I feel the need to express a view of gender and family issues in academia that is more optimistic than many of the posts so far on this thread. This isn't to deny the existence of gender inequity or problems with being an academic and having a family. I just would like younger women (and men) in ecology not to despair about their futures! Things are not always so bad.
I have known a number of women (and men) who had children in grad school and still successfully defended and then obtained faculty positions and tenure. Most of the ones I can think of wound up at predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUI). I have worked at one institution that had absolute pay equity for new hires (all starting faculty members in all fields received the identical salary), and interviewed at others that had minimal differentiation for new faculty salary (again at PUI). I have served on five tenure-track faculty searches, and a bunch of ones for visiting faculty, and have seen no evidence of any gender discrimination whatsoever. (at a PUI) The three Department Chairs that I have had as a faculty member have all been women. (at PUI) As a parent, I have received nothing but support and understanding from my colleagues and my institution (a PUI) I do not mean to paint an excessively rosy picture- I am also aware of some negative situations that have occurred at various institutions. But those wishing to balance work and family might consider whether at PUI would work out better for them than in a grant-driven, highly competitive R1. Max Taub -- Daniel Taub Assistant Professor of Biology Southwestern University 1001 East University Ave Georgetown TX 78626 USA Phone: 512 863-1583 Fax: 512 863-1696 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
