According to studies published in the United States, around 50% of female scientists in that country abandon science after motherhood. The information was provided this morning by the University of Alicante, which has reported on the initiative of a group of Spanish scientists, all mothers, who propose ten urgent measures that academic institutions should adopt “to create a friendlier environment and thus avoid that women abandon academic careers after motherhood.
This decalogue contemplates various aspects, from support during pregnancy, child care and lactation, and the school phase, to actions aimed at organizing, making flexible, and equitably distributing research and teaching activities, as well as measures for the professional advancement of mothers. , thus fighting against mental health problems, discrimination and harassment.
The proposal has been published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology under the title Ten simple rules for a mom-friendly Academy (Ten ideas for a friendlier academic world for mothers), and highlights the need for greater representation of women in the science, including mothers, “because equality is a fundamental right and, furthermore, there are works that certify that diverse work environments are more productive and innovative”.
The article, led by the researcher of the Department of Ecology of the University of Alicante (UA) Esther Sebastián-González, includes Eva Graciá, of the Department of Applied Biology of the Miguel Hernández de Elche University (UMH); Alejandra Morán-Ordóñez, from the CREAF-Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications; Irene Pérez-Ibarra, from the Aragón Food and Agriculture Institute (IA2), a mixed center of the University of Zaragoza and the CITA of Aragón; Ana Sanz-Aguilar, from the Department of Ecology and Evolution of the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), and Mar Sobral, from the CRETUS-Interdisciplinary Center for Research in Environmental Technologies of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC).
“The benefit of the implementation of many of these ideas will not only be for trans mothers and fathers, but also for parents, caregivers of dependent people, women and even the academic community in general. It is imperative that academic institutions take proactive measures to promote gender equality and empower all people, including mothers, in the development of their scientific careers,” explains Esther Sebastián-González.
Among the measures proposed by this group of scientists is technical support for pregnant women for field and laboratory work, as well as policies to facilitate flexible work hours and remote work. Another point that the article highlights is that maternal and paternal leave be taken into account in selection processes and in eligibility criteria for scholarships and research positions. They also request the creation of nurseries and lactation centers at work and in scientific meetings, flexibility in working hours and location, and giving priority to parents with minors to select teaching hours during school hours.
To support the professional advancement of mothers, the authors include other issues such as being able to extend the eligibility window for scholarships and grants for scientific mothers by at least 18 months per child, waiving the geographic mobility requirement in scholarships and grants for scientific mothers, and creating specific subsidies after long career breaks. They also propose creating, disseminating and enforcing policies against harassment and discrimination in all research institutions and reducing the unpaid and unrecognized work of women, such as being members of hiring or thesis committees and equalizing this administrative burden to the Men’s.
