Stockard, Jean2024-04-262024-04-262013-05-02Family Care Needs of Scientists: A Brief Analysis of a COACh-Sponsored Survey, J. Stockard, 2013, University of Oregon, Eugene: COAChhttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/2936913 pagesIn spring 2012, COACh developed an internet based survey designed to find out more about how scientists combine family responsibilities and academic careers, the ways that their institutions address these issues, and their views on policies that could help address work-family balance. Links to the survey were sent to the COACh mailing list and posted on a number of blogs and listserves directed to women in the physical sciences. We focused on mailing lists that primarily attract women and on issues that women face, both because of their traditional responsibilities regarding family care and to limit the scope of the survey. Over the next year more than 300 people responded to the survey.2 While the sample cannot be considered probabilistic, it does provide a useful snapshot of views and concerns in this area, undoubtedly over-representing those with experience and concern with these areas. The remainder of this short report focusses on four areas: 1) characteristics of the respondents; 2) how family responsibilities, with respect to both child care and adult care, have affected their participation in professional meetings and conferences; 3) reports of how their institutions currently handle issues related to work-family balance and responsibilities; and 4) their views regarding policy actions that would be helpful and appropriate to address these issues. A complete listing of the responses to each question and the open-ended comments is available on the COACh website.en-USCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USCOAChCommittee on the Advancement of Women ChemistseducationArticle