Creating space to create

CHED 1450

Shirley M. Malcom, Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C, DC 20005
Science is a creative process. The need to "build a life" can impose constraints on the desire to build a career. In the past, "great men" of science have relied on assistants and spouses to manage their lives; thus, they did not have to choose. The entry of women into science in significant ways is forcing a re-examination of the work-life balance and the institution's role in helping to support this. Dr. Zare's bold policy to support graduate students during child-bearing years strikes at the heart of the discussion of work-life balance and the role of the university to support this. This is one of a number of decisions that universities and workplaces must make to create family-friendly policies and an environment to support scientists—female and male—in their creative ventures.