In Episode 278 of Defend, Publish, and Lead, host Christine Tulley talks with Dr. Jackie Hoermann-Elliott and Dr. Jenna Morton-Aiken about their co-edited book, Parenting While PhDing (Rutgers University Press). The book tackles a topic largely ignored in academic literature — what it's really like to become a parent while pursuing a PhD.
Jackie and Jenna speak from personal experience. Their book is designed for two audiences: graduate students balancing parenthood and the administrators who support them. The chapters are short and story-driven, with contributors spanning fields like STEM, medicine, and writing studies. The collection brings in a wide range of voices, including fathers, queer parents, parents of color, and people who have navigated infertility or adoption.
The book's core purpose is bigger than logistics. It's about opening up honest conversations on visibility, institutional support, and what it actually looks like when academic life and parenthood intersect.
Resources Mentioned:
- Parenting While PhDing: Surviving and Improving the Working Conditions of Graduate Student Parents. Edited by Jackie Hoermann-Elliott and Jenna Morton-Aiken
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