For years, female scientists have felt the need to choose between career and family. For many, raising children seems nearly impossible, given the high demands of careers in science and technology. But now the Elsevier Foundation Grant’s New Scholars program is helping address this challenge while the efforts of institutions such as the University of California – Irvine, mean scientists can now strike a work-life balance that benefits us all.

Dr. Douglas Haynes, Director of UC-Irvine’s ADVANCE Program for Faculty Equity and Diversity, explains. “One of our biggest challenges is combating the misconceptions about work-life balance,” he says. “Women scientists sometimes believe they must choose between their careers and starting a family. But, through ADVANCE, we are making support services available to help pre-tenure faculty achieve both their personal and professional goals.”

The ADVANCE program was initially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and was initiated in 2001. Its goal is to promote gender equality and the advancement of women faculty, especially in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). UC-Irvine was one of the first schools to receive funding from the program.

A 2002 Mason and Gulden study of early family formation among STEM faculty showed men are 24% more likely to achieve tenure. Couple that with a general misconception about the ‘danger’ of threatening one’s career by starting a family, and UC-Irvine knew it had to help change perceptions and provide support.

Bringing support closer to home
While UC-Irvine already has a number of family-friendly initiatives, they noticed a significant gap. “We already have policies for tenure clock extension (interrupting the pre-tenure schedule for each birth or adoption), provision for modified duties and family and medical leave programs,” he says. “But we were aware that families with children had other, more immediate needs.”

The nature of STEM research requires intense, and often lengthy, laboratory or field experimentation. Regular communication with colleagues in the field and presenting at professional conferences or research meetings is essential. “We conducted a survey and found that while many scientists wished to engage in these activities, they could not because of restricted childcare options,” Haynes explains.

Foundation for the future
Enter the Elsevier Foundation, and their New Scholars program. The Foundation provides funding to institutions that advance scientific knowledge, and the New Scholars Grants were designed specifically to support women scientists and their families. Applicants who presented sustainable ideas with a high probability for success were considered.

UC-Irvine’s Professional Development Grant for Parents of Infants and Toddlers fit the bill. The innovative program directly addresses the unique challenges faced by scholars with family responsibilities who need to attend conferences and meetings to advance their careers and contribute to scientific discovery. By providing financial support for childcare, the Grant allows scientists to develop their careers without repercussions.

“We’re now accepting applications for the first round of grants,” Haynes says, “but we’re hearing nothing but positive feedback about the childcare program. Everyone from the former Chair of our Academic Senate to our regular faculty is applauding the effort.”

A long-term, sustainable view
Haynes and his team recognize the sustainability of the Grant for Parents of Infants and Toddlers. Given the overwhelmingly positive response to the initiative, and the expected advancement of personal career tracks, the program is expected to continue long into the future. The Elsevier Foundation funds will support it into the 2011 academic year. By then, there will be significant evidence to support longer-range funding from within the University.

“The Elsevier Foundation has generously provided us with the funds during these crucial beginning phases,” says Haynes. “Our success rates will be more than sufficient to secure ongoing funding. We’ll be able to show the direct impact the Parent Grant can have on advancing scientific development,” says Haynes.

Broader scope brings more support
Haynes and his team don’t have much time to celebrate the success of their newest family-friendly initiative. “We realize that we still have major challenges ahead of us, but we’re ready to address them,” he explains.

The first objective is awareness. Haynes will be responsible for a number of initiatives that raise awareness of UC-Irvine’s wide range of family-friendly support measures. “We need to make faculty aware of all of the support we can give them to pursue their scientific careers, and dispel some of the myths about getting involved in these programs,” he says. Through workshops and detailed information packets, faculty will be assured of reliable, consistent support that does not carry a stigma or slow their career progress.

Secondly, Haynes aims to expand the service offerings to include other types of family support. Often, the department encounters faculty who provide care for elderly loved ones, or who have other family obligations that limit their time and resources. “Only when we have adequately addressed all of these needs, can we truly say we’re doing all we can to help advance scientific discovery.”

To cite this article, please use: Toni Bellanca, "Establishing a better balance", Elsevier Editors' Update, Issue 23, August 2008

 Please send responses to: EditorsUpdate@elsevier.com