Research has shown that scientists who have fewer children than wished have less satisfaction in their life and career, increasing their chance of exiting their science careers.
In the study, researchers surveyed graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty in leading science Ph.D. programs.
Survey questions included family factors, significant influences on the pursuit of a science career, career experiences and impediments, work-family balance, career and life satisfaction, and projected career track.
The impact of a science career on family does not only relate to women; the effect of having fewer children than desired on life satisfaction is found to be greater on men than women scientists.
“The fact that having fewer children than desired has a greater impact on men’s life satisfaction is an important finding because most research on the relationship between family life and pursuing a career in science has focused almost exclusively on the lives of women,” said Elaine Howard Ecklund, a sociologist at Rice University, in a press release. Ecklund is the lead author of the study, “Scientists Want More Children,” published in the journal PLoS ONE.
It is an issue that a large proportion of men and women going to top US research universities are considering leaving the field due to the impact of the science career on family life.
“This study has particularly important implications for early career scientists at top research universities, those who will guide the future of science in the U.S.,” Ecklund said. “Given these findings, universities would do well to re-evaluate how family-friendly their policies are.”
Read the research paper.
