This interactive workshop explored current research on parental guilt and provides practical tools to help mothers navigate these challenges and thrive in their STEMM careers.

The aim was to empower mothers in STEMM with evidence-based knowledge and actionable strategies to overcome parental guilt and thrive in both their personal and professional lives.

The event opened with an overview of current research on parental guilt, where two leading researchers introduced the field and shared their own findings on the causes of parental guilt and its impact on mothers’ careers and personal lives. In the second part of the workshop, attendees conducted a combination of individual and group exercises, as well as facilitated breakout discussions, to reflect, share experiences, and learn strategies for overcoming mom guilt—drawing on the collective wisdom of a global community of mothers. 

Speakers:
Dr. Lianne Aarntzen is an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University who studies how men and women’s experiences and choices are influenced by their social context. She will discuss her recent research on how gender stereotypes shape parents’ work-family guilt and their work-family choices. 

Dr. Giulia Dotti Sani is an Associate Professor at the University of Milan. Her research focuses on gender inequalities, family life, and the social organisation of care and paid work. She combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to study parental guilt, work–family conflict, and broader patterns of social inequality in contemporary societies.