Reflections From Academic Mothers of Young Children on Social Work Research and Education

Normal Wasn’t Good: A Collaborative Autoethnography of the Intersectional Experiences of Academic Women of Color Mothering During the Dual Pandemics

“…Further, policies must be written with these experiences in mind, not as an afterthought and not replicating an environment where leadership is comfortable with only having one of us at the table (intersectionality is crucial), but where multiple and diverse WOC are at the table helping with making key decisions. Schools of social work must see WOC including those who are mothers as valuable assets (Mogro-Wilson et al, 2022).…”

Productivity in academia: When the rules determine the losers

“…It is crucial to consider a different period of scientific activity for productivity evaluations based on maternal/parental leaves and other personal-related leaves from work (Hipólito et al, 2020). In addition, allowing for different submission modalities or implementing flexible deadlines (Ahn et al, 2021) for grant proposals, reports, and returning reviews could be essential to improve their productivity rates (Mogro-Wilson et al, 2022). Post-pandemic nurseries, daycare centers, and flexible and reduced working hours will benefit academic mothers and caregivers (Hipólito et al, 2020).…”

“…To retain and promote scientists from underrepresented groups, scientific institutions must also ethically divide the communal, administrative, and mentoring labor among researchers at different stages of their careers so that minority and early-career scientists can protect their research time and gain proper recognition for their work (Mogro-Wilson et al, 2022). Nevertheless, aspects of teaching time and quality, mentorship (especially of undergraduate students who demand more significant effort and investment), university outreach projects, and student-focused services in scientific and educational institutions should also be considered in science competitions.…”

Leading Change in Gender and Diversity in Higher Education from Margins to Mainstream

“…Motherscholars juggle multiple demands, and the utopian ideal of the elusive work-life "balance" is often difficult, if not impossible, for mothers to obtain (Calarco et al 2021;Collins et al 2021;Hertz, Mattes, and Shook 2021;Kapoor et al 2021;Misca and Thornton 2021;O'Reilly 2020;Schieman et al 2021;Zamarro and Prados 2021). The explosion of scholarship over the past two years demonstrates the detrimental impact on motherscholars research productivity during COVID-19 (Becegato et al 2022;Boncori 2020;Bowyer et al 2022;Casey 2021;Cui et al 2021;Flaherty 2021;Fulweiler et al 2021;Guy and Arthur 2020;Kim and Patterson 2022;Mogro-Wilson et al 2022;Morgan et al 2021;Nwoko 2020;Pettit 2021;Squazzoni et al 2020;Staniscuaski et al 2021;Velander et al 2021). These data amplify the results of the previous studies and show that during the 2020 data collection (April/ May 2020) and the 2021 data collection (April/ May 2021), many mothers found themselves at the impossible intersection of work/ life conflict.…”

“…The confluence of gendered carework and COVID-19 has meant that mothers have most fully and keenly felt the devastating effects of the pandemic. Initial research confirms that the pandemic has had a substantial negative impact on academic mothers' careers: academic mothers have lost grant funding, have delayed or postponed research projects, and have missed deadlines for submitting articles and manuscripts (Becegato et al, 2022;Boncori, 2020;Bowyer et al 2022;Casey, 2021;Crook, 2020;Cui et al, 2021;Deryugina et al, 2021;Flaherty 2021;Fulweiler et al, 2021Fulweiler et al, , 2021Guy & Arthur, 2020;Hipólito et al, 2020;Kim & Patterson, 2022;Mogro-Wilson et al, 2022;Morgan et al, 2021;Pettit 2021;Squazzoni et al, 2020;Staniscuaski et al, 2021). Indeed, evidence suggests that women's research has plummeted during the lockdown, and articles by men have increased (Fazackerley, 2020).…”