance of the conference. In this paper, the data from the most recent conference (held on the Gold Coast, in September 2018) is analysed, considering the gender demographics of delegates, presenters (within numerous categories), and awards. This year, we also present the dimensions of career type and academic level of conference attendees. The resulting trends are compared to those of other national space research conferences - the Scientific Meeting of the Astronomical Societ
We compare the network of aggregated journal-journal citation relations provided by the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) 2012 of the Science and Social Science Citation Indexes (SCI and SSCI) with similar data based on Scopus 2012. First, global maps were developed for the two sets separately; sets of documents can then be compared using overlays to both maps. Using fuzzy-string matching and ISSN numbers, we were able to match 10,524 journal names between the two sets; that is, 96.4% of the 10,936 journals contained in JCR or 51.2% of the 20,554 journals covered by Scopus. Network analysis was then pursued on the set of journals shared between the two databases and the two sets of unique journals. Citations among the shared journals are more comprehensively covered in JCR than Scopus, so the network in JCR is denser and more connected than in Scopus. The ranking of shared journals in terms of indegree (that is, numbers of citing journals) or total citations is similar in both databases overall (Spearman's \r{ho} > 0.97), but some individual journals rank very differently. Journals that are unique to Scopus seem to be less important--they are citing shared journals rather than bein
The International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), inaugurated in 1897, is the greatest effort of the mathematical community to strengthen international communication and connections across all mathematical fields. Meetings of the ICM have historically hosted some of the most prominent mathematicians of their time. Receiving an invitation to present a talk at an ICM signals the high international reputation of the recipient, and is akin to entering a `hall of fame for mathematics'. Women mathematicians attended the ICMs from the start. With the invitation of Laura Pisati to present a lecture in 1908 in Rome and the plenary talk of Emmy Noether in 1932 in Zurich, they entered the grand international stage of their field. At the congress in 2014 in Seoul, Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman to be awarded the Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics. In this article, we dive into assorted data sources to follow the footprints of women among the ICM invited speakers, analyzing their demographics and topic distributions, and providing glimpses into their diverse biographies.
Using the Scopus dataset (1996-2007) a grand matrix of aggregated journal-journal citations was constructed. This matrix can be compared in terms of the network structures with the matrix contained in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) of the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI). Since the Scopus database contains a larger number of journals and covers also the humanities, one would expect richer maps. However, the matrix is in this case sparser than in the case of the ISI data. This is due to (i) the larger number of journals covered by Scopus and (ii) the historical record of citations older than ten years contained in the ISI database. When the data is highly structured, as in the case of large journals, the maps are comparable, although one may have to vary a threshold (because of the differences in densities). In the case of interdisciplinary journals and journals in the social sciences and humanities, the new database does not add a lot to what is possible with the ISI databases.
Using "Analyze Results" at the Web of Science, one can directly generate overlays onto global journal maps of science. The maps are based on the 10,000+ journals contained in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) of the Science and Social Science Citation Indices (2011). The disciplinary diversity of the retrieval is measured in terms of Rao-Stirling's "quadratic entropy." Since this indicator of interdisciplinarity is normalized between zero and one, the interdisciplinarity can be compared among document sets and across years, cited or citing. The colors used for the overlays are based on Blondel et al.'s (2008) community-finding algorithms operating on the relations journals included in JCRs. The results can be exported from VOSViewer with different options such as proportional labels, heat maps, or cluster density maps. The maps can also be web-started and/or animated (e.g., using PowerPoint). The "citing" dimension of the aggregated journal-journal citation matrix was found to provide a more comprehensive description than the matrix based on the cited archive. The relations between local and global maps and their different functions in studying the sciences in terms of journal lit
