Coffee Break rescheduled 12/9, 11am, 408 Baker

Coffee Break, Monday, 12/9, 11am-12:15 or so in 408 Baker, rescheduled in conjunction with Ladies Against Social Stigmas over an extended Diversity 24|7|365!   

Break?!

You might be thinking “I (or my students) don’t have time to lounge during finals week! ”  Of course not!  But short breaks help individuals regroup and gain fresh perspectives, and diversity of thought is beneficial for problem solving.  Networking and group mentoring are recommended to remove power differentials, and makes for some rich discussions.    And don’t forget about the research  that stress responses in women are moderated by social supports (tend and befriend vs fight or flight).  Or that while sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attention may have waned, gender harassment is pervasive (and campuses that let that fly tend to have higher rates of those more egregious issues).  And with racial and religious bias coming out in the local community in recent weeks, a supportive environment is more important than ever.  Not to mention that exam period is just plain stressful; everyone benefits when others root for their success!

So take a break with us; it’s good for you (and business, too).

About the partners:

LASS is an affinity group for underrepresented women students, which along with the forerunner of the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) began in 2015, following the successful launch of the Kings Court Mentoring Program. Diversity@ESF 24|7|365 is a weekly or biweekly forum open to faculty, staff and students for concurrent student support and allyship development through facilitated discussions within a “brave space.” It developed in consultation with campus entities following the departure of a staff-level Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. Intended as a “stopgap” until that office re-filled, with support of Baobab Society, CSTEP, Student Affairs, ESF Women’s Caucus, EOP, Graduate Student Association, International Education Office, King’s Court Mentoring Program, Ladies Against Social Stigma (LASS), Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, Professionals of Color, Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) and the Undergraduate Student Association (USA). ESF Women’s Caucus may be the first of ESF’s affinity groups, providing support across departments and titles since 1994. It followed on the heels of the the campus' internal and 3rd party assessments of the climate for women students, soon after the successful launch of the Baobab Society.  This student club was founded by students (ca 1991) under the advisement of Admissions Counselor Mrs. Eva Williams, about the same time that the college began actively recruiting domestic students of color, “to ensure the multicultural outreach and enlightenment of the college and Syracuse communities. [It] host several events throughout the academic year to celebrate the many different cultures represented at the SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry.”

Women's Empowerment Brunch

Patricia Cerro-Reehil, Executive Director, NYWEA Johnson opened the WEB with hurdles:  colleagues pushed to be internal counsel rather than client facing, flextime in acknowledgment of families and variable schedules, never feeling old enough to fill managerial roles (vs male counterparts growing beards, appearing more distinuquished and part of the club), that boards aren't reflective of social makeup--in gender or ethnicity.  Ask for what you need.  Be realistic about balance.  Focus of what's important and give it your all.

The panel, comprised of Reehil, Shumaila Bhatti, Janine DeBaise, Alyssa McDanile, Caleb Scib, answered questions posed by facilitator Brittany Wong and the floor about the hurdles they face, and the compounding impacts of the intersection with gender and other aspects of identity.  They defined feminism as equal social and political opportunity for access, security to make choices.  That the definition still needs to be explained means that it hasn't yet been rached.  Need more female perspectives in land planning and more.

They advice young people to get experience by "going above and beyond, but still find time for balance."  Some ignore sexual harassment on jobs because they "needed job.  No one else is complaining" until in "better positions" speak out.  One described ideas being mocked, and being treated as a joke.  Another tried to make complaints but was told they "misunderstood.  It was nothing."  Remaining colleagues pressured HR until an investigation was scheduled, months later.  

Male colleagues, mentors  and classmates can encourage and provide info and resources.  They can also push forward ideas (especially ones that have been ignored) presented by their female colleagues and classmates, panelists noted that transmen might not "present enough as male" to have much power or privilege.  

Those in power can do more to promote intersectionality though community building and acknowledging that there isn't intersectional understanding at this time!  Recognize the need for events like these.  Don't unsee things.  Let people reflect on their experiences, and don't dismiss it.  OK to ask simple questions, but don't start from position of stereotypes.

Require courses in cultural competency and environmental justice.  

For managing conflict, acknowledge the commonalities to move forward.  Also cannot ignore that biases and assumptions exist. 

