We hope that every country participating in IYA2009 has at least one Ambassador for She is an Astronomer. These people have not been 'organised' by the She is an Astronomer task group, and so we do not know who they are! This space is for them - for them to let everyone know who they are and what they are doing.
Athena Coustenis, France is an astronomer working at Paris-Meudon Observatory, specialising in Planetology. She is responsible for exhibitions, festivals and other activities within the Coordinating Committee of IYA09 (AMA09 in French). She is also responsible for the French IYA Cosmic Diary.
Ginevra Trinchieri in Italy has set up a blog where professional astronomers post contributions on their "lives and experiences" and also views on "astrology", statistics and past "pioneers". The blog can be found at www.professioneastronoma.it . She is also working with the astronomical community collecting and elaborating gender data about the present and past astronomical community in Italy. The website can be found at www.sheastro.arcetri.astro.it .
Naveen Nanjundappa, Vice President, Bangalore Astronomical Society, India sent us the lovely photograph on our front page of young Indian astronomers enjoying the view through the telescope.
Maggie Aderin in the UK has arranged for short items about women in astronomy to be broadcast on the BBC Radio 4 programme Women's Hour, and she is helping women giving talks.
The UK Space Conference had all the astronomy talks on Saturday 4 April given by women (organised by Dave Wright, John Axtell and Guildford Astronomical Society).
Francesca Figueras is leading a team in Spain which is organising several activities for 'She is an Astronomer'. These include a wonderful calendar featuring 12 female astronomers, an exhibition dedicated to female astronomers of different countries and epochs, several radio podcasts dedicated to female astronomers in different countries and epochs. A series of television programmes is being produced in which the role of women in the development of Spanish Astronomy during the past decadesis highlighted. The programmes are shown on one of the main Spanish TV channels. They are also conducting the first study on the situation of female astronomers in the Spanish system of Science and Technology and the conclusions will be presented in September this year.
Ricardo Cardoso Reis in Portugal arranged interviews about 'Being an Astronomer in Portugal' with one of the largest national television channels - all the interviewees turned out to be women.