CAREERS: Family vs. Academia? The 'Leaky Pipeline' Argument

This article from Science Progress delves into the question of when women scientists should have families. The rule of thumb used to be to wait till the scientist had tenure, according to the story, but with the age at tenure now over 39, the advice is less and less practical. A new report from former UC Berkeley graduate dean Mary Ann Mason -- entitled "Staying Competitive: Patching America’s Leaky Pipeline in the Sciences" -- says some current policies "are driving women out of the academic pipeline." According to the report, Science Progress adds, "work-life issues, and particularly decisions about when to get married and when to have children, account for the most significant loss of academic scientists in the pipeline between Ph.D. and tenured positions."