Preprint
Astro2020 APC White Paper: The Early Career Perspective on the Coming Decade, Astrophysics Career Paths, and the Decadal Survey Process
ArXiv.org
Cornell University
07/02/2019
DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1907.01676
Abstract
In response to the need for the Astro2020 Decadal Survey to explicitly engage
early career astronomers, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine hosted the Early Career Astronomer and Astrophysicist Focus Session
(ECFS) on October 8-9, 2018 under the auspices of Committee of Astronomy and
Astrophysics. The meeting was attended by fifty six pre-tenure faculty,
research scientists, postdoctoral scholars, and senior graduate students, as
well as eight former decadal survey committee members, who acted as
facilitators. The event was designed to educate early career astronomers about
the decadal survey process, to solicit their feedback on the role that early
career astronomers should play in Astro2020, and to provide a forum for the
discussion of a wide range of topics regarding the astrophysics career path.
This white paper presents highlights and themes that emerged during two days
of discussion. In Section 1, we discuss concerns that emerged regarding the
coming decade and the astrophysics career path, as well as specific
recommendations from participants regarding how to address them. We have
organized these concerns and suggestions into five broad themes. These include
(sequentially): (1) adequately training astronomers in the statistical and
computational techniques necessary in an era of "big data", (2) responses to
the growth of collaborations and telescopes, (3) concerns about the adequacy of
graduate and postdoctoral training, (4) the need for improvements in equity and
inclusion in astronomy, and (5) smoothing and facilitating transitions between
early career stages. Section 2 is focused on ideas regarding the decadal survey
itself, including: incorporating early career voices, ensuring diverse input
from a variety of stakeholders, and successfully and broadly disseminating the
results of the survey.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Astro2020 APC White Paper: The Early Career Perspective on the Coming Decade, Astrophysics Career Paths, and the Decadal Survey Process
- Creators
- Emily Moravec - University of FloridaIan Czekala - University of California, BerkeleyKate Follette - Amherst CollegeZeeshan AhmedMehmet AlpaslanAlexandra AmonWill ArmentroutGiada ArneyDarcy BarronEric BellmAmy BenderJoanna BridgeKnicole ColonRahul DattaCasey DeRooWanda FengMichael FlorianTravis GabrielKirsten HallErika HamdenNimish HathiKeith HawkinsKeri HoadleyRebecca Jensen-ClemMelodie KaoErin KaraKirit KarkareAlina KiesslingAmy KimballAllison KirkpatrickPaul La PlanteJarron LeisenringMiao LiJamie LomaxMichael B LundJacqueline McClearyElisabeth MillsEdward MontielNicholas NelsonRebecca NevinRyan NorrisMichelle NtampakaChristine O'DonnellEliad PeretzAndres Plazas MalagonChanda Prescod-WeinsteinAnthony PullenJared RiceRachael RoettenbacherRobyn SandersonJospeh SimonKrista Lynne SmithKevin StevensonTodd VeachAndrew WetzelAllison Youngblood
- Resource Type
- Preprint
- Publication Details
- ArXiv.org
- Publisher
- Cornell University
- DOI
- 10.48550/arxiv.1907.01676
- ISSN
- 2331-8422
- Number of pages
- 9
- Language
- English
- Date posted
- 07/02/2019
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984442018602771
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