Key points: Women (and gender non-conforming folks) face a higher penalty for messing up than male/straight peers.  This goes along with tenancy to give those individuals credit for their potential, while women (and gender non-conforming) have to demonstrate their competencies, often at high levels.  Also, women are assumed to speak more than we do.  Cultural competencies are learned, and colleges should provide opportunities through required coursework and trainings, and opportunities like these to listen to each others stories.

Coffee/Tea Breaks for Networking/brainstorming/Open Discussion resumes 10/28

Block out Oct 28, Nov 11, and Dec 2, all 12:45-2:15 (pop in, or stay, as your schedule permits).  324 Bray for Oct and Dec dates, 314 for November. 

Discuss issues facing women in your field, role, or intersection with any other identity.   Which populations are on solid footing?  Which need more support?

Some (all?) of you might be thinking “I (or my students) don’t have time to lounge mid-day.”  Of course not!  But short breaks help individuals regroup and gain fresh perspectives, and diversity of thought is beneficial for problem solving.  Networking and group mentoring are recommended to remove power differentials, and makes for some rich discussions.    And don’t forget about the research  that stress responses in women are moderated by social supports (tend and befriend vs fight or flight).  Or that while sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attention may have waned, gender harassment is pervasive (and campuses that let that fly tend to have higher rates of those more egregious issues).

So take a break with us; it’s good for you (and business, too).

2019 Women's Empowerment Brunch announced

The Baobab Society would like to formally invite the campus to the Women's Empowerment Brunch. It is an annual event meant to celebrate women from any background and encourage ally-ship and support from around campus and the community. 

The event will take place on Saturday, November 9th from 11:00am-2:00pm in the Gateway Center. Admission is free and open for all to come, so invite friends and family!  In addition to serving free brunch, we will be hosting a panel and group discussion about women in the workforce, in STEM, and representation across all levels and groups. 

We'd love to have you for this event! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact thebaobabsociety@gmail.com or Emily Li at eli107@syr.edu and we'd be happy to answer them. 

Record attendance for 2019 Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day

In lieu of school on April 25, ESF employees and students brought 44 8–11 yr olds from 30 area schools to try their hands at a variety of ESF-fostered careers during the college's 26th annual Take our Kids to Work Day program (AKA Kids' Day).

Over the course of the day, kids built terrariums with Linda McGuigan, Allison Oakes and Hannah Pilkey, who work on the Chestnut Project.  They explored a few chemical reactions on paper prior to activating self-inflating balloons with Chemistry’s Kate Bailie.  They developed storyboards with Sarah Grabman of the new Digital Storytelling Studio.    

Teams, each given the same materials and coached by a member of either Engineering for a Sustainable Society or Engineers without Borders, competed to most effectively remove particulates through Water Filtration (staff support provided by Karen Karker, Instructional Support Specialist, Environmental Resources Engineering).  Following a quick lesson on bird anatomy and habit, EFB graduate students Laine McCall and Ravyn Neville took advantage of the beautiful afternoon and lead a Bird Walk across campus and into Oakwood Cemetary.  Because life is more than work, we also featured an art session!  Kids upcycled materials that Maura Stefl, Office of Experiential Learning and Outreach, waylaid from the wastestreams from campus (curtains and cardboard), homes (fence posts), and a small business (mitten scraps) into a succulent plantscape.  Cool lessons:  art flowers don’t need to look like any that exist in real life!  Take inspiration from the colors and textures of the materials, and add dimension. (Thank you: Mark Poupore for cutting fenceposts to size; Lauren Gibbs, Laura Crandall, Julie Fishman, Brad Fierke, for their help with glue guns.) The day concluded with Heather Engelman, Forest and Natural Resource Management and We All Need Trees, a rapid examination of a number of household products and foods that make use of tree products for strength, flavor, and texture, and some ties to ESF’s programs of study.

After the formal program, kids reunited with their adults and headed to a few Earth Week programs, including perennial favorites Birds of Prey and Tie Dye.

We also thank:  

• Group Guides Brad Fierke, Julie Fishman, Laura Crandall, Amy McGuigan, Malika Carter, Jackie Whitehead, Lenny Leonard, and Linda McGuigan, with the assistance of Philippe Vidon, Erin Tochelli, Katherina Searing and Sarah Houck. 
• Lunch team: Mark Bremer, Linda McGuigan, Katherina Searing, Andy Marshall, Josh Arnold, Kathy Lang, Lena Randall.  
• Photographers: Heather Engelman and Julie Fishman.  
  
