It happens to the best of us, sometimes more than once. For me it was as a first year graduate student. I was rotating in a lab where the second year had just passed his qualifier so the lab went to lunch. I was honored to be invited to come along as I was a mere roton (as I’ve been told rotation students are often called: rotation + moron). I hopped jollily into the car with my mentor and the lab manager. Then they told me they had to stop by the bank first. They? Then they started to bicker…almost like they were married. When we got back to lab I mentioned it to the aforementioned second year and learned, with much shock, that they were, indeed, MARRIED! How could I not know? I felt so stupid. Then I told my friend and she told me her story. She was complaining about how her boss was being picky and the research associate professor in lab said “oh he’s like that at home too.” BAM…MARRIED! Maybe it’s more common for people in science to be married because we spend our more formidable years stuck in labs. Or perhaps it’s just more surprising to us because women in science tend to keep their maiden names. Of course Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones are married! How could we not have known? Silly us. Mind you I’m not saying this is a problem, I’m just putting it out there to see if any of you have had similar experiences. I may start a collection of essays on the topic (don’t worry, I won’t).
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The Two Dog Blog by Lauren Blair
The world as seen through the eyes of a 20-something postdoc vixen living in New England but born and raised in the south. Yeehaw!
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Nepotism in science
- Date:
- Wednesday, 30 Sep tember 2009 - 02:45 UTC
Last updated: Wednesday, 30 Sep 2009 - 02:45 UTC
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Comments
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But what about the nepotism…? (Perhaps best not.)
I’ve seen numerous stats on this kind of thing. One (from EMBO Reports 8, 977-981, 2007) states that 85% of women in the sciences have a partner also in the sciences (it’s 36% for men).
I look at the department I am in and can think of three couples in the faculty, and multiple post-doc and/or grad student couples. I am one of them (but that’s easy to figure out because I’m one of the few that took my husband’s name). Outside of that, if a woman is married to a non-department member, they tend to be in some sort of science.
Scientists tend to get confused when I tell them my wife isn’t into science, but just the regular housewife type. Scientists do have expectations in this regard.
I was relieved when my wife decided this year to start studying again, albeit not at the university. At least I can say now that she studies, keeping the minds of my colleagues free of confusion and focussed on generating scientific progress.
Quite a few “Smiths” and “Joneses” here (NPG) turn out to be married, too. Has been known to be quite embarrassing on some occasions.
Aside from numerous married people, we’ve also had people’s children and friends of their children help out in the lab. That really kept some people on their toes. (What if they tell their parent everything we do wrong or complain about, etc.)
Scientists hooking up probably has to do with nobody else understanding them. I thought it used to be a sign of not meeting anyone else, and actually avoided other scientists. But when after long searches I dated some non-scientists, I found that (with the exception of freelancers – in any field) they really don’t get the concept of always being at work. Yes, we have to come in on the weekend and read papers at home and this really has to be done now.
It’s still haunting me, even though I’m not actually working (much) now. What really gets me is someone saying they are “too busy” and don’t have time for something. You don’t have time? Really? Let me tell you about the months I was away 14 hours a day (and 8 hours a day on weekends) and still found time for everything I needed to do. If you’re hanging out with me on a weeknight and having dinner sitting down, you’re not busy.
So. Yeah. Scientists. I see their merit now.
I think most corporate businesses have policies on not dating within the workforce. I know the factory I worked at in college wouldn’t hire anyone’s family members to work there. They felt it would complicate things and I’m sure they are correct. The relaxed attitude in science on this topic may also lead to the high number of ‘intralab romances." The lab I did my graduate work in was rampant with nepotism, which is mostly why I posted this. One summer I worked in a lab (meaning the same, enclosed room)with my PI’s wife and college age daughter. It was a huge disaster. One of the first things I asked when I got to Yale was “alright, who’s married to whom around here?” It can definitely lead to some sticky situations. As far as actual nepotism in the form of favoritism, I don’t really see so much of that. I’m sure it’s out there but I have been lucky enough to not experience it quite yet.
Is that what “roton” stands for? I never knew. Perhaps I haven’t outgrown the title… at least the moron part.
Some of the comments surprise me. I have never worked with married couples. Well, only briefly- but they left shortly after I joined my current lab, so I didn’t get a true taste. It isn’t that common around me; I know of a few examples but by far they are the minority. Personally, I couldn’t marry a scientist; I’d be too competitive; and I know many people who feel the same way. It is a personal thing, but no one has ever judged me one way or the other. I know many non-scientists with equally dedicated work habits; the one thing my husband doesn’t get is the fact that I work so much for so little. But then, he is a salesman, so for him it is all about $$$. Thank goodness; at least one of us makes a decent income!
Hi! Sorry I didn’t add my welcome to the first roster – but it’s sincere. Somehow my comment fell between the cracks..
I have known a couple of successful science couples, and one high-powered one that ended in a split.
When I evoke my husband in a professional setting, many people do ask if he’s a scientist. That seems to feed into Alyssa’s stat, there.
Eva – imagine adding a couple of kids to the mix. I do feel like Superwoman, sometimes, especially since my husband now lives in a different town and is only home on weekends.
My research advisor and her husband were both tenured faculty (separate last names, different departments). We also had a couple of (married) couples within our department. Oddly enough, they had different last names, too.
Many of my friends have partners that are in science, and I’ve also come across professors marrying post docs, which might be a bit more difficult to handle. I agree with Eva, I think it’s easier to find a partner in science because you get what it’s about. My boyfriend is not in science and although he tries to understand it’s not that easy “you are working all weekend again? And not getting paid anything extra?”
My wife is a scientist and this really helps in many things (e.g. working on weekends and late in the evening, the things we talk about). But she does something with no overlap in topics or people to what I do. Working with your partner in the same department is something I wouldn’t like, because it can create a lot of uncomfortable situations. And the convenience that might come with it doesn’t outweight that. And it’s difficult for someone else, especially if she/he is in a junior position.
I was recently reminded of a good example of nepotism in science gone right. Tom Steitz, recent co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Both he and his wife Joan are top scientists at Yale. Both are Sterling professors, both are HHMI, both are (from what I have heard) very descent and wonderful people. It’s good to see that these things can work out so well!