Balancing family with a successful career in neuroscience

16 May 2016

FENS News

16 May, 2016 in FENS News

A new opinion article from the FENS-KAVLI Scholars has been published on the European Journal of Neuroscience. It discusses the challenge to balance a successful career with a happy family life, which is not a trivial one.

Balancing family with a successful career in neuroscience

P Poirazi, D Belin, J Gräff, I Hanganu-Opatz, G López-Bendito. Eur J Neurosci.

DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13280

The Federation of European Neurosciences (FENS) and the Kavli foundation have recently founded the FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence (http://www.fens.org/Outreach/FENS-Kavli-Network-of-Excellence/) a group of young, outstanding neuroscientists dedicated to providing peer support for early career neuroscientists and serving as the voice for people at this career stage in shaping the future of neuroscience. Part of this support is this series of opinion articles whose primary goal is to provide advice about different aspects of career progression in neuroscience. 

Abstract

After years of hard work as a student and postdoc, stressful negotiations and restless nights of agony regarding your academic future, you managed to secure a PI position and establish your own lab. And just when you thought you could relax a bit and enjoy some time with your family, or start a family, you find yourself facing massive levels of responsibility added to your research, that demand most of your time and energy. The challenge to balance a successful career with a happy family life is not a trivial one.