• Offices that contributed stuff for kids to carry out activities: 
• ALUMNI RELATIONS and the ESF CAMPUS BOOKSTORE, pencils and magnets; Communications, sunglasses; 
• SU BOOKSTORE, pencils; 
• PROVOST’s OFFICE and ESF WOMEN’S CAUCUS, lunch, snacks, color printing, notebooks, some terrarium supplies; 
•  CHESTNUT PROJECT, plants, potting media, distilled water, and other components for the terrariums; 
•  PHYSICAL PLANT and MORRISVILLE AUXILLIARY SERVICES, set & clean up;
• COPY CENTER, B/W printing.    
• Office of Research Programs, Janice O'Mara, and Tom LeRoy for their assistance with program compliance with SUNY’s Child Protection Policy

For more photos, please visit our album.

Sexual Harassment can cost NAS membership

The National Academy of Sciences now has a way to expel harassers, as well as perpetrators of scientific misconduct, reported Megan Theilking of Statnews  “Under the new amendment announced [June 3, 2019], NAS will allow people to present evidence that a member of the prestigious scientific organization has violated its code of conduct, which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and scientific misconduct. The 17-person governing council will then vote on whether to expel that member. Up until now, there hasn’t been a way to revoke lifetime membership.”

NAS itself reports “the amendment was approved by a large margin, with 84% voting for the amendment.” 

The Ocean is Losing its Breath: A Marine Scientist’s Call for Action

For years, ESF has celebrated Earth Week, a long-standing tradition where instead of only celebrating Earth day on April 22^nd, the school plans an entire week of events in order to celebrate what defines our campus community: a shared love of the environment.

Now a tradition for staff, faculty, and students alike, this year’s Earth Week had a variety of community clean-ups, sustainability-themed events, and guest speakers.  Amongst these speakers was Dr. Denise Breitburg, a Senior Scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland. As a part of the semester long Adaptive Peaks seminar series, Dr. Brietburg’s lecture, “The Ocean is Losing its Breath,” presented an overview of ocean deoxygenation, its effects, and its solutions.

As the leader of the Global Ocean Oxygen Network, Dr. Breitburg has now invested years into researching various anthropogenic impacts on the marine environment. In the beginning of her talk, Breitburg was very quick to clarify, “I’m also talking about coastal waters like estuaries, and also semi-enclosed seas like the Baltic sea, and not just the open ocean.”

Following her introduction, Dr. Breitburg immediately jumped into her presentation. First, she acknowledged that low oxygen levels do occur naturally in the ocean, however, the current concern amongst marine scientists is that oxygen is now declining beyond areas where these naturally low levels have been traditionally observed.

According to her presentation, ocean oxygen levels globally have dropped 2%. While to many, a 2% decline in oxygen does not sound substantial, declining oxygen levels affect organism of all sizes. Specifically, a lack of oxygen affects an organism’s ability to respirate, photosynthesize, and reproduce. While marine deoxygenation has many causes, Dr. Breitburg stated that the primary sources of this global phenomenon are agriculture, human waste, and the burning of fossil fuels.

When discussing any environmental problem many people are often left wondering what they can do to make a difference, especially communities that are inland and like Syracuse, NY, thousands of miles from the nearest ocean. But, Dr. Brietburg pointed out that “it is not all gloom and doom” and that there are actions that we can take.

Dr. Brietburg presented many different pathways for one to make a difference. She pointed out that while we have developed an incredible understanding of the impact of ocean deoxygenation on the marine environment, there is currently no thorough research on the impact of ocean deoxygenation on us. She then explained that, by extending research on this issue to its impact on human health, we can raise awareness of the severity of this ocean deoxygenation, and gain the attention of politicians and other global forces who have the power to influence this problem. Aside from further research, she recommended changes in various agricultural and aquaculture systems. Furthermore, she said with a serious tone, “carbon capture and sequestration need to be added to the equation.”

During her conclusion, Dr Breitburg stated, “The big challenge is to increase engagement, both with civil society, and policy makers. And to do that, we need to increase and improve our communication on these issues.”

