Natalie asks:
Hello,
I am a graduate chemist and a mother. I was a mother when I graduated and decided to stay at home and raise my family after graduation. Now as my family has grown and my youngest child has now entered full time school I would like to return to science but I am not sure where to look for help.
Is their anyone who is/ has been in a similar situation that can give me any information?
Hi Natalie,
If you are interested in the environment and would like to get involved in a project to develop a concept for a green product then you might consider applying to the GreenSTEM project (www.greenstem.org.uk).
Phil Brown
Hi Nathalie,
I also had a career break when I had my son, though a much shorter one than you, and in fact the majority of the fellowships on offer are happy to consider applicants who have had career breaks and want to return to their science. So applying for a fellowship is definitely an option for you – just make the career break very clear on your application. To work out a project plan I suggest you approach the University Dept. of your choice to discuss ideas and available fellowships with them. They may also be able to offer you some training to get you up to speed.
Rhaana (astrophysics)
Hi Natalie
I am new to this site so I hope you question hasn’t become out-dated since you posted it…
You will be pleased to hear that there are a good number of schemes to help get people who have had career breaks back into science, including grants for training or conferences, mentoring programmes, fellowship funding etc so if you want to get back to chemistry then you will be more than able to!
I would suggest your first port of call be http://www.theukrc.org/women/how-we-help which lists things that the UKRC does themselves as well as links to other schemes.
There was a scheme called Daphne Jackson Fellowships which would be ideally suited to your situation, however when I try the website I had bookmarked (www.daphnejacksontrust.org) it re-directs to the homepage of the University of Surrey (where it was based), implying that circumstances for the trust may have changed since I last looked ~6 months ago. Someone else might know more about this?
I hope that helps and good luck!
Best wishes
Frances
The Daphne Jackson is indeed the most relevant scheme I can think of for you – see http://www.daphnejackson.org/. Another fellowship Scheme well worth looking into is the Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin fellowship at http://royalsociety.org/Dorothy-Hodgkin-Fellowships/. There is also nothing to stop you applying for postdocs directly, and I am sure the Universities/Labs will take into account your time off and may provide reminder courses and/or mentors to help you catch up again if they decide to employ you.
Good luck!