I've been following the debate Simone Whitecloud inspired concerning babies in the field. This brought to mind something I was told when I was pursuing my B.S. in Wildlife Ecology:
"You can be a scientist, a spouse or a parent. Two of these things you can be simultaneously great at doing, while the third will suffer." I'm not sure I entirely agree with this statement, but I have seen personal relationships tried by professional obligations and professional obligations tried by personal obligations. Particularly in a field that often demands long absences and irregular hours, I can see how this would particularly be true. Though, I have also seen faculty and research scientists with families that seem pretty stable and happy. Is there any substance to this paradigm, and if so, are there realistic ways in which we can change them? I'd love to hear the communities' thoughts on this as it is something that I have often reflected on as I've progressed through my career. Can we have it all? What are the key differences between the ones that are seemingly able to do it and the one's where the challenges become too great? Rachel Guy Project Coordinator, Research Assistant