In a series of two papers, we provide a comprehensive agenda of actions the American Astronomical Society (AAS) can take to create a more diverse and inclusive professional system for astronomers, with a focus on women astronomers. This first paper of the series outlines the background and methods, while the recommendations are treated in the second companion paper (Paper II). We take the stance that since the 2020 Decadal Survey (Astro2020) was delivered in 2021, with its first-ever set of recommendations on the State of the Profession, now is the time for the AAS to take decisive action to transform astronomy into a diverse and inclusive profession. In the spring of 2019, the CSWA surveyed the astronomical community to assess the popularity and feasibility of actions that the AAS can take to reduce harassment and advance career development for women in astronomy. Here we present the quantitative results of that survey and a synopsis of the free response sections, which are publicly accessible. By combining the results of our survey, peer-reviewed academic literature, and findings from many of the white papers submitted to Astro2020, the CSWA has developed 26 specific actions that
Speculation about Martian canals was a recurring feature of late nineteenth-century popular astronomy. This paper examines how colonial newspapers used humour to negotiate the epistemic uncertainty and interpretive excess associated with canal theory. Drawing on over one thousand metropolitan and regional Australian newspapers published between 1877 and 1899, we identify five overlapping modes of humour: imported metropolitan wit; satire of modern engineering culture; humour grounded in observational uncertainty; scale-based exaggeration and colonial self-comparison; and overt sceptical parody. These modes tracked shifting relationships between observation, interpretation and authority, allowing newspapers to entertain speculative ideas while marking the limits of scientific credibility. At the same time, humorous treatments positioned Australian readers within a global culture of science and modernity. Comparisons with projects such as the Suez and Panama Canals, and with European and American astronomers, aligned colonial audiences with metropolitan discourse, even as local experience with land, water and scale shaped the tone of satire. We demonstrate that Australian newspapers
In spite of the rapidly advancing global technological environment, the professional participation of women in technology, big data, analytics, artificial intelligence and information systems related domains remains proportionately low. Furthermore, it is of no less concern that the number of women in leadership in these domains are in even lower proportions. In spite of numerous initiatives to improve the participation of women in technological domains, there is an increasing need to gain additional insights into this phenomenon especially since it occurs in nations and geographies which have seen a sharp rise in overall female education, without such increase translating into a corresponding spurt in information systems and technological roles for women. The present paper presents findings from an exploratory analysis and outlines a framework to gain insights into educational factors in the emerging technology waves influencing the role of, and impact upon, women. We specifically identify ways for learning and self-efficacy as key factors, which together lead us to the Advancement of Women in Technology (AWT) insights framework. Based on the AWT framework, we also proposition pri
Using three years of the Journal Citation Reports (2011, 2012, and 2013), indicators of transitions in 2012 (between 2011 and 2013) are studied using methodologies based on entropy statistics. Changes can be indicated at the level of journals using the margin totals of entropy production along the row or column vectors, but also at the level of links among journals by importing the transition matrices into network analysis and visualization programs (and using community-finding algorithms). Seventy-four journals are flagged in terms of discontinuous changes in their citations; but 3,114 journals are involved in "hot" links. Most of these links are embedded in a main component; 78 clusters (containing 172 journals) are flagged as potential "hot spots" emerging at the network level. An additional finding is that PLoS ONE introduced a new communication dynamics into the database. The limitations of the methodology are elaborated using an example. The results of the study indicate where developments in the citation dynamics can be considered as significantly unexpected. This can be used as heuristic information; but what a "hot spot" in terms of the entropy statistics of aggregated cit
Publication patterns of 79 forest scientists awarded major international forestry prizes during 1990-2010 were compared with the journal classification and ranking promoted as part of the 'Excellence in Research for Australia' (ERA) by the Australian Research Council. The data revealed that these scientists exhibited an elite publication performance during the decade before and two decades following their first major award. An analysis of their 1703 articles in 431 journals revealed substantial differences between the journal choices of these elite scientists and the ERA classification and ranking of journals. Implications from these findings are that additional cross-classifications should be added for many journals, and there should be an adjustment to the ranking of several journals relevant to the ERA Field of Research classified as 0705 Forestry Sciences.
