AAS Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy

Image promoting #BlackSpaceWeek 2025, scheduled for June 15–21. Each day has a theme and event: • June 15, Sunday: #IntroducingTheUniverse – Virtual mixer and reading with StriveHigher • June 16, Monday: #PicturingTheUniverse – Black in Planetarium Panel • June 17, Tuesday: #AccessingTheUniverse – Black in Space Policy Panel • June 18, Wednesday: #SharingTheUniverse – Black in Journalism Panel • June 19, Thursday: #ShowcasingTheUniverse – Social Media Scavenger Hunt • June 20, Friday: #ReadingTheUniverse – Black in Storytelling Panel • June 21, Saturday: #CraftingTheUniverse – Virtual Craft Night Background features a starry sky. Logo includes a purple raised fist with “BIA.” Graphic by @CheyennePolius, website: www.blackinastro.com.

Schedule for #BlackSpaceWeek 2025! Links to register coming soon🤭 Which event/panels pique your interest? 👀

Social media post from the National Society of Black Physicists: On March 21st, 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) terminated $420 million in grants and contracts at NASA, without clear communications or records regarding the action. Among the terminated grants was one to the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), providing funding for joint conferences with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP) for 2024, 2025, and 2026. The grant termination will cut at least $200,000 in funding for the 2026 conference, significantly curtailing support for student travel, among other expenses. This termination, reported in Science magazine, represents just one of the cuts to NSBP & NSHP federal support. Over the past two months, all federal science agencies have terminated grants for the conferences. These conferences are the largest academic meetings of minority physicists in the United States. At each conference, students have access to an array of professional development opportunities, promoting the persistence of underrepresented physics students in the STEM workforce pipeline. Student travel grants help ensure access and as such, are crucial to the overall impact of the conference. Our field is strengthened when everyone can participate, regardless of race, gender, or economic background. Tell Congress to investigate these grant cuts made without clear communication: https://speak4.app/lp/u201ashh

Federal funding has been cut for the NSBP annual conference. Travel awards support all students to attend, present, network, and learn at (IMO) the best national physics conference. This is a HUGE loss to the scientific community. ⚛️ 🔭

AAS Alarmed by Rumored Deep Cuts to NASA and National Science Foundation

Recent reports have indicated that the White House may soon be proposing drastic cuts to future budgets for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD). aas.org/posts/news/2...

Patrice Smith Named 2025 DPS-NSBP Speaker

Through a partnership between the AAS's Division for Planetary Sciences and the National Society of Black Physicists, Patrice Smith has been named the 2025 DPS-NBSP Speaker. aas.org/posts/news/2...

Congratulations to all of the #AAS245 Chambliss poster competition winners! aas.org/posts/news/2...

CSMA members @capricephillips.bsky.social, @that-astro-chic.bsky.social, and co-Chair Greg Mosby were thrilled to talk with Congressman Glenn Ivey and @aasoffice.bsky.social President Dara Norman this week about the future of NASA and science education! 🔭

A reminder to all at #AAS245: our session on the astro poverty survey results is tomorrow, Tues, Jan 14, 10-11:30am in Chesapeake G/H. Panelists are Carlos Vargas (Arizona), @joncohn.bsky.social, Taylor Hutchison (NASA Goddard), KeShawn Ivory (Vanderbilt), and Ekta Patel (Utah). LOTS to discuss! 🔭🧪⚛️

Thanks for asking! We plan to record the session, and we can share it afterward so others can see it!

Thanks for asking! We plan to write a white paper within the year on our preliminary results, with more focused papers to follow!

Congressman Glenn Ivey visited the Exhibit Hall - he emphasized the importance of work in the sciences, esp. in the light of the recent wildfires, and his support for Goddard, which is in his district #AAS245 ✨🔭

Photo of CSMA members (L to R) Laura Lopez, KeShawn Ivory, Caprice Phillips, Raquel Martinez, and Greg Mosby at tonight's Grad/REU Fair!

The CSMA had a great time talking to students at the #aas245 Grad/REU fair tonight! Pic features CSMA members (L to R) @ohdearz.bsky.social, KeShawn Ivory, @capricephillips.bsky.social, @rmartinez.bsky.social, and Greg Mosby!

Image of Congressman Glenn Ivey in front of an American flag.

All at #aas245: be sure to see Congressman Glenn Ivey from Maryland's 4th Congressional district (which includes NASA Goddard and College Park) speak Monday at 9:20am at the @aasoffice.bsky.social booth in the exhibit hall! 🔭

Poster saying "Half of Black astronomers have left, or are considering leaving, the field due to finances. Survey on Poverty in Astronomy Special Session, Tuesday, January 14, 10am in Chesapeake G/H" for #aas245

The CSMA is proud to sponsor a #aas245 special session on the results of the Astronomy Poverty Survey. The panel will report astonishing findings (like the poster below) from the survey's >1000 respondents and describe next steps. The session is Tuesday, Jan 14, at 10am! 🔭🧪 See you there!

