Read the article in Huffington Post about my book: The Sky Detective. The article. … [Read more...]
Is sexual harassment the reason why women quit science?
July 6, 2016 By 1 Comment
Is sexual harassment the reason why women quit science? I'm afraid the discouraging press coverage regarding this topic in recent years has brought undue harm to young women who wish to pursue scientific careers. Check out a recent NY Times article regarding "sexual harassment" in science: She Wanted to Do Her Research. He Wanted to Talk ‘Feelings.’ During my time at UCLA, NASA and Stanford, I did not experience nor do I view sexual harassment to be a major issue for “women in science”. Maybe my upbringing in Iran, where I witnessed everyday sexual discrimination, has conditioned me to not pass judgement about “men in science,” which in my case have all been tremendously professional, insightful, and encouraging! … [Read more...]
Return to NASA
May 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Yesterday, I presented a talk at NASA in celebration of the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The topics covered ranged from showing a hula dance, performed by the Nixon Elementary kindergarten class, to the escape route that my brother, Sean Taba, and I took to get smuggled out of Iran in 1982. I was re-invited by the Asian-American advisory committee at NASA because our story of escaping a dictatorship and finding success in America is one that is shared among many nations. … [Read more...]
Book Talk at NASA, Fire Alert, and More…
March 17, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Book Talk at NASA on March 15 organized by Women's Influence Network (WIN). It was a wonderful event and over hundred people showed up. However, I didn't get a chance to finish my talk. Why? I had a slide up about the Cinema Rex fire/arson on August 19, 1978 in Abadan, Iran that claimed many lives--an event that many historians believe was the key that triggered the 1979 Iranian revolution. As I was discussing the event a lady rushed up to the stage, grabbed the microphone and said, "Smoke is coming out of the control room. Please leave the auditorium immediately." I am going back to NASA to finish my talk, hopefully soon. Stay tuned! … [Read more...]
March 8, 1979: Anti-Veiling Protest in Iran
March 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/march-8-1979-anti-veiling-protest-iran-azadeh-tabazadeh A travel down the memory lane! I was fourteen years old at the time of this protest, which I attended with my mother, Azar, and a group of her friends. Despite Ayatollah Khomeini's promise that he will be a religious leader, two weeks after his arrival in Tehran on February 1, 1979, he began preaching Shariat, mandating all women to wear the veil. Over 100,000 men and women took to the streets of Tehran to protest against veiling on March 8, 1979--International Women's Day. Initially, the Ayatollah backed off, but sadly within a year veiling became mandatory. Below, I share an excerpt from my memoir--The Sky Detective: How I fled Iran and Became a NASA Scientist--recalling the events of March 8, 1979. This excerpt is from the "Revolution … [Read more...]
Packed House at Palo Alto Books Inc.
February 24, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Book Talk at Palo Alto Books Inc. on February 16. It was a great event, a packed house and lots of questions. I picked up 18 brand new readers!! Books Inc. did a wonderful job advertising the event to the community. Laughter filled the room as I told the audience about my trip to the White House and the unfortunate Monica Lewinsky scandal that prevented a group of young scientists, including myself, who were there to receive a Presidential Award, to be greeted by the president. Hope to see you at the next Book Talk in SF or Berkeley. … [Read more...]
THE SKY DETECTIVE – A BOOK CLUB PICK IN THE EAST BAY
February 4, 2016 By 2 Comments
A BOOK CLUB gathering at Sandra's beautiful home in Castro Valley on 2/3/16. Thank you SO much Carol for selecting my book, Sandra for hosting, and to you all for reading "The Sky Detective" and sharing your thoughts with me. Almost everyone requested that I tell the story of my journey once we landed at the LAX airport in July 1982 with nothing other than a 6-month student visa, which is where the narrative ends in "The Sky Detective." Write to me if you are of the same opinion! … [Read more...]
Kirkus names “The Sky Detective” as one of the best books of 2015
January 7, 2016 By Leave a Comment
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/goodreads-giveaway-copies-sky-detective-azadeh-tabazadeh?trk=pulse_spock-articles Read the Kirkus Review at: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/azadeh-tabazadeh/sky-detective/ Enter the Goodreads Giveaway Contest to win a free softcover copy of The Sky Detective: A memoir of how I fled Iran and became a NASA Scientist. https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/167690-the-sky-detective-a-memoir Naturally, I am super-excited and wanted to share the news with colleagues, followers and friends. I hope my personal story touches the hearts and minds of those who may wonder about who we (Iranian-Americans) are and what values we stand for. Azadeh Tabazadeh … [Read more...]
Discriminatory Visa Wavier Bill Targets Iranian-Americans
December 11, 2015 By 1 Comment
Written by Azadeh Tabazadeh https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/proposed-visa-wavier-bill-h-r-158-discriminate-other-marked-azadeh?trk=pulse_spock-articles The proposed Visa Wavier Bill (H. R. 158) will discriminate against Iranian-Americans and other “marked” dual-nationals The photo shown depicts a protest in 1979 where a group of Americans were demanding that all Iranians should be deported because of the extreme acts of the newly established government of Iran—more specifically the “Islamic Republic of Iran.” The events that triggered hatred toward Iranians were the seizing of the American embassy in Tehran and taking 52 U.S. diplomats and citizens hostage for 444 days. Is it fair or reasonable to punish the citizens of an entire nation for the extreme actions of their irrational governments or extremist groups who … [Read more...]