While ESF offers a few courses, and a minor in marine science, it is not often that a marine scientist visits campus. While ocean deoxygenation is like all environmental issues- complicated, Dr. Breitburg instilled hope within her audience, and showed that with further research, communication, and engagement with policy-makers, solutions to this issue are not as far-fetched as they might seem.

Dr. Breitburg directs SERC’s Marine & Estaurine Ecology Lab and thinks up new ways to investigate the impacts of dead zones and acidification on Chesapeake Bay’s fish and invertebrates.  Breitburg has also served as  Participating Faculty, Graduate Program in Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences, University of Maryland System.  She was previously Curator, Marine/Estuarine Ecology, Ichthyology, at The Academy of Natural Sciences, Estuarine Research Center and Adjunct Professor, and Graduate Faculty member within other departments at the University of Maryland.   She earned a BS and MA in Biology from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara,  where she looked at Marine and estuarine ecology; relationship between behavior and community ecology; and the behavior and ecology of fishes.

This chapter in the Adaptive Peaks Speaker Series is cross-listed with Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions and is sponsored by Department of Environmental and Forest Biology and ESF Women's Caucus.  As part of the requirements for FOR496/497 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share responsibility for reporting on presentations in the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series. The preceding was prepared by Lydia Torres, BS 2019, Environmental Studies, with a concentration in Environment, Communication, and Society and a Minor in Environmental Writing & Rhetoric. 

Where Science and Policy Meet: the Career of an EPA Scientist

In Adventures at the Science-Policy Interface, Dr. Brooke Hemming, Sr. Physical Scientist, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), gave the “lecture I wished I’d heard as a graduate student.” Dr. Hemming discussed the role scientists play in public policy, developed through her exemplary work with the interdisciplinary team charged with establishing the scientific foundation for “criteria” air pollutant limits via synthesis of data with emergent understanding of atmospheric science and the acute and long-term impacts of exposure to human health and ecosystems. But she also used the Thursday, March 28, 2019 Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions lecture to outline different science career paths and preparatory opportunities. 

Dr. Hemming first discussed four main career areas for a professional in the sciences: 1) academic research, 2) non-profit research, assessment, and advocacy, 3) government research and/or assessment, and 4) government policy analysis and/or development. On the subject of her career area (government research and/or assessment), she acknowledged that her projects and deadlines are pre-determined for her, and that her work is subject to considerable public scrutiny because she is a public servant.

Dr. Hemming offered the advice that when choosing a career path, ask yourself three things:

1)     What are your talents and skills?

2)     What do you want to be doing on most days of your week?

3)     Own who you are, what you have to offer, and what you need to be happy before you start making major career decisions.

Dr. Hemming advised those interested in environmental policy is to learn the issues of most concern to science advocates, and to take advantage of education-oriented opportunities to work directly with policymakers. 

Dr. Hemming went on to talk about an organization she has previously worked, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and her time as an Environmental Science and Policy Fellow at the organization. Over the course of her time at the AAAS, she visited countries like Mexico and Russia to meet with members of government and local scientists to discuss the state of the climate in those countries.

The next part of Dr. Hemming’s lecture was on the role of the EPA in policy formulation, which includes: 1) responding to Congress and 2) assessing & reporting on the state of the science relevant to environmental policy. She described the role of Congress as having the power to confirm the EPA leadership, set budgets for the EPA, and create new offices within the agency. She gave an example of a report to Congress she had worked on, regarding assessment of black carbon particulate matter.

The National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) is the division of the EPA that primarily handles assessment of the science relevant to environmental policy. As a member of the NCEA staff, Dr. Hemming works to provide the interface between 3 groups employed in the fields of policy and science: 1) researchers in other parts of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, 2) the larger scientific community who generate new findings and data that inform policy, and 3) the regulators in the EPA’s regional offices (e.g. the Office of Air and Radiation) who use that data to make decisions to protect public health and the environment. She went on to describe the Clean Air Act of 1970, which called for upper limits on ambient concentrations of 6 criteria air pollutants (ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and lead), and its influence on her work. Dr. Hemming’s office publishes its work as Integrated Science Assessments (ISAs) that summarize the most policy-relevant science, particularly regarding assessment of risk to human health, and the ISAs are made available to the public online.

