Mind the Gap: Women in STEM Career Breaks

Abstract

The slow advancement of women in scientific fields remains a persistent problem, especially in academia. Highly trained doctoral women in the sciences drop out of the academic pipeline for a variety of reasons that are poorly documented. This paper reports on a qualitative exploratory study based on structured interviews with 15 women who have taken career breaks after receiving their science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) PhD, but wish to re-enter the academic career track. The study aims to understand the pressures that contribute to taking such breaks, how women remain connected (or not) to their field during breaks and how re-entering the field after a career break could be facilitated. Suggestions based on the interviews include career development workshops and networking opportunities for women in breaks, as well as systemic changes such as reduced fees for society membership and conferences, changes in the way resumés are reviewed by faculty search committees, and in the design and implementation of maternity and child care leave policies.

Returning to STEM: gendered factors affecting employability for mature women students

“…A particular concern has been on the large numbers of qualified women who leave SET careers and those who fail to return after taking a career break (People Science Policy. 2002;Hewlett et al, 2008;Herman and Webster 2010;Panteli 2006;Mavriplis et al 2010). In the case of women who remain employed (ie coming back from short maternity breaks) there are a number of strategies deployed to combine care and career (Herman, Lewis and Humbert 2012), and employers are increasingly seeking to develop on-ramping strategies (Hewlett.…”

Factoring Family Considerations into Female Faculty Choices for International Engagement in Engineering, IT, and Computer Science

“…Results from empirical studies reveal that family considerations affect female faculty retention rates in STEM. 11,22 While this revelation would seem to be common sense, females take career breaks as a result of their fatigue from managing "two full-time jobs" -work and family. 15 On one side of the equation, we have the career which requires "maximum time investment".…”

“…10 Females also take career breaks due to their partner's relocation or to take care of an elder family member. 11 Research suggests that some females who take career breaks report feeling satisfied with their decision while others report feelings of disappointment especially if they felt the break was their only alternative. Moreover, feelings of disappointment may persist if upon return to work women experience isolation and a disconnect from their careers, and face issues of self-confidence and fear when returning to the workplace.…”

“…Investigations in issues related to retention reveal that female faculty in STEM either take career breaks or change career paths voluntarily or involuntarily. 11 The investigation of career breaks reveals that family matters. Results from empirical studies reveal that family considerations affect female faculty retention rates in STEM.…”

“…Moreover, feelings of disappointment may persist if upon return to work women experience isolation and a disconnect from their careers, and face issues of self-confidence and fear when returning to the workplace. 11 Gendered divisions of labor also play a role in female faculty members' career decisions and corresponding levels of satisfaction. Female faculty dedicate a greater portion of their time to undergraduate education in comparison to their male counterparts who invest more time in graduate education, research, and other activities.…”