I've deliberately avoided writing about work and science related issues here -- in part because most of the people who read this blog are here for baby photos, and in part because I would hate to write something unguarded that might affect my career down the line. I haven't had the time or mental energy to edit myself carefully enough to tackle issues related to science careers, juggling work with new parenthood, etc. However, after we're settled in West Virginia, I'm going to spend some time delving into that can of worms for those of you who are interested and willing to stick with me.
I was inspired to do this partly by a blog post written by my friend Zane, and partly by a growing awareness that in leaving my fellowship I'm joining a mass exodus of American born and trained scientists from academia. For those of you who are slogging it out in grad school and postdoc positions, I would strongly encourage you to read this article about the economic issues that are in play, as well as Zane's essay about the human impact of the problem.
5 comments:
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on leaving the academic track. I thought I wanted to take that track until I was offered a faculty position when my youngest was 8 months old and I realized that it wasn't the right path for our family. Four years later I just became a stay-at-home mom and it's lovely! I still haven't given up completely on a "career", but this is what's right for us now - not that it's easy, but it feels right.
I figure I'm kind of pre-emptively burning bridges if at all possible. Just in case my future self goes crazy!
Victory -- Thanks for the encouragement! People keep telling me that I'm going to be frustrated and bored staying at home. I'm convinced they're wrong, but it's always nice to hear about other people who are liking it. (Also, I'm still going to be doing some science . . . we'll see how much, though.)
Zane -- Probably a smart move. :-) I think that it was incredibly fortunate for me that I wanted to have one baby, but got two at once. I would have managed to hang on out here with one -- and probably would have applied to jobs that I didn't want -- but a totally random event forced me to act on my real priorities.
Hanna,
Were you never frustrated or bored at work? :)
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on career and such. I know I've not discussed it too much in my posts for the same reason (don't want to burn any bridges - I'll email you a funny story about that).
Ali, I spent two years in a basement running dirt through sieves. :-) That's actually one of the things that I want to write about -- this weird assumption that work is necessarily more intellectually stimulating than kids. I have an "intellectual" job, but it can be an agony of boredom. It can be great, too. Seems to me that no matter what you're doing there's going to be good and bad, interesting and boring.
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