University of California (UC) Doctoral Student Career and Life Survey Findings, Mary Ann Mason Marc Goulden Karie Frasch Sharon Page-Medrich University of California, Berkeley

University of California (UC) Doctoral Student Career and Life Survey An 18-page Web survey assessed the attitudes of doctoral students (second year and higher) toward current and future career and life issues and their satisfaction with their degree program, with special attention to issues affecting student parents. Launched at UC Berkeley in fall 2006 and at the other UC campuses (except Merced) in spring 2007, an overall 43% rate was achieved (8,373 respondents/19,678 surveyed) and an estimated 48% response rate among women doctoral students. Respondents’ Basic Demographics 51% of respondents are women but women are only 45% of UC’s doctoral student population (second year+). 14% of women and 12% of men have been parents as doctoral students. 34% of women and 33% of men are married. 17% of women and 11% of men are partnered. 5% of women and 3% of men are divorced/not remarried. Women are on average 1 year older than men: age 31 vs. 30. Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ).

UC Doctoral Student Career and Life Survey: Response Rates by Campus UC CampusNumber of Responses Number Surveyed* Total Response Rate Estimated Response Rate for Women** Berkeley2,1224,20151%56% Davis1,1622,46847%54% Irvine7781,94540%45% Los Angeles1,5274,36435%39% Riverside4481,19438%41% San Diego9062,20041%45% San Francisco %53% Santa Barbara8551,86946%53% Santa Cruz %47% Total8,37319,67843%48% *Bad addresses are excluded from number surveyed and response rate calculation. **Estimated based on percent of women among surveyed population (according to the local campus) and percent of women among survey respondents (self-reported by respondents).

WomenMen Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). UC Doctoral Students: As you think about your future career plans, how concerned are you about the family friendliness of possible career paths? N=3,948N=3,648

As you think about possible future career paths and family issues, how family friendly do you imagine each of the following job types to be? UC Doctoral Students by Gender Yellow shading indicates the group’s response is significantly higher than the other group’s response (P<.001). *vs. not too or not at all family friendly. Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Percent Imagining Job Type to Be Very or Somewhat Family Friendly* Rank Job TypesTotalMenWomen 1 Tenure-track faculty careers at teaching-intensive colleges 77%82%73% 2 Policy or managerial careers inside academia 76%80%73% 3 Research careers outside academia 75%78%72% 4 Policy or managerial careers outside academia 72%74%71% 5 Non-tenure-track faculty careers 63%62%64% 6 Research careers at research-intensive universities 47%55%40% 7 Tenure-track faculty careers at research-intensive universities 37%46%29% N=7,294 to 7,550 3,481 to 3,596 3,784 to 3,923

Gender New Child Born or Adopted as PhD Student? Paid off Federal Grant at Birth/Adopt. Event? % Imagining Career to be Very/Somewhat Family Friendly N Men No new child46% 3,257 Yes, new child Not paid off federal grant 46% 227 Yes, paid off federal grant 35% 62 Women No new child29% 3,637 Yes, new child Not paid off federal grant 29% 211 Yes, paid off federal grant 16% 45 Percent Imagining Tenure-Track Faculty Careers at Research-Intensive Universities to Be Very or Somewhat Family Friendly* by New Child Born/Adopted as PhD Student & Paid Status at Event *vs. not too or not at all family friendly Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ).

Percent Rating Tenure-Track Faculty Careers at Research Intensive Univ. as Very or Somewhat Family Friendly by Perceived Commonness of Women Faculty in Their Department/Unit Having Children Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Perceived Commonness of Women Faculty in Department/Unit Having Children Percent Rating Tenure-Track Faculty Careers at Research Intensive Universities as Very or Somewhat Family Friendly Women Doctoral Students Men Doctoral Students Total N= , , Very common Somewhat common Not too common Not at all common

Career Goal at Start of PhD N=3710 N=3994N=3936 Current Goal Men Women N=3672 Current Goal Men Women Career Goal at Start of PhD Changing Career Goals Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). *Professor w. Research Emphasis UC PhD Students

Career Goal at Start of PhD N=1774 N=856 N=840 Current Goal Men Women N=1754 Current Goal Men Women Career Goal at Start of PhD Changing Career Goals Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). *Professor w. Research Emphasis PTEM** UC PhD Students **Includes physical sc., technology, engineer., & math.

Reasons Most Commonly Cited by UC PhD Students for Shifting Career Goal away from Professor with Research Emphasis Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Percent Citing Factor As “Very Important*” in Career Goal ShiftTotalMenWomen 1 Negative experience as PhD student 45%44%46% 2 Other life interests 42%35%48% 3 Professional activities too time consuming 41%35%45% 4 Issues related to children 36%21%46% 5 Geographic location issues 35%28%40% 6 Feelings of isolation/alienation as PhD student 33%31%35% 7 Bad job market 30%29%30% 8 Career advancement issues 30%34%27% 9 Job security 29% 10 Spouse/partner issues or desire to marry 27%22%32% 11 Monetary compensation (e.g., salary, benefits) 27%31%23% 12 Other career interests 25%23%27% Yellow shading indicates the group’s response is significantly higher than the other group’s response (P<.01). N=956 to 1, to to 666 *”Not applicable” is excluded from analysis.

