Do you have a creative suggestion for how to address issues with career-life balance in mathematics and physical sciences in the United States? If so the National Science Foundation (NSF) wants to hear from you. In an open letter published yesterday, NSF’s Edward Seidel called for the mathematics and physical sciences community to contribute to NSF’s recently launched Career-Life Balance Initiative.
Ideas specific to mathematics and physical sciences can be sent to MPSplans@nsf.gov.
General ideas for any scientific discipline can be sent to career-life-balance@nsf.gov.
Practices to improve work-life balance that NSF encourages include:
- No-cost extensions or temporary suspensions of NSF awards due to family leave
- Flexible start dates for NSF awards
- Supplements for additional personnel to sustain research when principal investigators are on family leave
- Options for remote panel participation
- Local childcare recommendations for panellists
- Flexible postdoctoral fellowships to accommodate dual-career placements
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