Is Life in Academia Attractive to Women in the Geosciences?

Abstract. Despite decades of equity initiatives and increasing participation by women in STEM education, women remain significantly underrepresented in geoscience careers. This study moves beyond the conventional 'leaky pipeline' narrative to examine how female academics perceive the attractiveness of careers in the field. Drawing on qualitative data, we conceptualise attractiveness as a socially and institutionally produced orientation shaped by perceptions of career viability, work-life integration, and the kinds of academic lives regarded as possible and desirable. The findings show that academic careers in the geosciences are widely perceived as unattractive because dominant models of success are premised on mobility, precarious employment, and an ideal worker norm that remains at odds with caregiving responsibilities. Participants also described a lack of relatable role models, persistent gender bias, and everyday sexism that further erode the appeal of the discipline. Institutional policies intended to support work-life balance were frequently experienced as inadequate or symbolic, failing to address the structural inequalities embedded in academic work. The findings highlight the need for systemic transformation to create academic careers that are both viable and attractive to women in the geosciences.