2026/01/01 by Devanshi Agarwal, Sonya E. Neal · 1 voice
Health Professions · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Career Development and Diversity #Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions #Mentoring and Academic Development
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/1873-3468.70262
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/01/02 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Parenthood has been linked to lower retention of women in academia, yet the specific challenges faced by mothers remain underexplored. We interviewed nine mothers across different career stages in the life sciences to qualitatively examine how motherhood intersects with academic milestones. Participants described challenges unique to academia, including dependence on supervisors, publication pressure, financial strain, and limited awareness of available institutional resources. They also shared strategies that supported their success, such as transparent communication with supervisors, designating student-parent coordinators, and creating peer communities for mothers in academia. By highlighting shared barriers and effective solutions, this work underscores the need for structural and cultural reforms to better support mothers in academia and retain talented scientists in STEM fields.