This essay shares my journey to solving the problem of timing, specifically as it applies to having a child on my journey towards a career as a mathematician in academia. I share some of the challenges I faced during pregnancy and the first few years of motherhood, which coincided with my first few years as an assistant professor of mathematics

Craig, Tara T

English

Keck Graduate Institute

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics 
Volume 8 | Issue 2 July 2018 
Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof 
Tara T. Craig 
Coastal Carolina University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm 
 Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons, and the Mathematics Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Craig, T. T. "Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof," Journal of Humanistic 
Mathematics, Volume 8 Issue 2 (July 2018), pages 276-280. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.201802.31 . 
Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol8/iss2/31 
©2018 by the authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. 
JHM is an open access bi-annual journal sponsored by the Claremont Center for the Mathematical Sciences and 
published by the Claremont Colleges Library | ISSN 2159-8118 | http://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/ 
The editorial staff of JHM works hard to make sure the scholarship disseminated in JHM is accurate and upholds 
professional ethical guidelines. However the views and opinions expressed in each published manuscript belong 
exclusively to the individual contributor(s). The publisher and the editors do not endorse or accept responsibility for 
them. See https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/policies.html for more information. 
Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks:
A Mathematical Proof
Tara T. Craig
Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Coastal Carolina University,
Conway, South Carolina, USA
tcraig@coastal.edu
Synopsis
This essay shares my journey to solving the problem of timing, specifically as it
applies to having a child on my journey towards a career as a mathematician in
academia. I share some of the challenges I faced during pregnancy and the first
few years of motherhood, which coincided with my first few years as an assistant
professor of mathematics.
Keywords: mathematics, motherhood, academia
Sitting in a room at Carnegie Melon for an annual retreat discussing research
on computation, technology, and math and science learning. I was one of the
lucky few graduate candidates that were invited to attend this meeting of
the minds. I felt out of place since I was not a computer engineer, but, as
a female in mathematics, feeling out of place was my forte. I quickly made
friends with a few new faculty members from institutions around the world,
and by the end knew I belonged in this community.
On the last day of the meeting, the conference organizers held a panel for
the graduate students and new faculty on what to expect of life in academia,
presented by a variety of experts in the field. I remember noticing that
there was only one woman up there in a sea of men. Again, sadly, this was
not surprising. The first questions, directed at the male panelists, were to be
expected; “How much should I publish in my first three years? What types of
grants are available for my research?” Then it was the lone woman’s chance
to take questions, and without skipping a beat a young female graduate
student stood up and asked, “When is the perfect time to have kids?” I
wondered, did none of the men have kids? Why was she the one asked?
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics Vol 8, No 2, July 2018
Tara T. Craig 277
As a novice mathematician, I quickly unpacked the question posed by this
graduate student and began to solve it. It appeared to me that there were
three major milestones on the journey toward a career in academia. I imme-
diately proceeded by dividing the “perfect timing” problem into three cases:
graduate school, new faculty, and tenured faculty.
Case 1: Graduate School Baby. Having a child while in graduate school
could be ideal because your only focus is on earning your PhD. A major
problem brought up in the panel was that you are not a contractual
employee of the university, so health insurance and low funds would
likely result in financial strain in new motherhood. Also, it was noted
that you aren’t provided maternity leave, so you may have to unen-
roll and reapply to your program when ready to return. Also, upon
completion of a Ph.D., women with children are 35% less likely to even
enter a tenure-track position than males with children [2].
Case 2: New Faculty Baby. Waiting until your first few years of a tenure-
track academic position could be ideal since you are in a contract with
a university providing health benefits and a salary. Yet, one woman in
the audience reminded us that with this financial stability came extra
duties of teaching, research, and service all tightly aligned with the
expectations for tenure promotion. Furthermore, women with children
are 27% less likely to achieve tenure than their male counterparts [2].
Case 3: Tenured Faculty Baby. Waiting to have children until tenure
promotion removes the concern of the tenure clock ticking, and al-
though additional committee requirements and expectations will con-
tinue post-tenure, the panelists agreed that this was the best time to
have a child.
Therefore, the perfect time for an academic to start a family is after tenure
promotion, which occurs on average in the United States at 39 years old [1].
By this logic I did not get pregnant at the perfect time. I found out I was
