Two researchers from Argonne’s Mathematics and Computer Science Division - Sven Leyffer and Lois Curfman McInnes - recently participated in the panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing mid-career mathematicians. The inaugural panel, held February 26 as part of the 2019 SIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering, addressed the importance of collaboration, networking, and project and time management, as well as the tradeoffs needed to maintain work-life balance.

Both Leyffer and McInnes emphasized that balancing professional and family responsibilities can be a challenge and that travel, even to interesting conferences, may sometimes have to be curtailed in favor of family stability. Both also agreed that at the mid-career level, researchers may be in a position to reevaluate their goals, to consider new opportunities or opportunities that have been deferred.

For further discussion about the panel, see https://​sinews​.siam​.org/​D​e​t​a​i​l​s​-​P​a​g​e​/​m​i​d​-​c​a​r​e​e​r​-​p​a​n​e​l​-​a​t​-​c​s​e​1​9​-​g​u​i​d​e​s​-​a​t​t​e​n​d​e​e​s​-​t​h​r​o​u​g​h​-​a​c​a​d​e​m​i​c​-​a​n​d​-​i​n​d​u​s​t​r​i​a​l​-​c​r​o​s​s​roads.