Who we are
We are a group of parent scientists who decided to face the mission of bringing knowledge about a topic that, until recently, was ignored in the scientific community: how does parenthood affect the career of scientists? Below, you will find more information about our Central Pod team!
In the "Ambassadors" tab you can find out who is part of the Parent in Science regional pods.
Our mission
Parent in Science was created in order to raise the discussion about parenthood within the universe of science in Brazil and Latin America. We started our actions to fill a void, of data and knowledge, about a fundamental issue: the impact of children on the scientific careers of women and men. We never imagined that we would have made it this far....but we know that we are just at the beginning of a very long journey. We appreciate everyone's support!
Our actions
Since our foundation, we have presented dozens of seminars, lectures, talks and lives throughout Brazil and overseas, raising the discussion about motherhood and career.
We were pioneers in raising data to comprehensively assess the consequences of the arrival of children in the scientific career of women and men, at different stages of their academic career. We conducted an extensive survey on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of scientists here in Brazil.
Our actions led to concrete changes in the Brazilian scientific scenario, bringing motherhood to the center of the discussion. Today, different funding agencies and educational/research institutions consider maternity leave periods when analyzing curricula! A tremendous step forward, thanks to the mobilization of our group and its supporters!
Guiding Principles of the Parent in Science Movement
1. We believe that parenting is an essential human activity that is not only individual but also collective. Therefore, responsibilities related to parenting must be shared with the community, society in general and the government, as provided for by our Federal Constitution and the Child and Adolescent Statute.
2. Active Fathering must be a norm and caregiving activities must be shared equally. Paternity leave must be increased in the same proportion of time offered to women.
3. In the absence of gender equity, support policies must be centered on motherhood, as converging evidence in Brazil and in the world shows that women are the main responsible for domestic labour and child care.
4. According to data raised by our movement, mother scientists are more impacted by the arrival of their children than father scientists. This impact was magnified with the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, institutional policies to support mothers in science are urgent and highly needed.
5. Women must be in decision-making spaces in the same proportion as men. Effective policies must be actively implemented in this regard.
6. Black women have the smallest representation in science and were the most impacted by the pandemic (regardless of being mothers). Institutional policies aimed at these women are mandatory.
7. We believe that it is necessary to change the way in which scientists are evaluated. More qualitative analysis that values the various activities carried out, such as scientific divulgation and outreach, should be implemented. Current metrics need to be discussed and analyzed. Principles based on individualism and competition are discouraged in our movement.
Meet our Central Pod Team:
