Academic Motherhood: Managing Complex Roles in Research Universities

Given the prevalence of women faculty entering the profession, many of childbearing age, it is important to understand how women juggle the often-conflicting demands of children and tenure. Interviews with 29 faculty from research universities find them reporting joy in their professional and personal roles, the "greedy" nature of academic and family life, the need to watch the clock, and the perspective that having children imposes on life as a junior faculty member.