Dr. Hemming concluded her lecture by providing a list of important skills that she believes are not usually developed in graduate school, but that are essential for entering the workforce:

1)     humility (being willing to learn from your co-workers)

2)     collaborative problem-solving (as collaboration is required for all “fully-effective solutions”)

3)     self-awareness (knowing your own shortcomings, and how they affect your interactions with co-workers and shareholders)

4)     listening to your shareholders and partners (“listen dynamically”, be engaged, sympathetic)

5)     work-life balancing (realizing that although graduate school doesn’t encourage a balanced life, you need to find a way to set aside time to take care of yourself)

Since 2002, Dr. Brooke Hemming has worked in Air Quality assessment at the Research Triangle Park campus of the US EPA. Her training began at a community college, continued at UC Berkeley and work at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her doctoral research at Stanford University was conducted at the NASA-Ames Research Center and the Molecular Physics Laboratory at SRI International. Her post-doc in atmospheric aerosol thermodynamics was completed at the CA Institute of Technology, and was followed by a fellowship at AAAS.  Since joining the EPA, she has received multiple awards for her work on NAAQS reviews, and a gold medal for her leadership and co-authorship of the assessments that formed the basis of the Carbon Dioxide Endangerment finding that CO₂ is a harmful pollutant. She is the editor of a new book series, Climate and Policy, under the Anthem Press Environmental and Sustainability Initiative, and has served for several years as a technical advisor on the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research Program Resource Conservation and Resiliency Technical Committee, and as an advisor on the North Carolina State Climate Change and Society Program Advisory Board. She has also served as a science advisor to Paperhand Puppet Intervention.

Dr. Hemming’s lecture was co-sponsored by ESF’s Department of Chemistry and the ESF Women’s Caucus. For more information about the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Lecture Series, the upcoming (4/25) presentation by Denise Breitberg, Smithsonian Ecological Research Center, please visit: https://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/speakers.htm.  

As part of the requirements for FOR496/497 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share responsibility for reporting on presentations in the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series. The preceding was prepared by Anuli Onwumelu, a MS student in the Forest and Natural Resources Management’s Ecology and Ecosystems program of study.

Bathroom Designation in Marshall Hall

Consistent with ESF's commitment to diversity and to better accommodate our campus' demographics,  changes to existing toilet room designations are proposed. We recognize that the change noted below do not completely address this issue either here on our main campus or at our regional properties. This is an additional step towards improvements; additional changes will follow. The change is proposed, for implementation this coming week.

Marshall Hall

Marshall Hall  was constructed in the 1930's with a higher number of men's toilet facilities reflective of the disproportionate number of men on campus at that time. As a measure to create a balance indicative of the current ESF main campus demographic, the following change is proposed in Marshall Hall: The existing men's room on the 2^nd floor will be designated as women's rooms effective March 18^th, 2019.

Temporary informative signage will be installed at the restroom approximately one week ahead of the change, and maintained until occupants and visitors to the building become accustomed to these new designations.

Recommendations for bathroom and requests made by both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as other faculty and staff members, are the major catalysts for this change. There are additional measures in design to create ADA-compliant, single-occupant, gender-inclusive toilet rooms.

This is only one step in a larger effort that will address this important issue throughout all ESF properties.  Our campus has adopted a Bias Reporting tool that can be accessed through this link, https://www.esf.edu/ide/bias.htm.  The Bias Reporting System has the capability to report incidents anonymously, or not, and is a way for the campus to report incidents that occur.  A Climate Campus survey to First Year and Senior class students as well as to staff will be sent out.  These surveys will serve as a way to measure the perceptions of campus climate.

For your reference please see our Nondiscrimination Statement,

SUNY-ESF is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the College community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

Questions and comments regarding these initiatives should be directed to Gary Peden in Facilities at gspeden@esf.edu or 315-470-4907.

Gary S. Peden, A.I.A.

Director of Facilities Planning, Design and Construction

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

1 Forestry Dr., Syracuse, NY 13210-2778

Office 315-470-4907    Cell 315-247-5441   Fax 315-470-6957

Amy I. McLaughlin

Title IX Coordinator and Affirmative Action Officer

Email: aimclaug@esf.edu or titleix@esf.edu

Phone: 315-565-3012

ACORNS Voices will be heard. The Climate Surveys will assess climate around diversity, equity and inclusion and we need your VOICE!
Launching March 15th and running through March 31st, first year, senior, and staff surveys will be available in your inbox soon.