Are you a person of color wanting to find community at the @aasoffice.bsky.social meeting next week? Are you a first time attendee or a senior scientist?

If you answered yes, please sign up to attend our 10th anniversary LUMA Splinter Session at #AAS245! 🔭✨️

Sign up here: forms.gle/MTKfVNPsFEBA...

Thank you to @sahilhegde.bsky.social and @astrobites.bsky.social for highlighting the great work of the four inclusion committees of @aasoffice.bsky.social - CSMA, CSWA, SGMA, and WGAD! Looking forward to #AAS245!

Don't forget to register yourself and your students for this winter's @astropy.org workshop at AAS 245! We can't wait to see you there. 🧪🔭

Are you attending the #AAS245 meeting in Maryland this upcoming January? Please consider joining @lumamentoring.bsky.social as it celebrates its 10th anniversary through a Splinter session on Wednesday, January 15th! 🔭✨️

Make sure to sign up to attend here: forms.gle/y91sptDNC89E...

Poster that says "Black in Astro and CSMA Networking Dinner, January 15, 2025, 6-9pm Eastern. 245th American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, National Harbor, MD. A space for Black in Astro and CSMA members and interested allies to meet and network. Express your interest by December 30. Open to all attendees of the 245th AAS conference". Includes a QR code that links to the form to express interest in attending.

Black In Astro and
@aascsma.bsky.social
are hosting a free networking dinner on January 15, 2025, from 6-9pm at the 245th
@aasoffice.bsky.social
meeting in National Harbor, MD! Please express interest in attending by Dec 30 by using the QR code! 🔭🪐☄️. Link 🔗: forms.gle/ged5tKkYYTVS...

Graduate Education Project Fellow - Washington, DC 20006 - Indeed.com The American Astronomical Society

The @aasoffice.bsky.social is seeking a Graduate Education Project Fellow to help lead efforts on DEI in astronomy grad education. 🔭 Bring your passion for education reform and DEI to the field of astronomy! #AstronomyJobs #DiversityInSTEM Details here: www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=c...

Poster that says "Black in Astro and CSMA Networking Dinner, January 15, 2025, 6-9pm Eastern. 245th American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, National Harbor, MD. A space for Black in Astro and CSMA members and interested allies to meet and network. Express your interest by December 30. Open to all attendees of the 245th AAS conference". Includes a QR code that links to the form to express interest in attending.

The CSMA and @blackinastro.bsky.social are hosting a free networking dinner on January 15, 2025, from 6-9pm at the 245th @aasoffice.bsky.social meeting in National Harbor, MD! Please express interest in attending by Dec 30 by using the QR code! 🔭🧪⚛️

super stoked to be organizing this unconference on galaxy evolution *and* astronomy culture. we were lucky to get funding from @heisingsimonsfdn.bsky.social + the NAASC to heavily subsidize lodging, meals, and even travel so that more ECRs can join.

apps open on jan 15th! #extragalactic #astronomy

Applications open for the 2025 Simons-NSBP Scholars Program. The Simons-NSBP Scholars Program is a unique summer research opportunity for undergraduates members of the NSBP. The deadline is January 17, 2025.

Applications for the 2025 Simons-NSBP Scholars Program are now open! 🔭🧪⚛️

The Simons-NSBP Scholars Program is a summer research opportunity for undergraduate members of the National Society of Black Physicists. Learn more about the program and apply here: www.simonsfoundation.org/simons-nsbp-...

Congrats to this year's AAS Beth Brown Memorial Prize winners at the annual NSBP/NSHP meeting: Alexis Spence (NC A&T State U), Shih-Yun Tang (Rice U), and Patricia Fofie (UC Irvine)! Dr. Beth Brown was a former member of the CSMA, and we are thrilled to honor her legacy with this award!

Pictures, names, and affiliations of all current AAS CSMA members: Laura Lopez (Ohio State), Greg Mosby (NASA Goddard), Samaiyah Farid (UCAR), Audra Hernandez (U Wisconsin Madison), Carlos Vargas (U Arizona), Raquel Martinez (U of San Diego), Maurice Wilson (NCAR High Altitude Observatory), KeShawn Ivory (Vanderbilt), Caprice Phillips (Ohio State), Ashley Walker (Howard U), Sebastian Monzon (Yale), Ramisa Rahman (Yale), and Chris Moore (Harvard)!

Hello, bluesky!! The AAS Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (members shown below) is happy to join you here, including @ohdearz.bsky.social, @capricephillips.bsky.social, @that-astro-chic.bsky.social, @ramistarblob.bsky.social, @rmartinez.bsky.social! 🔭🧪⚛️