A number of journal classification systems have been developed in bibliometrics since the launch of the Citation Indices by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) in the 1960s. These systems are used to normalize citation counts with respect to field-specific citation patterns. The best known system is the so-called "Web-of-Science Subject Categories" (WCs). In other systems papers are classified by algorithmic solutions. Using the Journal Citation Reports 2014 of the Science Citation Index and the Social Science Citation Index (n of journals = 11,149), we examine options for developing a new system based on journal classifications into subject categories using aggregated journal-journal citation data. Combining routines in VOSviewer and Pajek, a tree-like classification is developed. At each level one can generate a map of science for all the journals subsumed under a category. Nine major fields are distinguished at the top level. Further decomposition of the social sciences is pursued for the sake of example with a focus on journals in information science (LIS) and science studies (STS). The new classification system improves on alternative options by avoiding the problem
A previous study of symmetric collisions of massive nuclei has shown that current models of multi-nucleon transfer (MNT) reactions do not adequately describe the transfer product yields. To gain further insight into this problem, we have measured the yields of MNT products in the interaction of 977 (E/A = 4.79 MeV) and 1143 MeV (E/A = 5.60 MeV) $^{204}$Hg with $^{208}$Pb. We find that the yield of multi-nucleon transfer products are similar in these two reactions and are substantially lower than those observed in the reaction of 1257 MeV (E/A = 6.16 MeV) $^{204}$Hg + $^{198}$Pt. We compare our measurements with the predictions of the GRAZING-F, di-nuclear systems (DNS) and improved quantum molecular dynamics (ImQMD) models. For the observed isotopes of the elements Au, Hg, Tl, Pb and Bi, the measured values of the MNT cross sections are orders of magnitude larger than the predicted values. Furthermore, the various models predict the formation of nuclides near the N=126 shell, which are not observed.
Rankings of scholarly journals based on citation data are often met with skepticism by the scientific community. Part of the skepticism is due to disparity between the common perception of journals' prestige and their ranking based on citation counts. A more serious concern is the inappropriate use of journal rankings to evaluate the scientific influence of authors. This paper focuses on analysis of the table of cross-citations among a selection of Statistics journals. Data are collected from the Web of Science database published by Thomson Reuters. Our results suggest that modelling the exchange of citations between journals is useful to highlight the most prestigious journals, but also that journal citation data are characterized by considerable heterogeneity, which needs to be properly summarized. Inferential conclusions require care in order to avoid potential over-interpretation of insignificant differences between journal ratings. Comparison with published ratings of institutions from the UK's Research Assessment Exercise shows strong correlation at aggregate level between assessed research quality and journal citation `export scores' within the discipline of Statistics.
In recent years, there has been significant debate and discussion about the glaring gender disparity in the physical sciences. To better understand and address this within the Australian Space Research Community, in 2015 we began the process of keeping a record of the gender balance at the annual Australian Space Research Conference. In addition, we began holding an annual 'Women in Space Research' lunch at that meeting, to discuss the situation, and search for routes by which issues of equity can be addressed, and the situation improved. We present an update based on the 16th Australian Space Research Conference, held at RMIT, Melbourne, in September 2016. As in 2015, male attendees outnumbered female attendees approximately 3:1. However, there was a small shift (~2.3%) in the balance, with female delegates now making up 26.4% of the total, up from 24.1% in 2015. This shift was mirrored in the gender distribution of talks, with 28.9% of all oral presentations being given by women (up from 25.2%). More striking, however, were the changes in the distribution of plenary presentations (44.4% female, up from 22.2%), poster presentations (31.8% female, up from 7.7%), and student awards
We analyze data from the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array. This is the third in a series of papers on the closure phase delay-spectrum technique designed to detect the HI 21cm emission from cosmic reionization. We present the details of the data and models employed in the power spectral analysis, and discuss limitations to the process. We compare images and visibility spectra made with HERA data, to parallel quantities generated from sky models based on the GLEAM survey, incorporating the HERA telescope model. We find reasonable agreement between images made from HERA data, with those generated from the models, down to the confusion level. For the visibility spectra, there is broad agreement between model and data across the full band of $\sim 80$MHz. However, models with only GLEAM sources do not reproduce a roughly sinusoidal spectral structure at the tens of percent level seen in the observed visibility spectra on scales $\sim 10$ MHz on 29 m baselines. We find that this structure is likely due to diffuse Galactic emission, predominantly the Galactic plane, filling the far sidelobes of the antenna primary beam. We show that our current knowledge of the frequency dependence o
