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. Elsa Loissel
    Associate Features Editor
  4. Peter A Rodgers
    Features Editor, eLife, United Kingdom