1. Dual Career Couples in the Academic Sciences Dr. Elizabeth G. Creamer, Professor Virginia Tech Creamere@vt.edu Town Meeting Thursday, March 6, 2008 American Geophysical Union Ocean Sciences Meeting Orlando, Florida

2. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech A Little About My Background  Director of Research an Assessment for AdvanceVT.  Faculty work-lives is one of my research areas.  My interest in women in SET has grown over the courses of three NSF- funded projects.  2001 book about collaboration among academic couples.

3. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech There have been many well-known couples in the arts and in the sciences. Pycior, H. M., Slack, N. G., & Abir- Am, P. (1996). Creative Couples in the Sciences. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Margaret Mead & Greg Bateson Alfred Steiglitz & Georgia O’Keefe Marie and Pierre Curie

4. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech The “Two-Body Problem” Some view spouses as an opportunity; some people view them as a problem. The way it’s phrased here is it’s a two- body problem. That is the jargon phrase for this situation. I wish they would view it more as a two-body opportunity. (Noah, First Hire, VT Dual Hire Study) Adaptation of a painting, American Gothic.

5. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech Overview of the Presentation 1. How many dual career couples are there? 2. What do we know about the link between an academic partner and productivity? 3. What do we know about the impact of babies on academic careers? 4. What are “family-friendly” policies?

6. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech How Many Dual Career Couples are there in the Academy?

7. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech Percent of PHDs in STEM with a Spouse in STEM.

8. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech

9. A Multi-Institution Study of Dual Hires  Virginia Tech, New Mexico State, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Utah State  Conducted in 2006  54 interviews Creamer, E. G., & Glass, V. Q. (2006). ADVANCE Dual-Career Hiring Study. Poster presented at the ADVANCE PI Meeting.May 18-19, 2006. Washington, DC.

10. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech Multi-Institution Dual Hire Study FIRST HIRES (n=21)  In science or engineering  52% women  Hired in a tenure- track position (87%)  SECOND HIRE  In science or engineering  60% men  Hired as an assistant professor (47%) or in a non-tenure track position (53%)

11. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech What is known about the link between an academic partner and research productivity?

12. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech

13. Marriage, Children, and Productivity  Gender differences in publishing productivity have narrowed considerably in recent years.  Married women with children (up to 3) are NOT significantly less productive than married men with children.  Faculty with an academic partner are not significantly more productive than other faculty members (Bellas in Ferber & Loeb, 1997). Creamer. E. G. (1998). Assessing Faculty Publication Productivity: Issues of Equity. ASHE/ERIC Higher Education Report Vol. 26, No. 2. George Washington University.

14. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech * Amelink, C. T., & Creamer, E. G. (in press). Work-life Spillover and Job Satisfaction of Married/Partnered Faculty Members. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. Job Satisfaction Dept. Climate Family Characteristics POSITIVE WORK-LIFE TENSIONS Positive views about work-life integration increases overall job satisfaction for both male and female faculty.

15. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech Work-life Balance Often Has a Positive Impact on Satisfaction and Productivity. “Since my wife and I had a baby, I’ve changed the way I use my time. I have to be more careful about my time. It’s helped me to be more focused. I don’t waste as much time as I used to. It limits how much time I am willing to devote to work.” (Male, EE, Pre-tenure, January 2008, VT Study)

16. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech What is the impact of babies on productivity and satisfaction?

17. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech Mason, M. A., & Goulden, M. (2004). Marriage and Baby Blues: Redefining Gender Equity in the Academy. ANNALS, AAPSS, 596.

18. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech What are “Family Friendly” Policies?  Dual-Career Hiring  Stop-the-Clock  Modified Duties  Subsidized Child-care  Part-time Tenure

19. E.. G. Creamer, Virginia Tech