Sarah, Though you make an excellent point, I think the article addresses a deeper societal issue than overpopulation and losing women in science careers. 21st century women often have to make a choice between career and family; those that think they can do both jobs well often get little sleep and suffer personally while making sacrifices for the greater good. I think there needs to be a dynamic shift in the mindset of institutions that employ women in academia. What is this shift? I have absolutely no idea. But as a woman in my mid-20s who aspires to be a positive role model for my students, my peers and my future children, I know that I simply cannot 'do it all', and this idea of the 'super-woman' is not only exhausting, it's an unrealistic role to play when mentoring younger generations of women and girls. Given my opinions, I am still unwilling to give up the notion that I will have a career in academia as well as a family. Hopefully, by the time I'm ready for both, society will make it a little easier on me to achieve these lofty goals (and I can still get 8 hours of sleep a night!).
~Amanda On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 9:48 AM, Sarah Frias-Torres < [email protected]> wrote: > David,thank you for sharing the link. > As subscribers to Ecolog are ecology oriented, perhaps we can read the > article thinking about the big picture. Mainly the 7 billion people in the > world. We have surpassed the carrying capacity of our planet. I strongly > suggest reading the latest work from James Lovelock on this issue. > Diminishing numbers of human offspring must be a cause for celebration not > regret. The true regret here is losing women in science careers. > > Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Schmidt Ocean Institute Postdoctoral FellowOcean > Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) 1420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, > Florida 34949 USA Tel (772) 467-1600http://www.teamorca.orghttp:// > independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres > > > > Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:46:31 -0400 > > From: [email protected] > > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Fwd: [ADVANCE-NEWS] The Children they Never Had > > To: [email protected] > > > > >Hello All, > > > > > >You might find this piece (link below) at Inside Higher Ed > > >interesting. It provides an overview of the first of a series of > > >scholarly papers by Elaine Howard Ecklund (Rice) and Anne Lincoln > > >(Southern Methodist) on women faculty members and their choices > > >regarding children and career, careers outside of science, and other > > >issues. It's worth a look. > > > > > >< > http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/08/09/female_science_faculty_much_more_likely_than_male_counterparts_to_wish_they_had_more_children > > > http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/08/09/female_science_faculty_much_more_likely_than_male_counterparts_to_wish_they_had_more_children > > > > > > > For more information about the ADVANCE program at the University of > Maryland: > > www.advance.umd.edu > -- Amanda Arner Master's Student Department of Biological Science Texas Tech University [email protected] (512) 550-0403 "Those that can, do. Those that understand, teach." ~Aristotle
