Parents and children work together to build a tower of blocks that feature images representing work and family activities that a scientist may take part in
Edited by
Emma Pewsey et al.

Scientist and Parent

A research career and family life are not incompatible.
Collection
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Institutions, funders and conference organisers are increasingly providing support for scientists who are also parents. In this series we look at some of these initiatives – and at the issues that still need to be addressed – as well as sharing the life stories of researchers who have children.

Collection

  1. Scientist and Parent: Learning lessons from a toddler

    Madhumala K Sadanandappa
    Struggling to get her research project up and running in a new country, a mother gets inspiration from her young daughter.
  2. Scientist and Parent: The bereaved parent

    Edward Wallace
    The impacts of grief are long-lasting, but support from colleagues provides some relief.
  3. Scientist and Parent: Are we there yet?

    Nicole Swann
    Traveling to conferences with children presents a number of logistical and financial challenges.
  4. Scientist and Parent: Part of the research family

    Emma Pewsey
    eLife is publishing a collection of articles and interviews with scientists who are parents to explore how to get the best of both worlds.
  5. Scientist and Parent: Planning during pregnancy

    Bridget M Kuehn
    Colleagues, funders and institutions can support pregnant researchers in a variety of ways.
  6. Scientist and Parent: Looking for the best of both worlds

    Bridget M Kuehn
    Research institutions could do more to support scientists who are pregnant or have young children.
  7. A mother and child outside of a centre for scientific outreach

    Life story: Louisa James

    Being a parent helps to put things into perspective – and make strategic career decisions.
  8. Life story: Gal Haimovich

    When deciding to join a lab, scientists thinking of having children should consider what kind of support will be available to them.
  9. A child's drawing of her parents teaching

    Life story: Jonas Obleser

    Raising children does not require having a done-and-dusted career path.
  10. A family on an outing

    Life story: Tom Monie

    Balancing the need to network and showcase your scientific work with the demands of parenthood is a difficult act.
  11. Scientist and Parent: Cultural shifts

    Bridget M Kuehn
    China's one-child policy has resulted in scientists with families having experiences that are very different to those elsewhere in the world.
  12. Modesto Redrejo-Rodriguez enjoying a sunny day in the park with his sons

    Scientist and Parent: Raising equality

    Providing more flexible parental support would reduce the assumption that mothers should be the main caregivers and make it easier for fathers like Modesto Redrejo-Rodríguez to share childcare responsibilities.
  13. Scientist and Parent: A question of time

    Peter Rodgers
    How does a scientist balance establishing a career and starting a family?
  14. Life story: Petteri Karisto

    Children on campus may be an unusual sight, but if institutions are supportive it can help parents at the start of their science career.
  15. Life story: Alexis Barr

    Shared parenting and flexible working times make everything a lot easier.
  16. Life story: Viki Male

    Being a parent can push you to reach for higher goals.
  17. Life story: Rogier Kievit

    Having a child makes you focus on the things that truly matter.
  18. Bede Portz with his two children

    Life story: Bede Portz

    With the right advisor, having children during a PhD can be a great joy, but lack of affordable childcare is a problem.
  19. Sofie and son Isaak

    Life story: Sofie Valk

    Science and parenthood can go together well.
  20. Scientist and Parent: Communities creating change

    Bridget M Kuehn
    Women scientists across India are working together to build and advocate for family-friendly policies at their institutes.
  21. Scientist and Parent: Finding joy in the balancing act

    Flexible working hours and a supportive lab allow Rebecca Burdine to organize her research around caring for her children.
  22. Life story: Chileshe Mabula-Bwalya

    Adjusting to a new identity as a mother comes with challenges, but with help, a rewarding research career is possible.
  23. Life story: Estefanía Milla-Moreno

    Academia needs to move towards a more family-friendly environment.
  24. Life story: Douglas D Garrett

    If you want to be a scientist parent, come to Germany.
  25. Life story: Daniel Fabian and Susanne Franssen

    Things rarely go as planned.
  26. Lotte Meteyard with her cat Teddy

    Life story: Lotte Meteyard

    Parenthood means last minute changes of schedule are no longer possible.
  27. Life story: Anne Hakim

    Having kids helps you to be more time efficient.
  28. Life story: Ali Twelvetrees

    Transferable skills can be useful to juggle the demands of being a parent scientist.
  29. Life story: Marta Garrido

    Parenting as an early-career researcher and as a group leader hold different challenges.
  30. Life story: Tim Kietzmann

    When you have children, chasing the dream job of being a scientist can often mean relying on your partner to be flexible.
  31. Life story: Adrian Liston

    Equal parenting needs to start from day one, and requires advance planning.
  32. Life story: Yanlan Mao

    Planning your time effectively can help to set aside quality time for your children.
  33. Life story: Gaby Da Silva Xavier

    For some research is not just a job, and pursuing a career you love can help you be a good role model for your child.
  34. Life story: FM

    Getting your priorities straight will help you to achieve your goals.

Contributors

  1. Emma Pewsey
    Associate features editor and web content manager
  2. Helga Groll
    Associate Features Editor
  3. Stuart R F King
    Associate Features Editor
  4. Elsa Loissel
    Associate Features Editor
  5. Peter A Rodgers
    Features Editor, eLife, United Kingdom