MotherScholars in STEM During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

• In Event: Navigating the Pandemic: Resilience, Challenges, and Possibilities

Abstract

Mother faculty members in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The case study includes the experiences of five tenured STEM MotherScholars at Research 1 institutions and explores the ways in which being a mother impacted the career productivity and satisfaction of MotherScholars in STEM. The findings were framed using Social Cognitive Career Theory and show the long-term impacts of the pandemic on tenured STEM faculty mothers. COVID-19 has shown to increase the burden of MotherScholars beyond their families, had a largely unseen impact on their careers (so far), and has taken away their ability to ‘just work’.

Authors

• Jessica L Spott, Texas Tech University

• Kamau Siwatu, Texas Tech University