The Family Problem
Student Star, who has been well-groomed by Professor Academic,
is married and his wife is expecting their second child. Student
Star now realizes he would like to take a job in industry so he can
better support his growing family. However, Professor Academic has
let it be known that he wants Star to continue in academia,
carrying on the important work they've begun together, and now says
that all he really knows is Star's outstanding contributions to the
work they have been doing, so that his recommendation of Star for
an industry position cannot be very strong.
What, if anything, should Student Star do?
Alternate Version
Student Star is a married woman who discovers she is pregnant.
She intends to carry on with her academic career through her
pregnancy and after the child is born, but she feels subtly
discouraged by comments made by Professor Academic and/or others in
the research lab.
As she enters the lab one day Star overhears Professor Academic
and Professor Oldschool shaking their heads and lamenting how much
"promise" she had and that she is throwing away her chances for an
academic career by getting pregnant.
How should Student Star communicate her desire to be treated
just the same and given the opportunities she earned?
How, if at all, would the situation change if, instead of
pregnancy, the issue were one of divorce? dying parents? sick
family members?