The Royal Society, the worldwide fellowship of eminent scientists, has recently launched a campaign that highlights the significance of life outside the laboratory. The project featured real-life stories of parents and carers who juggle research work and family commitments.
According to the society's website, the objective of the campaign "Parent Carer Scientist" is to encourage present and upcoming scientists to pursue their career aspirations despite commitments outside work. The campaign featured 40 stories of scientists who have successfully proved that a career in science with a family life is very possible and that there is no need to choose between the two.
"We need to include the best and brightest in science, so it is very important that we are inclusive," Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, president of the Royal Society, told The Guardian. "We need to nurture the careers of young scientists as they proceed up the ladder by making it possible for them to succeed alongside family commitments and other interests."
Ben Sheldon, a University of Oxford professor whose story was featured in the campaign, shared that he was serving as a chair of examiners for the undergraduate degree when his youngest son Tomas was hospitalized due to a major epileptic seizure. "My department was great, they stepped in immediately and said: 'Someone else is going to do this. You can't do this job when this has just happened,'" he narrated.
Sheldon said that the experience was difficult but it was made easier by his colleagues' attitude towards work. "My department has a great culture of understanding that it's not really about which hours you work, or even how many, it's about what you do. It's about the results."
Moreover, Dr. Seralynne Vann from the University of Cardiff shared that she had always wanted a career in science and to be a mother. However, due to her physical disability, she was afraid to achieve her aspirations. She related that when she had a son in 2013, she realized that having a baby does not have a negative impact to a person's career.
"The truth is, you can't immerse yourself in the same way - you can't stay up until 10 p.m. writing a paper when you've got to do bedtime," Vann disclosed. "Practically, you do have to compromise a bit. But it's definitely doable."
