Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out
    Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out
    Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out
    Ebook312 pages4 hours

    Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out

    By Emily Monosson

    4.5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    About half of the undergraduate and roughly 40 percent of graduate degree recipients in science and engineering are women. As increasing numbers of these women pursue research careers in science, many who choose to have children discover the unique difficulties of balancing a professional life in these highly competitive (and often male-dominated) fields with the demands of motherhood. Although this issue directly affects the career advancement of women scientists, it is rarely discussed as a professional concern, leaving individuals to face the dilemma on their own.

    To address this obvious but unacknowledged crisis—the elephant in the laboratory, according to one scientist—Emily Monosson, an independent toxicologist, has brought together 34 women scientists from overlapping generations and several fields of research—including physics, chemistry, geography, paleontology, and ecology, among others—to share their experiences. From women who began their careers in the 1970s and brought their newborns to work, breastfeeding them under ponchos, to graduate students today, the authors of the candid essays written for this groundbreaking volume reveal a range of career choices: the authors work part-time and full-time; they opt out and then opt back in; they become entrepreneurs and job share; they teach high school and have achieved tenure.

    The personal stories that comprise Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory not only show the many ways in which women can successfully combine motherhood and a career in science but also address and redefine what it means to be a successful scientist. These valuable narratives encourage institutions of higher education and scientific research to accommodate the needs of scientists who decide to have children.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherILR Press
    Release dateAug 15, 2011
    ISBN9780801457838
    Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out

    Read more from Emily Monosson

    Related to Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory

    Related ebooks

    Science & Mathematics For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Scientists Have No Defense Against Awe

      Jun 12, 2016

      Eileen Pollack, author of The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science Is Still a Boys’ Club, hinted at the complexity of the relationship between science and the soul in a recent essay: “We need scientists who recognize the reality of this illusion we st

      5 min read

    • Article

      Opinion: I Thought Patriarchy In Science Was Fading. Then I Saw It In The Data

      Dec 10, 2019

      Ending gender inequity and patriarchy in science will require more than playing the waiting game. I intend to wait no longer and will use data — and connections — to…

      4 min read

    • Article

      Kate Zernike

      Feb 24, 2023

      Q _ Why write this book? Why now? A _ I started thinking about doing this book in January 2018, just as the #MeToo movement was surging. Those egregious cases made me reflect on the kind of discrimination the women at MIT had talked about in 1999: th

      4 min read

    • Article

      Destroying An Idea Is A Path To Progress

      Aug 10, 2023

      Paul Nurse is a geneticist whose own heredity was entirely hidden from him until fairly recently, when he was forced to take a closer look at his birth certificate. There he uncovered a long-held family secret about his identity. He finds this irony

      4 min read

    • Article

      She Overcame Bias As A Woman In Science. Her Memoir Is Testimony.

      Jul 14, 2022

      When Lindy Elkins-Tanton applied to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the high school math teacher who wrote her recommendation told her, “You’ll never get in.” She proved him wrong, but throughout an extraordinary career in the planetary sc

      3 min read

    • Article

      Parenting Déjà Vu

      May 12, 2023

      Parenting Déjà Vu
      4 min read

    • Article

      We Wish We’d Written That: STAT Staffers Share Their Favorite Stories Of 2017

      Dec 19, 2017

      With the end of the year upon us, it’s time to go back and recognize the stellar journalism other publications produced in 2017.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Meet the new STARS OF STEM

      Mar 5, 2020

      Meet the new STARS OF STEM
      7 min read

    • Article

      How Much Do Parents Matter?

      Sep 15, 2016

      How Much Do Parents Matter?
      12 min read

    • Article

      How ISIS Broke My Questionnaire

      Mar 29, 2018

      I walk into Starbucks in Achrafieh, Beirut and feel all eyes on me. I tug at my top self-consciously, probably making things worse, and wonder a) do I look like an easy Westerner; b) do I look like a ragamuffin (in comparison to the groomed Lebanese)

      13 min read

    • Article

      How ISIS Broke My Questionnaire: I felt the impact of an attack by the terrorist group. So why didn’t my research data?

      Feb 5, 2015

      I walk into Starbucks in Achrafieh, Beirut and feel all eyes on me. I tug at my top self-consciously, probably making things worse, and wonder a) do I look like an easy Westerner; b) do I look like a ragamuffin (in comparison to the groomed Lebanese)

      13 min read

    • Article

      SEX, SCIENCE & STEREOTYPES

      Oct 11, 2020

      It has a provocative title and dedication (“For everyone who blocked me on Twitter”), but your book is evidence-based, nuanced and compassionate. Why did you, a liberal “sex positive, non-traditionalist gay rights supporter”, write a book that delves

      6 min read

    • Article

      Change Maker

      Dec 3, 2021

      Change Maker
      4 min read

    • Article

      What’s the Story?

