This page is a collection of resources that can be helpful for early-career astronomers & their supporters. Are there resources missing? Or thinks that you would like to add? Please email: fsbroekgaarden[@]gmail.com (remove the “[ ]”). Much appreciated! Feel free to share this website or any of the resources listed below with your network. We are working on hosting this on an independent website.
Resources overview
Note that the Resources for applying to internships / PhD and graduate programs / Postdocs / Faculty / Industry are on a separate website that can be found here:
https://www.broekgaarden.nl/floor/wordpress/eca-resources-applying-for-phd-postdoc-faculty-and-more/
A list of online workshops / YouTube recordings of talks on several support resources can be found here: https://www.broekgaarden.nl/floor/wordpress/eca-resources-online-workshop-recordings/
Links of other websites/groups that collect Astronomy resources
- Astrobetter: Many blogs with resources for astronomers on the astrobetter website: https://www.astrobetter.com/
- The early-career astronomers community facebook group (for undergraduates to, and incl., postdocs) https://www.facebook.com/groups/582367049172861
- A collection of peer-reviewed papers, blogs, and resources for women in STEM:http://www.sarahrugheimer.com/Women_in_STEM_Resources.html
- Logan Pearce has a lot of resources listed http://www.loganpearcescience.com/resources.html, with especially a lot of helpful resources for applying to PhD/Postdocs
Academic writing/reading:
- Twitter thread with useful tools and websites for finding, reading and keeping track of (ArXiv) papers in Astronomy:
https://twitter.com/FloorAstro/status/1371531751508619264 - Twitter thread by Victoria Grinberg on writing (conference) abstracts: https://twitter.com/vicgrinberg/status/1378277567602495491
- Another twitter thread on writing abstracts https://twitter.com/elvisha9/status/1396911495766806531
- Template for writing paper abstracts: https://www.fabriziogilardi.org/resources/papers/good-abstracts.pdf
- List of useful phrases to use in academic writing (esp. useful for non-native speakers of English, I think): https://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/Free+Download+-+Useful+Phrases.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-1543172-p177775190
- A collection of writing resources from Perdue University https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html
- The writing center – tools and tips about everything writing related: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/
- A free coursera course on Writing in Sciences https://www.coursera.org/learn/sciwrite
- Academic Phrasebank by University of Manchester https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk
- Twitter thread with useful resources for academic writing: https://twitter.com/IBJIYONGI/status/1549450233830055937
- Another twitter thread with useful academic writing resources: https://twitter.com/OpenAcademics/status/1547322513759252480
Making a personal website
- How to make an academic personal website, blog on astrobetter by Emily Moravec: https://www.astrobetter.com/blog/2021/05/04/creating-a-website-to-promote-your-scientific-work/
- ArXiv article on this: https://arxiv.org/abs/2012.08553
- BAAS article: https://baas.aas.org/pub/2020i0332/release/1
- Super useful PDF on how to create your own website by Logan Pearce http://www.loganpearcescience.com/resources/Website-workshop.pdf
Mental Health resources
- for graduate students from astrobites https://astrobites.org/2019/08/23/mental-health-in-grad-school/?fbclid=IwAR2v0-HWl6MUcY3VPGZ5gfB_3Ihv2Cf99FfXerSliSrkZXd5o0Z9CWFFRqk
- Posters on mental health by Zoe J Ayres https://www.zjayres.com/posters?fbclid=IwAR3nCmR6iT0bgHGccN9dYkm9YwxONKNFXdhTFlAmvTJLRSvSV322qPisVvQ
- Sarah Rugheimer and Sarah Ballard’s “Self-care with Drs. Sarah” podcast is geared toward promoting mental health and well-being at all stages of academia, as well as tips on navigating the academic environment.
- Mental wellbeing in Astronomy resources by Abbie Stevens: https://abigailstevens.com/mental-wellbeing-academia/
- Resources and ideas for mental well-being with crafts/arts:
Crafting Resourcesby Soheb Mandhai. - https://voicesofacademia.com/
- Talk on Imposter Syndrome by Sarah Rugheimer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natKv595gUQ&ab_channel=SarahRugheimer
- UK: Something worth knowing about on the theme of work-life balance is the UK’s Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship, which is designed to be flexible and is available to be held part-time. You’re eligible if you have a caring responsibility or health issue.