Percent of UC PhD Students Dissatisfied* with Current Aspects of their Experience, By Gender Yellow shading indicates the group’s response is significantly higher than the other group’s response (P<.001). *Dissatisfied includes “Not too” and “Not at all satisfied” vs. “Very” and “Somewhat satisfied.” % Dissatisfied* with Experience All PhD Students MenWomen 1 Dept/unit support for career-life balance49%46%53% 2 Time for self (e.g. recreation, health)43%39%47% 3 Personal progress toward career goals26% 4 Personal progress toward PhD degree24%25%23% 5 Overall career and life situation21%20%22% 6 Interaction with faculty19%18%19% 7 Interaction with fellow PhD students17%18%16% 8 Interaction with primary faculty advisor17%16%17% 9 Quality of degree program10% Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). N=7,790 to 8,300 3,741 to 4,034 4,008 to 4,219

If “yes,” would you consider having children as a PhD student? WomenMen Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). WomenMen UC PhD Students: Whether or not you currently have children, do you expect to have or adopt any in the future? N=4,066 N=3,796 N=2,619 N=2,394

Reasons Cited for Not Having or Being Uncertain about Having a Child as a UC PhD Stud. (slide 1 of 2) (among those planning to have children in the future) Percent Citing As Very Important* TotalMenWomen 1 Time demands of current PhD program/employment 72%68%76% 2 Current level of personal/household income 64%67%61% 3 Anticipated demands of future program/career 54%48%59% 4 Stress of raising a child as a PhD student 53%48%58% 5 Concerns re affordability/availability of quality childcare 53%49%56% 6 Concerns re affordability/availability of quality housing 51% 52% 7 Uncertain future employment situation 50%48%51% 8 Concerns re affordability/availability of health insurance 47% 48% 9 Worry PhD program & caregiving are incompatible 46%36%54% 10 Concerns re degree progress 43%34%51% 11 Concerns about availability of pregnancy leave 43%32%50% 12 Uncertain current employment situation 38%35%40% Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Yellow shading indicates the group’s response is significantly higher than the other group’s response (P<.001). N=3,880-4,353 1,607-2,006 2,199-2,330 *”Not applicable” is excluded from analysis.

Reasons Cited for Not Having or Being Uncertain about Having a Child as a UC PhD Stud. (slide 2 of 2) (among those planning to have children in the future) Percent Citing As Very Important* Tot.MenWom. 13 Concerns re future career advancement/success 36%27%43% 14 Anticipated future level of personal/household income 33%32%33% 15 Uncertainty re future spouse/partner (not married) 30%27%33% 16 Limit. interest in becoming parent as a PhD student 29%31%28% 17 Spouse/partner does not want child at this time 28%32%24% 18 Time for leisure or social activities 23% 19 Effects of a(nother) child on my marriage/relationship 17% 20 Worry advisor would take my work less seriously 15%8%21% 21 Worry possible employers might take work less serious 15%6%23% 22 Worry other faculty might take work less seriously 13%6%19% 23 Medical or health reasons (including age) 13%8%17% 24 Worry peers would take my work less seriously 9%4%14% Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Yellow shading indicates the group’s response is significantly higher than the other group’s response (P<.001). N= 1,788-4, , ,314 *”Not applicable” is excluded from analysis.

Everybody is Busy (UC Doctoral Students) N= Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ).

UC Doctoral Student Parents and Career-Family Conflict N= Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Note: These questions were based on Robert Drago’s Mapping Project Survey Instrument (

UC Doctoral Student Parents and Career-Family Support/Flexibility N= Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ). Note: Some questions were based on Robert Drago’s Mapping Project Survey Instrument (

Career Duties That Place Stress on UC Doctoral Student Parenting Percent of UC Doctoral Student Parents Experiencing a “Great Deal” of Stress in Parenting as a Result of Specific Educational/Career Duty (“Not Applicable” is excluded. “Some,” “A little,” and “None” responses are grouped.) Career Duties Meeting teaching obligations Meeting deadlines for grants/fellowships Attending seminars, colloquia, dept. meetings Research/writing (part of paid work) Attending conferences/presenting papers Conducting time-sensitive experiments Field research away from home Research/writing (PhD program ) N= Source: Mason, Mary Ann and Marc Goulden “UC Doctoral Student Career Life Survey.” ( ).

Elongating Career Timelines (Mean Time-to-Events) : U.S. Science & Social Sci. PhDs Who Achieve Tenure, * *Mean age calculations are based on PhD Recipients who are given up to 14 years from PhD receipt to achieve tenure; e.g., 1999 includes SDR respondents who received their PhD in Source: NSF, SDR Sciences, Note: The use of NSF Data does not imply the endorsement of research methods or conclusions contained in this report.