pregnant shortly after completing my doctoral qualifying exams with a due
date in early August. At the time I was both teaching undergraduate pre-
calculus and a graduate research assistant, as required for my funding, so
an August due-date was less than ideal. As a mathematician faced with a
problem, I looked at all the facts first:
278 Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof
1. I needed good health insurance,
2. I needed to be able to take time off in August to recover from childbirth
and care for a newborn, and
3. I needed money to help with diapers and doctor’s bills.
So I completed the next logical step and found a job that did not require a
Ph.D., then began working full-time.
I defended my dissertation proposal, hiding my rapidly growing belly in a
flowing blouse and then held a meeting with each member of my committee
to reveal the news. The chair of my committee is senior faculty and does
not have children. When I shared the news with her, she was concerned
and pleaded with me to not drop out of the program. I later learned that
her previous two female graduate students had children and never returned
to complete their Ph.D. Another committee member, a successful academic
mama, stressed, “You better write your dissertation before your pregnancy
brain kicks in!” Some combination of hormones and stubbornness resulted
in my doing just that. I wrote every morning before work and for an hour
after work the entire duration of my pregnancy.
I was quickly on the job market with a newborn and supportive partner
waiting at the hotel while I went on job interviews equipped with a briefcase
and breast pump in my hand. Prior to entering my doctoral program, I was
a high school math teacher. Coming from a career dominated by women, I
did not find asking for time within my interview to pump as taboo. I quickly
learned that this was not a normal request in the mathematics departments
where I was interviewing. Since the interview schedules are dense with very
little additional time, accommodations for my new mother needs were always
rushed and rarely resulted in having time to pump.
At the end of my interview at my current institution, while listening to my
dean tell me about his journey in academia I realized that I had leaked breast
milk through my shirt and suit jacket. I was horrified as I smiled and nodded
while he told me about his experiences in his first academic position. I must
have hid the milk fiasco pretty well and had a glowing interview because
I had an offer before I got home. During negations I was offered a year
advance on my tenure clock, since I had completed a year as visiting faculty,
but was advised by my chair “not to take this if I was planning on having
more children.” Do my male colleagues receive the same advice?
Tara T. Craig 279
These first couple years as new faculty in a mathematics department have
been great. The culture around family is definitely different than what I
saw in high school. For example, I have never seen an email asking for class
coverage due to a sick child or received an invitation for a baby shower for a
new mom in the department. This has resulted in, outside of a few pictures
in my office, keeping my career and family life separate. That being said, my
being a mathematician and a mother are definitely not mutually exclusive.
I have found that my expertise in problem solving would prepare me for
the challenges faced in raising a child. When I first identify a problem (e.g.
potty training), I research all the books, articles, blog postings, talk with
other parents and devise a plan. Similar to solving math problems, your
initial plan is rarely going to get you to the answer. Your first ten revisions
of your plan may not result in a solution, but with each iteration you will
move closer to a solution. Either that, or my daughter will be in diapers
until college.
I took the advance on my tenure clock and while putting together my 3rd year
review this fall I found that I have been quite productive in my first few years
in academia while also being a successful mother. While being productive
toward tenure, turns out I am also still reproductive and am expecting my
second child in June 2018! So far this pregnancy as new faculty has come with
its own set of challenges. Between teaching four classes this fall, writing two
grants, and chasing around a three year old, I have been sneaking to OBGYN
appointments, dealing with morning sickness and a level of exhaustion that
according to the books cited should be better by now. In preparation for
sharing the news with my department, I asked a friend and new mother in
the sociology department how her chair reacted to the news of her pregnancy,
and she simply said “Well, she brought me a diaper cake to my baby shower!”
Although there were no diaper cakes from my chair, he did congratulate me,
and then we discussed the logistics of what this meant for my fall 2018
semester. Yes, another child may impede my path toward tenure, but it also
may not and I am up to the challenge.
Now I am here to answer the question posed at that conference many years
ago, “When is the perfect time to have a child on your journey to career
mathematician?” The perfect time to have a child is when you decide you
want to have a baby. Yes there were challenges, but who better to face those
challenges than a mathematician?
280 Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof
References
[1] European University Institute (EUI). USA: Academic Career Structure.
https://www.eui.eu (accessed April 20, 2018)
[2] Goulden, M., Mason, M.A., & Frasch, K. (2011). Keeping Women in
the Science Pipeline. The Annals of the American Academy of Politi-
cal and Social Science, 638 (1), 141-162. https://doi.org/10.11777/
0002716211416925


Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof

Scholarship@Claremont

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics Volume 8 | Issue 2 July 2018 Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof Tara T. Craig Coastal Carolina University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm  Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons, and the Mathematics Commons Recommended Citation Craig, T. T. "Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 8 Issue 2 (July 2018), pages 276-280. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.201802.31 . Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol8/iss2/31 ©2018 by the authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. JHM is an open access bi-annual journal sponsored by the Claremont Center for the Mathematical Sciences and published by the Claremont Colleges Library | ISSN 2159-8118 | http://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/ The editorial staff of JHM works hard to make sure the scholarship disseminated in JHM is accurate and upholds professional ethical guidelines. However the views and opinions expressed in each published manuscript belong exclusively to the individual contributor(s). The publisher and the editors do not endorse or accept responsibility for them. See https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/policies.html for more information. Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks:A Mathematical ProofTara T. CraigDepartment of Mathematics & Statistics, Coastal Carolina University,Conway, South Carolina, USAtcraig@coastal.eduSynopsisThis essay shares my journey to solving the problem of timing, specifically as itapplies to having a child on my journey towards a career as a mathematician inacademia. I share some of the challenges I faced during pregnancy and the firstfew years of motherhood, which coincided with my first few years as an assistantprofessor of mathematics.Keywords: mathematics, motherhood, academiaSitting in a room at Carnegie Melon for an annual retreat discussing researchon computation, technology, and math and science learning. I was one of thelucky few graduate candidates that were invited to attend this meeting ofthe minds. I felt out of place since I was not a computer engineer, but, asa female in mathematics, feeling out of place was my forte. I quickly madefriends with a few new faculty members from institutions around the world,and by the end knew I belonged in this community.On the last day of the meeting, the conference organizers held a panel forthe graduate students and new faculty on what to expect of life in academia,presented by a variety of experts in the field. I remember noticing thatthere was only one woman up there in a sea of men. Again, sadly, this wasnot surprising. The first questions, directed at the male panelists, were to beexpected; “How much should I publish in my first three years? What types ofgrants are available for my research?” Then it was the lone woman’s chanceto take questions, and without skipping a beat a young female graduatestudent stood up and asked, “When is the perfect time to have kids?” Iwondered, did none of the men have kids? Why was she the one asked?Journal of Humanistic Mathematics Vol 8, No 2, July 2018Tara T. Craig 277As a novice mathematician, I quickly unpacked the question posed by thisgraduate student and began to solve it. It appeared to me that there werethree major milestones on the journey toward a career in academia. I imme-diately proceeded by dividing the “perfect timing” problem into three cases:graduate school, new faculty, and tenured faculty.Case 1: Graduate School Baby. Having a child while in graduate schoolcould be ideal because your only focus is on earning your PhD. A majorproblem brought up in the panel was that you are not a contractualemployee of the university, so health insurance and low funds wouldlikely result in financial strain in new motherhood. Also, it was notedthat you aren’t provided maternity leave, so you may have to unen-roll and reapply to your program when ready to return. Also, uponcompletion of a Ph.D., women with children are 35% less likely to evenenter a tenure-track position than males with children [2].Case 2: New Faculty Baby. Waiting until your first few years of a tenure-track academic position could be ideal since you are in a contract witha university providing health benefits and a salary. Yet, one woman inthe audience reminded us that with this financial stability came extraduties of teaching, research, and service all tightly aligned with theexpectations for tenure promotion. Furthermore, women with childrenare 27% less likely to achieve tenure than their male counterparts [2].Case 3: Tenured Faculty Baby. Waiting to have children until tenurepromotion removes the concern of the tenure clock ticking, and al-though additional committee requirements and expectations will con-tinue post-tenure, the panelists agreed that this was the best time tohave a child.Therefore, the perfect time for an academic to start a family is after tenurepromotion, which occurs on average in the United States at 39 years old [1].By this logic I did not get pregnant at the perfect time. I found out I waspregnant shortly after completing my doctoral qualifying exams with a duedate in early August. At the time I was both teaching undergraduate pre-calculus and a graduate research assistant, as required for my funding, soan August due-date was less than ideal. As