{"id":219,"date":"2019-02-11T12:29:07","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T11:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oceanblogs.org\/balticgender\/?p=219"},"modified":"2019-08-14T08:05:29","modified_gmt":"2019-08-14T06:05:29","slug":"sharing-the-caring-a-biogeochemical-modeller-dr-friederike-prowe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oceanblogs.org\/balticgender\/2019\/02\/11\/sharing-the-caring-a-biogeochemical-modeller-dr-friederike-prowe\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharing the caring: a biogeochemical modeller Dr. Friederike Prowe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What\nis the nature of your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a Postdoc (i.e. on a temporary position)\nworking in biogeochemical modelling funded by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for\nOcean Research Kiel. As a modeller, I spend most of my time working behind a\ndesk in front of a computer. It involves mainly research and a tiny bit of\nteaching and student supervision, and I do a bit of volunteer work for postdoc\/parents\u2019\nnetworks on the side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Career\nas a researcher.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After studying Marine Environmental Science\nin Oldenburg, Germany I started off as a scientist with a very lucky\nopportunity for my master\u2019s thesis in Canada, investigating the marine carbon\ncycle through both research cruises and modelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being fascinated by the power of large-scale modelling, I then wanted to develop my modelling skills. So, I did my PhD at GEOMAR focusing on plankton diversity and zooplankton feeding in global biogeochemical models. I continued with a Postdoc at the Technical University of Denmark in a group with a long history and wide experimental experience on zooplankton. The project was part of a newly established Centre of Excellence and as such very well connected to other modelling and experimental projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the end of the project after two years, I got a 50% institute-funded fixed-term postdoc position at GEOMAR (later increased to 70%).
My current work focuses on the ecological concepts in marine biogeochemical models and assessing the effects of ecology on biogeochemical cycling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please\ndescribe briefly your family commitments. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first child was born after the first postdoc and is now 5. Our second child was born during my current postdoc position at GEOMAR, and is now 2.5 years old. I spent 7 months on parental leave after the first child and was happy to start with 50% afterwards. When day-care started after 15 months, my husband returned to working full time in Hamburg and commuting every day. During this time, I was taking over most of tasks connected with kids. When the second child was born, my husband decided to start a new job in Kiel, partly to avoid the difficulties caused by the daily commute. I took 12 months parental leave, as it would have been very difficult for him to take parental leave at the start of a new job.With both kids in day-care and him in Kiel now, we can share family tasks equally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How\ndo you balance your work and family commitments?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a scientist, one can always work more,\nand work is never finished. But a day has only 24 hours, and cutting down on\nsleep only works for so many days in a row. I have set work and family times\nand try not to compromise them unless there is an unavoidable work deadline.\nInstead, I use my work time as efficiently as I can, with a defined amount of time\nalso for non-output related work (coffee breaks for networking etc.) – anything\nthat then does not get done in my work time, has to get done another day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it’s time for the family, I want to have a free mind and no lingering work-related tasks. The evening is reserved for household work, partnership and a little bit of the rest of life, hobbies and friends. By actively keeping this balance, I want to stay productive, creative and healthy and not enter the hamster wheel, because being stressed or tired just does not work well with the kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The temptation to work more – and the bad conscience of seemingly not working enough – is always there, but there are other priorities in my life – especially while the kids are still small – that deserve their time as well. It’s a constant struggle to keep the balance, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 What has helped you? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 My husband being supportive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Reliable day-care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Exchange about work-life balance with people\ninside and outside of science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Getting to know the Danish way of keeping\nemployees happy and productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The book  “The\nseven habits of highly effective people”<\/a> (written by Stephen R.\nCovey) about priorities, time management, (self) leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Coaching\/group mentoring to keep evaluating and\nreinforcing my priorities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Taking time for the partnership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Flexible work arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Very supportive and understanding supervisors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\nhas hindered you? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The strong emphasis on competitive rather than\ncollaborative work structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Non-flexible work arrangements of my husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 No family support from grandparents in daily life, as they live too far away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The low leadership standard in science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\nhave been the most difficult moments in your career considering family and\nwork-life balance?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Hearing that you cannot pursue a\nsuccessful career in science if you don’t work notably more than 100%. Since\nthere are very few longer-term positions for academic staff, staying in science\nseems to mean to become a professor, which in turn seems to mean working a lot.\nFor me this does not work right now if I want to be there for my (small) kids.\nNow I’m trying to stay in science even with a part-time position and time for\nthe family – let’s see if it works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Taking over most of the child-care duties\nfor 1.5 years when my husband was commuting and was not allowed to work from\nhome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Working part-time (50%) and the related\nlower rate of output and progress when many colleagues are working 120%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\nis your experience of sharing family-care: (a) in your everyday life, (b) during\nfield works and (c) secondments?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n