Have you ever been told that work-life balance for women in STEM is a myth?
Do you want a meaningful science career and a rooted family life —but you worry that you’re “failing at both”?
Are you running low on time, energy, and sleep, trying to keep up with grant deadlines, conferences, and kids?
Do you wonder if negotiating career shifts, flexible jobs, STEM-adjacent roles, or maternity leave is proof you’re not a serious scientist?
Welcome to Science Careers for Moms — a TOP 2.5% GLOBALLY RANKED PODCAST for women in STEM who want a career path where they can thrive in science without sacrificing their family or personal wellbeing.
Hi! I’m Anokhi Kapasi, a PhD researcher and mom of two boys. I created this show because I know what it is like to feel torn between being a serious scientist and a present mom —and to realize that “trying harder” is not a strategy.
This show is different because it integrates career and life planning strategies designed specifically for science-minded moms in a work culture that was not built for caregivers. Every episode blends interviews with other scientists who have been where you are and career planning deep-dives where you will learn the answer to questions like:
🎯 Are there decision-making frameworks to help me navigate pivots, return-to-work, academia vs. industry…or to even know what the “next right move” is?
🎯 How do I set career goals that allow me to stay ambitious, connect with my family, and feel like myself again?
🎯 Is work–life balance for working moms in STEM actually possible, and what does it look like in practice?
🎯 Can I stay in science & tech without burnout, guilt, or losing sight of myself?
STEM-trained moms, I’ll teach you how to make confident career decisions that align with your whole life —not just professional development.
🎧 FOLLOW this show and never choose between being a good mom or a good scientist again!
Women in STEM With No Access? How Lily Asongfac Built an Aerospace Career Anyway
Episode 119
Monday, August 24, 2026 • Duration 52:31
Career Planning for Moms in STEM When You’re Starting at Zero
Career planning for women in STEM does not require perfect credentials, insider connections, or a traditional ladder. In this episode, Lily Asongfac shares how she built a space career from Cameroon, a country with no space infrastructure, by staying curious, learning with the resources she had, finding mentors, and tracking milestones.
Whether you feel boxed out of certain STEM career paths or you keep disqualifying yourself before even trying, Lily’s story shows how to build access one step at a time through learning, outreach, mentorship, and visibility.
This episode is for: Moms and women in STEM who feel stuck because they do not have the right network, credentials, geography, or clear on-ramp.
What you’ll gain: A practical career planning framework to help you start with what you have, find mentors, build visibility, and move toward your career goals without waiting for permission.
Questions answered in this episode
How do you approach career planning for women in STEM when there is no obvious path?
How do you build a STEM career with no connections or country-level support?
How do you find a mentor in STEM when you are starting from zero?
Which skills transfer when you want a career change into a new STEM field?
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
(5:42): Space careers (and other industries) are an ecosystem of diverse roles & skills
(9:11): The new space economy is lowering the barrier to entry
(15:35): Lily's origin story: from a curious kid in Cameroon with no resources to an international space professional
(18:35): How to find a mentor: Lily's LinkedIn strategy that launched her career
(27:40): How existing skills can support a STEM career pivot
(29:53): Soft skills moms already have that translate directly into STEM careers
(39:50): Rejection as redirection
(41:58): Tracking milestones: the spreadsheet habit that keeps you moving forward
(44:27): Career planning when you feel like you have no access
EP 118: How to Explain a Career Gap in STEM (Without Sounding Defensive)
Episode 118
Monday, June 8, 2026 • Duration 27:56
A career pause in STEM isn’t the problem. Your resume gap isn’t the problem. Motherhood isn’t the problem. The problem occurs during the job interview, when you offer up an unstructured explanation that sounds uncertain, apologetic, or defensive.
This episode is for moms in STEM who want a calm, competent way to explain an employment gap in a cover letter and job interview—so you can nail your job interview and return to work with ease.
I’m walking you through what to say, what to leave out, and the exact “career gap” scripts that protect your credibility while you re-enter the workforce.
If you’ve ever worried about being judged for your career break, you’re not alone.
Hit play for the scripts and structure you can reuse in the 2 key moments your career gap shows up: cover letter + interview—plus a simple way to pivot back to your strengths fast.
“What if your career break wasn't actually a step back, but actually a power move?”
“If you don't offer an explanation, then other people are going to basically fill in the blanks for you.”
“Now, you don't have to have a perfect explanation, but you do need to reassert your credibility.”
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
(0:00) Problem: The career gap question is coming—and STEM hiring fills silence with assumptions
(5:19) Why: Credibility + bias + the motherhood penalty make “gap explanations” feel high-stakes
(07:02) Solution: 3 strategies to turn a career gap into a “career bridge” (clean, employer-safe structure)
(19:37) Tactical considerations
Copy/paste scripts for interview script + cover letter line (without over-explaining)
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EP 117: Women in STEM Can Earn More Money While Protecting Time & Energy [Wealth Advocate - Sarah Walton]
Episode 117
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 • Duration 48:43
STOP OVER-GIVING & UNDER-EARNING
Women in STEM can earn more money—without sacrificing time or energy. If you’ve ever felt the “motherhood penalty” at work or wondered why you’re still underpaid even while over-delivering, this episode is your permission slip.