      Sep 22, 2017

      I KNOW THAT EXPLORING the harmonies between science and religion is not the kind of subject your average literary magazine might focus on for an entire issue— and maybe that is why I am particularly excited about this issue of Creative Nonfiction. Lo

      4 min read

    • Article

      Good To Know

      Jun 11, 2023

      Good To Know
      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory

    4.5/5

    3 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      As a woman in science in the midst of getting my PhD, I really appreciated this book. The lab where I'm doing my field work is staffed almost exclusively by men, and this book was able to lend me some perspective that I very much wanted and otherwise lacked. It uses personal essays from talented female scientists that have had to balance their personal lives and careers. Some speak of sacrifice, others of regret, and all of them talk about compromise. The writers range in through fields and generations: from physiologists in the 70's to geologists in the 80's and marine scientists in the 90's. Personally, it was easy to relate to at least some piece from every essay. I was often heartened by the outcomes and opinions and feelings they shared. I am at the beginning of my own story still, but I couldn't help but worry about starting my own family after my PhD work and if there was ever a good time to do so. I'm greatful for the messages I found here.

    Book preview

    Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory - Emily Monosson

    Pabook_preview_excerpt.html}ێ$ǑӢ*J3ChE63 ACdg"#qdΓz`{KcYvѨ+3.ǎ}avwu]* |Y3q ]َEl mr#n⮊0!iW/o߿zY|{|rCͯ}ͩxӵ0tm|w}{l?36]߆)C?t+(ۺkkZ(0W{ZBqa(?Ǐic1|?vbO|fqnꇳggY2J}PoS_m@=Ucږ_?ݯ.lʶx]j/eB_ {qW|>UMq/y؇}(f}7a߅xo _#;8 ŋ]ll">ˮsc PbWuU,YUWtlWZrR_eY@r-*LPN^c!6|m(Ůf4?ѿwdqrɗ~`U!R:7}S۞('Eyk>ˉ.wPajF KXcǞ0CXI䏞WGcgdoX_i/] `&?ӧ^l5#::>C)]󬓏*ס 8J_N{(?t8qeױ-Z^t}ͳa tk *ɛS^Y|zUqn$۲Y%s'$aWBo,^req<]Kq;H'hwQȾKhT/7Nz`ϯ~:46fL} Zo62T(Yzzg%{8O9-$1".=tCw`zKHp\IoF:4\r<l?./<2qI1X(mL b>'h/C Peq(ֈEPXM5b4XĵCw Eޗ) F3׆ Gj{~oƵM a9>CxB46Q}YmsYmQauXÿ,0^A'pNƪ嘜H7DZq+nŶ8!TUc6##b eє/mNؘavhǾ쵮 ~(rpkUo)HQKX7ia(O) a@̦7{ˬx OAl_IrX.m,ĄP8K p*?T&?1'PJ:|u?Dl 4U.4&` 0#nDTC r{K@hd~{@XjQea艿ۀlr @kxOM_u_n`3 @%V y-^{ăoʾA-aB(cv+}np;""_X[`qM c l{w|ܘW0asý)=L vg_}Su/){Hq~aLwXLC&Mw͵oaqv /PM YUqAN?