AWM-NET:

WELCOME TO THE CONVERSATION!

Dianne O'Leary
Computer Science Department
University of Maryland

Introduction

AWM-Net is an electronic mail forum initiated in January, 1994, for discussing issues related to the AWM mission.

Women in computer science have a list known as "systers", founded and managed by Dr. Anita Borg, that enables over 1400 women to engage in mentoring on such issues as graduate study, two body problems, applying for jobs, etc. It also serves as a quick way to spread announcements about workshops, grant opportunities, etc. The members find it to be a valuable resource, especially those who are geographically isolated from women colleagues.

Numerical analysts have a list known as NA-Net, founded by Gene Golub, that provides a weekly digest of announcements, and serves as a mail-forwarder, so that users can contact any other user merely by knowing that person's key (last name, or first initial plus last name.)

AWM-Net is inspired by Systers and by NA-Net, but has a somewhat different organization. Many of the rules and the etiquette are copied from those set down for Systers by Anita Borg.

The Addresses:

If you want to transmit a message to the members of AWM-Net, send it to: awm-net@cs.umd.edu
The message will appear in the next digest.

If you want to be added or deleted from the list, ask a question about the list, or report trouble with the list, send a message to: awm-net-request@cs.umd.edu
I'll respond to your message as soon as I can.

The Rules

1. Any member of AWM may join AWM-Net. There is no charge. If you are not already a member of AWM, you may join by sending dues of $40 ($8 for students, retired, or unemployed) to:

AWM Membership

4114 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg.

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20742-2461

(further information from awm@math.umd.edu or (301) 405-7892)

2. AWM-Net is meant to be a safe and comfortable place to discuss issues of specific importance to women in mathematics. Although e-mail should never be considered to be a secure means of communication, members should treat all messages as confidential, unless the sender specifically labels a message "Public":

2a. DO NOT FORWARD AWM-Net mailings that are not marked "Public" without first obtaining permission from the originator of a message.

2b. DO NOT USE OR DISSEMINATE information in AWM-Net messages not marked "Public" without permission of the original sender.

3. Only members of the Net may send to the Net.

4. Personal defamation or character assassination of individuals is an inappropriate use of the list.

5. AWM-Net members might ask for opinions over the Net, then collect or summarize and redistribute them to the Net. Collections should not be sent beyond the Net unless the collector states that the message is "Public". The collector should get permission from every contributor before indicating this.

6. All discussions should have substantial content related to women in mathematics. Other forums are available for the discussion of general women's issues.

7. Violators can be removed from the Net.

AWM-Net Etiquette

AWM-Net can be used to update each other on our work and interests and to discuss some of the problems (joys too!) of being women in our field. It is an appropriate place for calls for papers, information about meetings, conferences etc., recruiting, questions about how to handle a job-related problem, and just about anything else where the intended audience is women in Mathematics. Job ads will be limited to advance copies from the AWM office of announcements to appear in the AWM Newsletter.

Here are a few guidelines to help keep traffic to reasonable levels.

1. Messages should have technical or career related content.

2. Subject lines should give enough information to allow readers to filter out discussions not interesting to them.

3. Be sure that your response to a message from the list is appropriate to send to the whole list. If not, send your comments only to the sender of the message.

4. Since the mailer sometimes deletes a sender's net address, you should always include your net address with your signature to make such private responses to you possible.

5. Beware of using automatic reply mechanisms! Be sure your messages are going only where you intend them to go.

5. If you wish to start a discussion that is probably not appropriate to the professionally related aims of AWM-Net, feel free to use the list to send out a feeler and collect names of members who are interested.

The Structure of AWM-Net

AWM-Net is built on top of semi-automated technology, volunteer time, and computer services donated by the Computer Science Department of the University of Maryland. Please be patient as we work through the inevitable glitches.