Mixing a Career in the Geosciences with Real Family Life: One Woman's Perspective

A career in the geosciences can offer many exciting opportunities for discovery, challenges, and rewards. The question is, can a successful career in our field be mixed with a full family life including spouse, children, and other family responsibilities? As a mother of three young children, married to a geoscientist, I have worked for over a decade to find a balance between a full time job and family responsibilities. This presentation will highlight some of the career management techniques that can be used to attempt to balance these competing priorities for dual career couples. Additionally, structural barriers that hamper opportunities for female geoscientists to progress will be discussed. Finally, the positive effects of the development of family friendly policies within professional societies and at places of employment will be highlighted.