- Yoga websites/links:
- Yoga with Kassandra
- yoga with adriene: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene/videos
- Laruga Glaser: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQ84RlDfj6gPFp7s-xW14g
Mental health among PhDs in Germany’s leading research facilities, Heckmann, Lea, Slides: https://zenodo.org/records/6353216
Mentoring networks that early-career researchers can join:
- SN network: https://supernovafoundation.org/
- LUMA: peer mentoring for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx women in astronomy and related fields: https://www.lumamentoring.com/
- Women+ of Color Project: to get mentorship for applying to graduate school https://thewocproject.org/
- Gravitational waves network: https://gwecs.org/
- Astronomy Allies http://www.astronomyallies.com/Astronomy_Allies/Welcome.html
Mentoring resources
- Resources gathered by CSWA: https://aas.org/comms/cswa/resources/mentoring
- Mentoring resource for students/mentees to help set up a mentoring network, and set expectations with your mentor(s): myumi.ch/K4zPD, By U. of Michigan
- Mentoring resource for faculty for mentoring graduate students: myumi.ch/R58Oq. By U. of Michigan
- Effective mentoring practices guide, by Brown University; https://www.brown.edu/sheridan/teaching-learning-resources/mentoring-resources/effective-mentoring-practices
- Resource page for effective mentoring in STEMM: https://www.nap.edu/resource/25568/interactive/
- Mentoring resources list by astrobetter: https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/Mentoring+in+Astronomy+and+Geophysics
- one of my favorite mentoring documents: “How to get the mentoring you want: a guide for graduate students”, by U. of Michigan. colorado.edu/graduateschool/sites/default/files/attached-files/mentoring.pdf
Giving talks / public speaking
- Blog “The Art of Public Speaking for Scientists” by Heloise Stevance: https://www.hfstevance.com/blog/publicspeaking
- Tips for giving presentations by Astrobetter https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Presentation+Skills
Tips for making Posters
- https://sites.psu.edu/astrowright/2013/09/17/make-award-winning-posters/
- http://betterposters.blogspot.com/
- List with resources for making/presenting posters: https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Presentation+Skills
- Poster resources from Caltech https://writing.caltech.edu/resources-for-writers/posters
- How to create a better research poster in less time (15 min presentation) by Mike Morrison. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RwJbhkCA58&ab_channel=MikeMorrison%2CPhD [part 1]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYk29tnxASs&ab_channel=MikeMorrison%2CPhD [Part 2] - How to create beautiful and effective academic posters in powerpoint by Emily Pinch https://www.brightcarbon.com/blog/effective-academic-posters-powerpoint/
- Best examples of scientific posters https://www.animateyour.science/post/best-examples-of-scientific-posters
Other career resources
- What does success mean to you https://astrobites.org/2018/08/17/what-does-success-mean-to-you/
- And an ArXiv article on success this topic: https://arxiv.org/abs/1805.09963
- List of questions about what to ask when applying and choosing a PhD/grad program: “Questions for Graduate Programs” https://t.co/LSNW09sQvh, Original contributions by Dra Nicole Cabrera Salazar, and further contributions by Nadirah Farah Foley, Leah Fulmer, Michelle Lin and others. With very helpful questions that also apply for when generally joining a new group/institute as a postdoc/scientists
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources)
- Incredible list with many many DEI resources and papers in Astronomy & Physics by Kevin Flaherty: https://kevinflaherty.weebly.com/diversity.html
- How to support DEI as an instructor/teacher/faculty: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/astro-dei/resources/for-instructors
- Many resources and talks on DEI: https://eijc.fas.harvard.edu/
- Equal Opportunity Astronomy: Articles & Resources: https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/Diversity
- Resources for women and gender minorities: https://www.lumamentoring.com/materials-for-learning
- Resource page from the Equity & Inclusion Journal Club, CfA https://eijc.fas.harvard.edu/useful-resources
- “Impact of astronomy on our society: examples from Africa” slides by Mirjana Povic: https://zenodo.org/records/6416207
- “Equitable hiring at ESO“, Primas, Francesca, https://zenodo.org/records/6346365
- The present and future of diversity in astronomy, Abigail J. Frost, https://zenodo.org/records/6337665
- The culture of astronomy and its scientists, Hannah Dalgleish, https://zenodo.org/records/6337318
- Black Lives in Astronomy, a resource guide by Andrew Fraknoi https://www.fraknoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Fraknoi-Black-Lives-in-Astronomy.pdf
- Astrobetter Equal opportunities resources https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/Diversity
- Astrobetter Accessibility resources https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Accessibility
- Astronomy Allies http://www.astronomyallies.com/Astronomy_Allies/Welcome.html
- List with resources and useful definitions https://www.tamiastronomy.org/resources/
- Suggested statements for your teaching syllabus https://docs.google.com/document/d/1448DhEntkekhGtd2MTq0n7xbSCtNvybC5-JnT7j7wZ8/edit
Job Listing/hiring resources
- AAS recommendations for postdoc application guidelines https://aas.org/jobregister/postdoc-application-guidelines
Other topics
- Slides “Astronomy and the Climate Crises”, Leonard Burtscher, https://zenodo.org/records/6385349
Data visualization resources
- Discussion on color schemes to use for plotting and data visualization by Logan Pearce http://www.loganpearcescience.com/resources/A_thread_about_using_color_as_a_design_tool_in_science_presentations._Color_is_a_great_tool_to_separate_different_categories_of_information_to_highlight_information_or_to_establish_an_emotional_tone.__120.pdf
Finding/attending conferences
- Find conferences through: https://www1.cadc-ccda.hia-iha.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/en/meetings/
Other astronomy related resources
- Useful resources on how data science is important for astronomy: http://datascienceprograms.com/learn/the-role-of-data-science-in-astronomy-and-interstellar-exploration/ (w/ thanks to Kiel & Ms Emily for suggesting this)
- Computing resources by Astrobetter https://www.astrobetter.com/wiki/Wiki+Home
How to become an astronomer
- Reddit: “so you want to become an astronomer” by Yvette Cendes on how to become an astronomer
https://www.reddit.com/r/Andromeda321/comments/fyjmpv/updated_so_you_want_to_be_an_astronomer/ - “How to become an Astrophysicist”, 2013, Neil deGrasse Tyson, [How did Neil deGrasse Tyson get hooked on science? Find out when the director of the Hayden Planetarium and host of StarTalk Radio answers a fan’s question on how to become an astrophysicist.]
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UniM3txg7E0