ڞH,I+.Tb%\z׽1Ii[%Yyr xkxBNA@kO? Y8"7eQ\qw|L^(,~L|`/׆ZrC^}= p[d6%Mz6g;K;4;"q:iv& ?@2)l>kD<2D X:@WRC-h'rB0heKSv"1~9F[ӱG.QJ&|K?SM(ǘ {4_oGh4B9 @ٟj77H$s$*l ۄ]5v|Yomj v ޯ6 `j\Gf"~6HM^''d"/M޵&&V\w+Ki񻮅vD50S>"=6 ҞCMږld _p79S 0inWm 8e3I`G;xmL/C@]C70'QhU.dG˽~T#c<;h6;Q(iM~]ُt?呄#|@*B#e>joӁvS97`WD(=`AAXC_"d}5v=m!ELmCnYz#`kbH "BV+w.s3=ہ[3i\>e7;HFнaDoQm)zcP _id [I[m~l=A /%C`H h.c>lq%8ZKBٺ!znfv)K"|>}̋9p m^cx o4)$w4ki&)\"rFя v~}p@"0M֑5R7ū;&A7;"ɠ9QC 8?q,<nAQ{0t .XV5=" ;X"yUTM7X< ޕ I' &!)itj:P"O<dqqAbh't%?{P_riKƵTzmXb04ˍ 7mmyY3@"Pe ]t VVW&ga4vD=%)5GO2 %b+BbGGo8InH<8zPB9@G諸I4L+#5;`-L{z䦸Y1_ݺ[IlN+*mF lN\/ T^Zi~*VduA͙!oBR?QH!gœTH,|AYɽ3WsM\ -ң՝_uM ss/qܔፔih́>&>1^)V{7:KS|hbe 7$˒DDYeh۾'j:.rtÖm4C~d039`X|뀬;ѭK8i86Y#"(ſjPi$j aPOczQeC=a&4s"DFIҖI0;~|q PdMU9p װHë4T&C^ҍuTgg~"~yF[H4-۵Y?2Uٔ'08kTDŽ1H.I|̥rIq@bN%?.ߣn6wK(^4=7?s0mxL,Zy)ZbۖD3xݐQJ,lJdeQ j!(1wg ~V6k+SL:pS7ܨe ӟ2u>')rA@@K8Ws7GUۧ3֍Oz^LI4Wjѫ%drbW@p0BV)-g;X5H籈4e(9⋅CyY>&lJ \O' ,I_D5ÙZq X~oI<ܵz+}B9y;ɮdzy1U2L4b5*%`ey{J[tn~ *#rjQM |˷qMZ :Yk6{+֛zo `{ow+"?Μ<$%XY7=D*ݦ^+w@XD,}9$BB-\ifX7*}$$!6|0ۯ)> !}eD0x:rfXKEEdbU T;5LXB 6DrvԻFXd^}n0U s&p:֎f/ ) ]Z] 2PպLp"VmؗWYzO(OJo0ufT\-dKmQ.}+;aWoHZCi-OigjnˌlU *J3}q)5>M4U5\O++[*@D{O H =YfњW7'5,u/r+hUF*0 *2t& jxtϷ;,ām'I,4[" }44UJ ,8mf7yNŵr^-s fYPk!Dp)fe?eZSlG+z7]4)+ [B7vY[ yo\nϋ3E"cu2RTE , ZܮyWJ̔xњR3e%08 [R~nM5hR`oX` G ^AEC0L9NUr$o[B&1Knl$V~O eÖ p9ψh m7FMa캐#fƀ[OY`)ص\MnnVi(%ĔItk3RS/zƏO2NBhn.vnĘ_B X& dH[CSKȁ^AJt1ka-\lﳕ[jbUAkN%NЀw?σa7%73b~Ng}L71S+~L\ɿ#Eo7xMfbex ޏ?W8'4>I^9|z.g;2҆N6TVXl6? Ff'^ճzcC3ՒϹwf͏|@ :(",Mj"UQ9w7#w SCu Ǚe pL$;s7.8U\tXEB<~ 2ycז,liv&B]HLXʪ]⏍[݀痿cB \va0ψUS?IuV1S%C҈ˏ+6(Q,}݌z*fB赾l]!S:y@ꀫu3eckM ("OQV/2/pMDԂqR?(׳MYtg(zeAJ85s'; K*KR.:hG<[d|xVt#8FV3pwI*OO$y5"}x%ڨe+<5]M ~`zGT%07HIMVKiwM)rs`XB?|Gy3{.t:"pyEEFbtwn;ཝfᢱêԤZz4]ݧ{d"`Z,5)b(lh!vRL'#wt[fkyA}5+a./c2o{mv^lPJy$Ά>:6o5*@ET2 Cq|o>L.U1US"ŧ _5u_EFu[QE^DXY7_\6v'j_Kݼ-OuU5~[{2.ͦNOJW 0f&QNN~l0[:2++33oQq!/s3wJ\Yq{aR2]KP0,By?z¶v-Q(71GɭѤ{CzN]}:W:({-a3TCc*}٤lR(#&W;;!y uiglǚ_7Ĺmdn߼9xxLxU΋ ٧:T4 -^x@7вK=fjR$.O3;-'/fYmiz*!}s7XYʏ!2_L}<(%3[O42(q34w\f;f})[=Vy2Y:Kx:͚,S`;q(rtkLc'!CS,Y2K5vv"h8'-77y9,>z]lϿF:ͤ8cfpD,<5=j)筢ə}$y~VW^:BVݬv+e?7ċehd8>Wwa]Rw;WKNQ1 f!ZwxɍwXYBZ[hl'iE:oX|yg޼%\J#"}T}Abh|>G?xxJ CًNS+ϖ \lޅ4E5\gĶ*e3$WŻg#Kz~0ήe fNRi^ߕWŇo- 麯ëskn*XWnN $y*ƭ& ,c7Ic M-S;k37qWgyaWG! ̇R_U??;9_-D1j8בjZX/wtj3q9.Av*󩡭 k %de6QBpjͫ?uM/Šg tfT˟.-/te:{W4"J"*a^ 2ۦ[ŕej;)KҒZx>&}L^W)Us&`t$zt?\  B)Gʞإ:fsެxyY/%:<&~_\pnn*R)&mm8Fu
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1