Abstract / Synopsis
I became a mother while a postdoctoral fellow, and solved my two-body problem shortly thereafter becoming a tenure-track professor in mathematics and statistics. My plan to have a second child came with an unexpected bonus: I had identical twin girls, and this happened during my second year on the tenure-track. Finding anything resembling a work-life balance has been extremely challenging since then. Many days I struggle just to cover the basics at work and home, let alone finding time for other passions in life --- in my case, dance has been my creative outlet since childhood and an essential part of my life. In this article, I describe my unique experiences in learning to balance these three parts of my life (career, family, dance) and share thoughts on common challenges and strategies for success I believe will resonate with other academic mothers in mathematics.
DOI
10.5642/jhummath.201802.32
Recommended Citation
Deena R. Schmidt, "Balancing an Academic Career in Mathematics with Motherhood and Life's Other Passions," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 8 Issue 2 (July 2018), pages 281-291. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.201802.32. Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol8/iss2/32
