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Ed Bertschinger Department Head, Physics
| November 23, 2009 | 09:23AM
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Working with a diverse group of scientists shows me the universality of scientific values and methods. That two thinkers with very different backgrounds can arrive at identical conclusions is an inspiring reminder of the power of science. More importantly, diversity of backgrounds leads to a diversity of scientific styles and ideas that helps accelerate progress. That diversity includes gender, race, country of origin, sexual orientation, handicapped status, etc.
An example comes from my own research field of theoretical cosmology. During the 1970s American cosmologists led by James Peebles began developing a quantitative theory for how cosmic structures evolved from the early universe until today. Independently a group of Russian physicists led by Yakov Zel'dovich developed powerful foundations to this subject which went largely unnoticed in the West. In the 1980s, thanks in part to US-Soviet exchange visits as well as information carried by... Read More
| November 09, 2009 | 10:20AM
Several weeks ago I attended a wonderful conference at the University of Maryland: Women in Astronomy and Space Science: Meeting the challenges of an increasingly diverse work force. The conference was the third Women in Astronomy conference, following ones in Baltimore in 1993 and Pasadena in 2003. The previous conferences had a significant effect in highlighting problems and generating momentum towards their solution. The progress was notable in the attendance of this conference, which with over 400 participants was significantly larger than the previous conferences. As one of the few males attending the conference, I was delighted by the opportunity to learn from, to network with and to experience the energy of so many people committed to improving the climate for women in science.
There were some amazing talks and panel presentations. Abigail Stewart, Director of the University of Michigan ADVANCE Program, spoke eloquently about unconscious bias, which is often present... Read More
| October 30, 2009 | 09:48AM
Last week I visited Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, DC. Several MIT alumni are on its faculty including two physicists, one of whom came to our PhD program after completing his undergraduate work as a Meyerhoff Scholar at UMBC (For more on this amazing program see Michael Summers’ contribution to the MIT Diversity Leadership Congress). Howard University is the top producer of African American PhD degrees in physics.
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| October 21, 2009 | 12:00PM
I grew up in the Chicano section of a southern California farm town where it was uncool to excel in math or science or to study much of anything except cars -- lifted trucks or low-riding Chevys. Being from the only white family in the neighborhood, I didn't spend much time playing outside amidst drug and gang violence. Very few kids went to college; practically none went to private universities.
I expected undergraduate studies at Caltech to liberate me from this background. But quickly I learned that one year ahead of me at Caltech, excelling in electrical engineering, was Chicano John Martinez. I hadn't seen far enough across the neighborhood to recognize a kindred spirit.
John and I both got into Caltech the same way -- by following our bliss, studying hard, and by accepting both encouragement and challenges from a remarkable science teacher, Richard Almy. John taught me to look beyond my expectations. John and Mr. Almy are two of my adolescent heroes.
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