ONGOING activities

What's in a name?

We embedded NAME PRONUNCIATION audio file in the department directory to encourage people to learn how to correctly pronounce each other's names.
How is this supportive?
- Failing to pronounce your colleague's name is a form of microaggression. Although 99.9% of the time it is done with no bad intentions, it adds to a pile of paper cuts.
- More on this topic:
  - Research on racial microaggression in K-12
  - Huffpost Teacher Breaks Down Why Pronouncing Students’ Names Correctly Matters

An image of John Monnier's page on the department website's directory, with an arrow indicating where to find the button for name pronunciation

Recruitment

As part of our department's desire to recruit the most excellent students possible, we send faculty, postdoc, and grad student representatives to many events including:

The American Astronomical Society Winter Meeting
NSBP: National Society of Black Physicists' annual meeting
SACNAS: Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science's National Diversity in STEM conference
Conference on Undergraduate Women in Physics.

The department covers the travel expenses of those going to recruit. While this counts as service for the faculty attendees, we recognize the valuable work done by our postdoc and grad student representatives with an honorarium.

These conferences give us the opportunity to build connections with various communities, and to hear about some great science!

A photo of the Michigan Astronomy booth, with a student talking to a faculty member

An image of a student presenting their poster

Equi-tea

The Climate and Opportunity committee organizes Equi-tea, a monthly department seminar to discuss issues of climate, opportunity, and access in higher education. More about it here.

Astronomy is for Everyone

Here in the Department of Astronomy we value our shared humanity and we value excellence in science. While statements of values are important, without acts of support they contain little worth. We commit to acting for the continual improvement of our department, our university, our field, and our world.

Astronomy is for Everyone

To add your signature to the poster, please see Stacy Tiburzi at the Astronomy main office.

NEW! Astronomy for Everyone stickers are now available. Ask for one at the Astronomy main office.

The image for our poster: the Earth from space, with the words "one planet, one people, astronomy is for everyone"

A photo of part of the poster, showing some people's signatures

Networking meetings

The purpose of these meetings is to help facilitate opportunities to discuss issues that impact members of our community, to support networking, and to discuss issues related to career development. These meetings are open to all, but each focuses on issues that impact specific groups:

Order of Marginalized Genders (OMG)
The formerly called "Women* in Astronomy" networking lunch has changed its name in 2021 to the "Order of Marginalized Genders (OMG)" networking group. This change has been made to explicitly include trans, gender non-conforming, and non-binary people as well as anyone else who self-identifies as a person of a marginalized gender. We are excited to expand our umbrella and share our resources with more members of our community.
Astronomía en español
**¡La astronomía es increíble en español!**
Todos están invitados a almorzar y conversar, todo en español. No se requiere hablar con fluidez.
Astronomy is amazing in Spanish!
Everyone is invited to lunch and conversation, all in Spanish. It is not required to speak fluently (you are welcomed to come and listen).
International Astronomers
Share the different and similar experiences of individuals who are here on a temporary visa, new, or longtime immigrants.
“Maze in Blue”
a networking group for those who feel they do not know how to navigate institutions or the field, from the perspective of first-generation college students, transfer students from community colleges, current/former Pell grant holders, or any who feel that their lack of familiarity with expectations and the culture of the University make it challenging to feel comfortable in the environment. This is a place for folks at all levels to share and learn from each other.

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