Phosphorus (P) is considered to be one of the key elements for life, making it an important element to look for in the abundance analysis of spectra of stellar systems. Yet, there exists only a handful of spectroscopic studies to estimate the P abundances and investigate its trend across a range of metallicities. We have observed full HK band spectra at a spectral resolving power of R=45,000 with IGRINS instrument. Abundances are determined using SME in combination with 1D MARCS stellar atmosphere models. The investigated sample of stars have reliable stellar parameters estimated using optical FIES spectra (GILD; Jönsson et al. in prep.). In order to determine the P abundances from the 16482.92 Angstrom P line, we take special care of the CO($ν=7-4$) blend. We determine the C, N, O abundances from atomic carbon and a range of non-blended molecular lines (CO, CN, OH) which are aplenty in the H band region of K giant stars, assuring an appropriate modelling of the blending CO($ν=7-4$) line. We present [P/Fe] vs [Fe/H] trend for 38 K giant stars in the metallicity range of -1.2 dex $<$ [Fe/H] $<$ 0.4 dex. We find that our trend matches well with the compiled literature sample of
Dyads of journals related by citations can agglomerate into specialties through the mechanism of triadic closure. Using the Journal Citation Reports 2011, 2012, and 2013, we analyze triad formation as indicators of integration (specialty growth) and disintegration (restructuring). The strongest integration is found among the large journals that report on studies in different scientific specialties, such as PLoS ONE, Nature Communications, Nature, and Science. This tendency towards large-scale integration has not yet stabilized. Using the Islands algorithm, we also distinguish 51 local maxima of integration. We zoom into the cited articles that carry the integration for: (i) a new development within high-energy physics and (ii) an emerging interface between the journals Applied Mathematical Modeling and the International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. In the first case, integration is brought about by a specific communication reaching across specialty boundaries, whereas in the second, the dyad of journals indicates an emerging interface between specialties. These results suggest that integration picks up substantive developments at the specialty level. An advantage o
We report on the gamma-ray activity of the blazar Mrk 501 during the first 480 days of Fermi operation. We find that the average LAT gamma-ray spectrum of Mrk 501 can be well described by a single power-law function with a photon index of 1.78 +/- 0.03. While we observe relatively mild flux variations with the Fermi-LAT (within less than a factor of 2), we detect remarkable spectral variability where the hardest observed spectral index within the LAT energy range is 1.52 +/- 0.14, and the softest one is 2.51 +/- 0.20. These unexpected spectral changes do not correlate with the measured flux variations above 0.3GeV. In this paper, we also present the first results from the 4.5-month-long multifrequency campaign (2009 March 15 - August 1) on Mrk 501, which included the VLBA, Swift, RXTE, MAGIC and VERITAS, the F-GAMMA, GASP-WEBT, and other collaborations and instruments which provided excellent temporal and energy coverage of the source throughout the entire campaign. The average spectral energy distribution of Mrk 501 is well described by the standard one-zone synchrotron self-Compton model. In the framework of this model, we find that the dominant emission region is characterized b
Gender norms are widely recognized as key determinants of persistent gender gaps in the labor market. However, our understanding of the drivers of gender norms, and their implications for preferences, remain lacking. This paper addresses this gap by examining how cultural assimilation from college peers influences women's early-career labor market decisions. For identification of causal effects, I exploit cross-cohort idiosyncratic variation in peers' geographical origins within Master's programs, combined with unique administrative and survey data covering the universe of college students in Italy. The main finding is that exposure to female classmates originating from areas with more egalitarian gender culture significantly increases women's labor supply, primarily through increased uptake of full-time jobs. A one standard deviation increase in peers' culture increases female earnings by 3.7%. The estimated peer effects are economically significant, representing more than a third of the gender earnings gap. Drawing on comprehensive data on students' job search preferences and newly collected data on their beliefs, I shed novel light on two distinct mechanisms driving peer influen
As a tutorial to the spatial aspects of Spontaneous Parametric Downconversion (SPDC), we present a detailed first-principles derivation of the transverse correlation width of photon pairs in degenerate collinear SPDC. This width defines the size of a biphoton birth zone, the region where the signal and idler photons are likely to be found when conditioning on the position of the destroyed pump photon. Along the way, we discuss the quantum-optical calculation of the amplitude for the SPDC process, as well as its simplified form for nearly collinear degenerate phase matching. Following this, we show how this biphoton amplitude can be approximated with a Double-Gaussian wavefunction, and give a brief discussion of the measurement statistics (and subsequent convenience) of such Double-Gaussian wavefunctions. Next, we use this approximation to get a simplified estimation of the transverse correlation width, and compare it to more accurate calculations as well as experimental results. We then conclude with a discussion of the concept of a biphoton birth zone, using it to develop intuition for the tradeoff between the first-order spatial coherence and bipohoton correlations in SPDC.