Managing dual academic careers

As more and more partners desire to take up academic positions, managing dual careers is a matter that has profound impact both professionally and personally. Despite the rapid growth in engineering programs across the country, securing even just one faculty position is not an easy feat. When it is a dual-career opportunity, ideally this means securing two positions in the same university, which brings its own level of difficulty and complication. Often, universities work to make dual offers, which once accepted, is the beginning of realizing ongoing challenges associated with being a dual-career couple. This is especially true when raising a family. With competing travel schedules, teaching schedules, deadlines and meetings, making compromises can be a frequent occurrence. It's not uncommon to have a crisis where a child needs to stay home and neither one of the parents is available. This panel brings together people from multiple levels of the university, from administrative through faculty who will bring their insights to bear. Panelists will offer tips and perspectives on managing dual academic careers, including navigating the academic job market as a dual career couple, achieving work-life balance, and best practices for supporting dual career faculty as a unit/college administrator. With panelists from four different universities, all in different stages in their careers, an engaged audience that includes instructional faculty at all levels, academic leaders and those considering an academic career will learn from this panel.