I think that the issue is PLANNING. So science should be compromised because of your desire to have children? Slightly different twist to the discussion but ..... if you are doing a field project you should plan on being there for your committed time frame i.e. don't get pregnant. I have taken over work on a couple of field projects because the woman had to leave for similar reasons i.e. getting married and/or pregnant. That is problematic in terms of down time to get a new field tech = missed data. Also field techniques maybe altered due to new person thus data could be compromised. There are other issues here that need to be considered as well. For instance, taking a position from others and then backing out for personal reasons midway through the project. This could happen for both sexes but have seen it almost exclusively with women in the US. Just another thought.
Mike Welker El Paso, TX ----- Original Message ----- From: Silvia Secchi To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 8:44 AM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Backpacking with an infant? Actually, I think the real issue is who is advising Simone to do this and thinks it is a good idea. My PhD and postodoctoral advisers had kids and were realistic in terms of their expectations. Now that I am on the other side, I try to do the same with my students and postdocs. At three months, you could have a colicky baby or still be recovering from a c-section. Advisers who do not make room for the needs of a new mother and baby are problematic in my view - then again, I am probably biased because I am Italian, and in Europe maternity leaves are serious business. Silvia -- Silvia Secchi Assistant Professor, Energy and Environmental Policy, Department of Agribusiness Economics Co-Director, Environmental Resources & Policy Ph.D. Program Agriculture Building - Mailcode 4410 Southern Illinois University 1205 Lincoln Drive Carbondale, Illinois 62901 Phone:(618)453-1714 Fax: (618)453-1708 Vous avez beau ne pas vous occuper de politique, la politique s'occupe de vous tout de même. Charles Forbes de Montalembert The way we organize the modern American university fragments our knowledge badly. Not only are we divided by discipline, but we are divided by the methods that scholars use. Elinor Ostrom
