Balancing science and family: tidbits of wisdom from those who've tried it and succeeded.

There is a notion that combining parenthood with a career in academic science is problematic, yet academic science careers can provide an outstanding career choice for professional parents because they offer extraordinary flexibility and stability. Much has been written about the paucity of women in tenure track scientific positions and the general disparity between men and women in all professions. However, the status quo is changing as more women fill the ranks of academia and male professors share childcare and household duties with spouses who hold professional positions. Although combining any career with parenthood can be challenging, parenthood should not be considered an obstacle to a successful scientific career.