a mathematician faced with aproblem, I looked at all the facts first:278 Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical Proof1. I needed good health insurance,2. I needed to be able to take time off in August to recover from childbirthand care for a newborn, and3. I needed money to help with diapers and doctor’s bills.So I completed the next logical step and found a job that did not require aPh.D., then began working full-time.I defended my dissertation proposal, hiding my rapidly growing belly in aflowing blouse and then held a meeting with each member of my committeeto reveal the news. The chair of my committee is senior faculty and doesnot have children. When I shared the news with her, she was concernedand pleaded with me to not drop out of the program. I later learned thather previous two female graduate students had children and never returnedto complete their Ph.D. Another committee member, a successful academicmama, stressed, “You better write your dissertation before your pregnancybrain kicks in!” Some combination of hormones and stubbornness resultedin my doing just that. I wrote every morning before work and for an hourafter work the entire duration of my pregnancy.I was quickly on the job market with a newborn and supportive partnerwaiting at the hotel while I went on job interviews equipped with a briefcaseand breast pump in my hand. Prior to entering my doctoral program, I wasa high school math teacher. Coming from a career dominated by women, Idid not find asking for time within my interview to pump as taboo. I quicklylearned that this was not a normal request in the mathematics departmentswhere I was interviewing. Since the interview schedules are dense with verylittle additional time, accommodations for my new mother needs were alwaysrushed and rarely resulted in having time to pump.At the end of my interview at my current institution, while listening to mydean tell me about his journey in academia I realized that I had leaked breastmilk through my shirt and suit jacket. I was horrified as I smiled and noddedwhile he told me about his experiences in his first academic position. I musthave hid the milk fiasco pretty well and had a glowing interview becauseI had an offer before I got home. During negations I was offered a yearadvance on my tenure clock, since I had completed a year as visiting faculty,but was advised by my chair “not to take this if I was planning on havingmore children.” Do my male colleagues receive the same advice?Tara T. Craig 279These first couple years as new faculty in a mathematics department havebeen great. The culture around family is definitely different than what Isaw in high school. For example, I have never seen an email asking for classcoverage due to a sick child or received an invitation for a baby shower for anew mom in the department. This has resulted in, outside of a few picturesin my office, keeping my career and family life separate. That being said, mybeing a mathematician and a mother are definitely not mutually exclusive.I have found that my expertise in problem solving would prepare me forthe challenges faced in raising a child. When I first identify a problem (e.g.potty training), I research all the books, articles, blog postings, talk withother parents and devise a plan. Similar to solving math problems, yourinitial plan is rarely going to get you to the answer. Your first ten revisionsof your plan may not result in a solution, but with each iteration you willmove closer to a solution. Either that, or my daughter will be in diapersuntil college.I took the advance on my tenure clock and while putting together my 3rd yearreview this fall I found that I have been quite productive in my first few yearsin academia while also being a successful mother. While being productivetoward tenure, turns out I am also still reproductive and am expecting mysecond child in June 2018! So far this pregnancy as new faculty has come withits own set of challenges. Between teaching four classes this fall, writing twogrants, and chasing around a three year old, I have been sneaking to OBGYNappointments, dealing with morning sickness and a level of exhaustion thataccording to the books cited should be better by now. In preparation forsharing the news with my department, I asked a friend and new mother inthe sociology department how her chair reacted to the news of her pregnancy,and she simply said “Well, she brought me a diaper cake to my baby shower!”Although there were no diaper cakes from my chair, he did congratulate me,and then we discussed the logistics of what this meant for my fall 2018semester. Yes, another child may impede my path toward tenure, but it alsomay not and I am up to the challenge.Now I am here to answer the question posed at that conference many yearsago, “When is the perfect time to have a child on your journey to careermathematician?” The perfect time to have a child is when you decide youwant to have a baby. Yes there were challenges, but who better to face thosechallenges than a mathematician?280 Optimizing Maternal and Tenure Clocks: A Mathematical ProofReferences[1] European University Institute (EUI). USA: Academic Career Structure.https://www.eui.eu (accessed April 20, 2018)[2] Goulden, M., Mason, M.A., & Frasch, K. (2011). Keeping Women inthe Science Pipeline. The Annals of the American Academy of Politi-cal and Social Science, 638 (1), 141-162. https://doi.org/10.11777/0002716211416925

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