It has been observed that for women in academia, the timing of tenure decisions often coincides with the optimal childbearing years, and as such requiring women to resolve individually the conflicts between biological and career clocks. A study by economists Donna K. Ginther and Shulamit Kahn found that women are less likely than men to pursue tenure-track positions in science but that the gender gap in such positions can be explained by fertility decisions. That is, women in science are less likely to move up the academic job ladder after their early post-doctorate years if they have children. For men, by contrast, both marriage and children increase the likelihood of advancing in an academic science career. Bearing this in mind, it is only proper to applaud the courage of the many women around the world who have towed this academic line and made waves in their chosen career. Helena Maria…