Fall 2005

Snapshot from the Field...

Greenberg Strikes a Balance Between Family and Research

by Perdita Spriggs

Research scientists are well known for the intensity of their work, which often includes exhaustive hours and extensive travel. Being both a mother of five and a research scientist can make achieving the delicate balance between family and work even more challenging.

However, research wildlife ecologist Cathryn (Katie) Greenberg shows that the balance can be achieved, especially when given the right circumstances. With a USDA Forest Service career that spans nearly 15 years, Greenberg has spent most of her time at the Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Asheville, NC, where her research focuses primarily on how natural and manmade disturbances affect plants and animals. She has authored or coauthored nearly 50 publications and was touted as a “Woman of Achievement” by the Asheville Citizen-Times in 2000. So how does Greenberg—wife, mother, and accomplished research scientist— manage to do it all? A peek inside her life shows us that it’s not always easy, but it can be done.

What's your secret to balancing work and family life?

My husband, Stan, and I have four boys and a girl ranging in age from 5-year-old twins to an 11-year-old. Providing a healthy, happy life to each child takes a lot of time and work, and the tradeoff is less time spent on a career that gives me great personal fulfillment. When we began our family, I decided that I would be satisfied with doing my best— conducting research close to home and within the bounds of a 40-hour work-week. Given those constraints, I generally balance my time the same as other working mothers.

My ability to comfortably balance work and family is a union of several circumstances. First, I have a highly supportive supervisor who gives me the resources I need to conduct studies and allows me the freedom to manage my own schedule. Having the flexibility to take short days (I now work 80 percent time) or work at home in the evenings is critical when you’re a working parent, because children need time and attention. Second, I work with dedicated, competent technicians who do most of the research-related field work. I trust their high-quality work, and that frees me up to do the other half of research—study design, data analysis, and writing. Third, Stan and I are a good team; he does half the work at home. And finally, high-quality childcare arrangements give me the peace of mind to concentrate on work. (...continued...)