“Squeezing the Life Out of Each Day”: Emerging Adult Women’s Work-Family Expectations in STEM

Work-family conflict can create challenges for women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Little is known, however, about how young STEM reason future work-family conflict. The current study examines expectations among undergraduate graduate STEM. Participants ( N = 156) responded to open- closed-ended survey questions academic attitudes. Qualitative analyses revealed two orientations relative Women with a challenge orientation anticipated work family strain, whereas an opportunity that balancing would enhance their lives. differed the strategies they planned employ resolve levels of quantitative constructs such as identity. Findings suggest avenues improving retention mentoring interventions exposure role models who are family.