Diapers and data collection: babies and life as a field ecologist

Field ecology can be strenuous on multiple aspects of an individual’s well-being. So what happens when you are responsible for the well-being of people who are not physically present with you in the field? It is difficult, both privately and professionally, to navigate parenthood as a field ecologist. My field work, as well as my collaborators, is profoundly influenced by my children and decisions I need to make to support them and myself. This includes my experiences being pregnant during a field season during my PhD. Given that my research is in the deserts of the American west, being pregnant brought a whole suite of preparations to be the most comfortable and successful. In this talk I share my experience identifying as a mother in a career transition from full-time teaching to a research field ecologist with 3 young children. I share experiences with uncomfortable conversations professionally, organization, and dealing with the guilt of possibly missing those milestone moments. I also share insights from and about how my partner supported my body’s physical, emotional, and mental demands including my physical and mental disabilities. This is a timely and critical conversation to increase inclusion and belonging for parents pursuing field ecology.