Scientist and Parent

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. 

   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. 

   Life story: Jonas Obleser

   Raising children does not require having a done-and-dusted career path.
10. 

    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. 

    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. 

    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. 

    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. 

    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.