"Care mentoring for female scientists"

German quote translated by DeepL:

“It's a constant struggle for compatibility, for something that is actually not compatible. [...] Many mothers are alone in this and feel isolated. They often wonder whether it's their own fault that they can't manage it, because there is little visibility and networking on this topic.”

Dr Sarah Czerney, co-founder of the "Motherhood and Research" network*

Background to mentoring:

For most researchers, the phase of starting a family intersects with the doctoral or postdoc phase and thus with the so-called rush hour of career development in the academic system. The academic system is highly competitive, especially when it comes to securing funding, publications and career opportunities. In some cases, expectations of researchers make them prioritise their academic career over their family plans. Female academics in particular often drop out of the academic system because the balancing act between care and career is considered to be too difficult. At the same time, there is often a lack of female role models in academic research who have also experienced care and have been successful in their careers.

What does the mentoring programme want?
The planned mentoring programme is intended to help young female academics to discuss suitable career steps in combination with care responsibilities with an experienced professor, exchange experiences and ask questions in a protected setting that would otherwise not have room or could even be career-impeding. Although mentoring cannot overcome the structural hurdles in terms of reconciling an academic career with care responsibilities, it can certainly contribute to gaining more autonomy of action and decision-making.

Aim of the program:

• To support early career female academics who have or are planning to have children in their professional development through to professorship and the management of career development and family life.
• To create a supportive network with advice that supports the exchange of experiences, resources and support
• Strengthening participants in their academic careers and the compatibility of family and profession
• Feedback of the mentors' experiences to the department