October 29, 2019

The Faculty Development Program recently announced the creation of a new Academic Network, the Academics with Young Children Network. Developed at the request of UChicago faculty parents, the network serves to connect academics and their families to one another and give them opportunities to socialize and share information.

“This network provides space for academics, their partners, and their families to meet in informal, child-friendly settings and to build a community that spans campus,” says Tiana Pyer-Pereira, Associate Director in the Office of the Provost. “While each family is different, the balance of pursuing an academic career concurrently with the busy years of raising young children provides a shared experience to link members of the group.”

The network kicked off in September with an event at the Family Resource Center co-hosted by the Office of Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation and K-12 services. Quarterly events will be hosted throughout the academic year.  

This new network is the fourth Academic Network at UChicago. In addition to the Academics with Young Children Network, faculty may join the New Academics Network, the Academic Women’s Network, and the Academics of Color Network. The networks connect faculty and other academics to one another in informal settings to share resources, stories, and support across schools and divisions. Each academic network focuses on the experiences of a particular faculty group.

The Academics with Young Children Network is just one of the ways UChicago works to support parents on campus. The Diversity & Inclusion Initiative recently launched an online map of all lactation spaces on campus that includes details on room amenities and use policies, where applicable. The UC Moms resource group supports women and parents as they make important decisions for their careers and families.

For more information about UChicago’s Academic Networks, please e-mail academic_development@uchciago.edu. To join an academic network, sign up on the Faculty Development Program website.