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity https://www.esf.edu/ide/

450 Baker Laboratory

1 Forestry Dr. 

Syracuse, NY 13210 

SUNY Sexual Assault & Violence Response (SAVR) Resources - https://www.suny.edu/violence-response/

Calling Kids, ages 8-11, for the 26th Annual Take our Kids to Work Day, April 25, 2019.

Participants will get a taste of what it is to be a chemist, biologists (several specialties), and an engineer.  They will also learn about sharing that work (or other topics of interest) in a meaningful way, and try their hands at turning waste material into something else.  

Visit http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/kids.htm  for a registration form (to be returned to Heather Engelman, 320 Bray Hall, no later than April 11), an excused absence form for the child's school, and the answers to commonly asked questions.  Kids’ adults are again asked to share responsibility for chaperoning and escorting groups from one session to another and/or to assist during lunch; there is space on the registration form to indicate your availability. 

Please note:  "Our" kids include grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neighbors and friends. But space is limited. 

Heather Engelman, x4752, engelman@esf.edu

Registration is now open! Girls Summit

Girls' Summit is a hands-on S.T.E.A.M.-based career exploration day that introduces girls in grades 5-10 to “non-traditional” fields through a keynote address, a series of workshops, and a college-readiness panel composed of students from local colleges.
When: Saturday April 13, 2019, 9:30-3:45 (Check in, and on-site registration open at 8:30am)
Where: Marshall Hall and other locations at ESF and Syracuse University (GPS:1000 Irving Ave, Syracuse, NY, 13210, to get to the Traffic Control Station next to the CARRIER DOME, and follow the signs)
Pre-Registration is now live! Register HERE
Secure a seat, and ensure we plan for dietary, mobility and other constraints.
Contacts

Aja Everson, Program Manager, Girls Inc of the YWCA, 315-424-0040
Heather Engelman, Program Coordinator, ESF Women's Caucus, 315-470-4752

Women's only networking platforms? (DRAFT)

Conferences are awesome for technology transfer. And also for the networking that occur outside of those talks.  Every networking opportunity affords glimpses into all sorts of projects, potential to meet new collaborators, mentor students and young professionals, and catch up with old classmates on their professional and personal lives, and picking their brains for strategies for either sector.

But women (inadvertently more than not) can still be shut out of conversations and introductions. It hasn’t been that long (2012) since a double-blind study showed that women applying for lab manager positions were perceived as less competent and worth less mentoring and lower starting salaries than men with identical qualifications.  In a different study of online courses, where the gender of instructor could be masked, even perceived women instructors received worse ratings than perceived male counterparts teaching the same thing (see also). Women need to walk a tight rope and "prove it again" (and again). Strictly enforced gender rolls are also problematic for men (see pop culture take and that of the American Psychological Association).

We also know that it isn’t just early career folks that benefit from expanded networks; the higher women go in their respective fields, the fewer women there are, and the more isolated they may be.  And, unfortunately, male dominated fields are some of those at highest risk for gender harassment and sexual assault. And if women also happens to have other differences, she may be even further isolated--both from other women and from spheres of influence (citation needed).

One of the recommended ways to change work climates so that they are less conducive to all these behaviors is through mentoring network; supporting women also can improve everyone’s job satisfaction. Some professional societies build in tracks in support of this.  In this vein, a young professional breakout session has been part of the NYSAF winter meeting agenda for a while now and Diversity (and now Diversity and Inclusion) Fellows have been part of the national program agenda for even longer.  A informal effort has also encouraged networking among women attendees of the national meeting, primarily through a meet-up off site one night of the convention. An advantage of this format is that the grassroots organizers retain control, and participants have space separate from possible antagonizers. Disadvantages: Some prospective participants might not get the memo; potential allies don't see that yes, even now, there is a need, and they need to change some of the way they do things so that women and other "others" aren't marginalized; and the sight of a gathering of women (or other marginalized identity) doesn't get normalized.

So, do we do it? Yes.