Let’s face it: parenthood can be a daunting prospect, regardless of your educational and/or professional career goals. Recent studies examining the attrition of new parents from positions in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields highlight the challenges associated with balancing the role of a primary caregiver against a high stress career. For this talk, I will explore what it was like to return to graduate school as a non-traditional student and some of the issues that I have encountered while pursuing an academic career as a parent. The goal is to address the idea of work/life balance and some of the misconceptions that surround this term, especially as it relates to the choices and challenges that many early career professionals face when trying to enter the ranks of research, teaching, and/or extension faculty.<br/>

What is work/life balance? Reconciling parenthood with an academic career in STEM

2019 Fall National Meeting

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