2023 Kanter Lecture The Specter of Motherhood: Culture and the Production of Gendered Career Aspirations in Science and Engineering

Why are young women less likely than young men to persist in academic science and engineering?

In academic science and engineering, motherhood is constructed in opposition to professional legitimacy, and as a subject of fear, repudiation, and public controversy, or the “specter of motherhood.” At this year’s Kanter Lecture, 2022 Kanter Finalist, Dr. Sarah Thébaud will explore her findings that offer novel insight into mechanisms contributing to inequality in academic careers.

2022 Kanter Award nominated article: Thébaud, S., & Taylor, C. J. (2021). The Specter of Motherhood: Culture and the Production of Gendered Career Aspirations in Science and Engineering. Gender & Society, 35(3), 395-421. https://doi.org/10.1177/08912432211006037