Today’s guest is wealth consciousness advisor, Sarah Walton, and she breaks down why moms in demanding careers like STEM often under‑earn + over‑function—and how to unapologetically set boundaries with higher standards and clean asks.
Join us as we uncover the Over‑Giver Tax, how to spot when you’re “paying to work,” and practical ways to advocate for pay and flexibility—so your success doesn’t cost your health or family.
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
💰 (0:00): Teaser & Introduction
💰 (4:45): Why high-achieving women end up under-earning + over-functioning
💰 (6:11): High Functioning Codependence and the conditioning behind people-pleasing
💰 (14:36): The hidden cost of being praised as “selfless”
💰 (16:35): Stop apologizing (and stop managing other people’s reactions)
💰 (18:50): Finding the “third door”
💰 (20:07): Sarah’s famous Grocery Store story
💰 (32:12): The Over-Giver Tax and how to reset standards without guilt
💰 (38:27): Money is feedback for alignment (congruence between love and compensation)
💰 (39:30): Sarah on Wealth Consciousness
💰 (43:05): Clarifying the relationship between money and time
💰 (45:43): A simple approach to getting your ideal pay, role, or job flexibility
~
NEXT STEP
➡️ Share this episode with another gal pal who could use a pay boost!
ABOUT SARAH WALTON
QUOTABLE MOMENTS ON MONEY FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE
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EP 116: How To Pursue Career Goals in Science Without Mom Guilt | Work Life Balance Tips
Episode 116
Monday, May 11, 2026 • Duration 27:22
If you’re a scientist and have been Googling how to stop mom guilt, this episode is for you.
You can stop feeling like you’re failing at work and home.
You’ll learn how to treat guilt as data (not a verdict) and turn it into a simple Mom Guilt Prevention Plan—so you can make clear decisions, protect family time, and stay on track in your STEM career.
Mom guilt spikes during STEM “ambition seasons.”
Grant deadlines. Paper revisions. Conference travel. Promotion cycles.
And suddenly it feels like you have to choose between: good mom vs good scientist.
This episode gives you a work-life balance framework that works inside real constraints—so you can keep moving forward without the guilt spiral.
These strategies won’t just help you “feel better.” They’ll help you:
Preempt predictable cycles of high scientific workload with a prevention plan
Reduce decision fatigue with clear standards (“what done looks like”)
Teach you how to prioritize tasks and create a system of support at home & work
Stay connected at home while you’re in a high-stakes work week
~
MOM GUILT AS A WORKING MOM IN STEM - QUOTES
“That's when it feels like you're starting to have to choose between being a good mom and making sure that people still see you as a legitimate scientist.”
“But what if the guilt isn't more proof that you're actually doing something wrong, which is how it feels, right? What if that guilt is actually data?”
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
(0:00): Mom guilt spikes during “ambition seasons”
(10:17): Guilt is data you can use to make better decisions
NEXT STEP
KEEP LEARNING ON THIS TOPIC
HELPING MOMS IN STEM
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EP 115: Women in STEM: 6 Work‑Life Balance Traps Disguised as “Helpful” Advice
Episode 115
Monday, April 27, 2026 • Duration 25:45
Women in STEM work‑life balance advice breaks down for one reason: it was built for someone without your constraints.
Yet every week can feel like a race—between meetings, pickups, bedtime, and the mental load… and you still end up at 10:30pm trying to “catch up,” feeling like you’re failing both.
But what if the reason you’re stuck isn’t because you’re doing it wrong… but because the “helpful” advice is based on myths that quietly push you into overcommitment and self‑blame?
In today’s episode, I’m walking you through 6 work‑life balance traps disguised as good advice—so you can make career decisions that protect your credibility and your family time, without burning out.
These are the exact reframes I use with high‑achieving moms in STEM—each one designed to bring clarity, sustainable systems, and a week that actually holds.
Let’s get into it.
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
(0:00): Teaser
(2:26): Listener shout out
(3:23): Why most “work‑life balance advice” collapses for moms in STEM
(5:39): 6 false narratives that become invisible rules that narrow your options and decisions:
(6:10): Work-life balance
(8:06): STEM work culture
(10:49): Being called to both, career & motherhood
This is for you if you’re a high‑achieving mom in STEM who wants to stay ambitious—without sacrificing your health, your home, or your identity.
If you’ve ever thought: “moms still get punished at work for being the default caregiver”… you’re not imagining it.
And if it feels like “the whole system still assumes you can't be both a hands‑on parent and a serious professional”—this episode will help you stop personalizing a structural problem and start designing around real constraints.
NEXT STEP
WORK-LIFE BALANCE MYTHS - QUOTABLE MOMENTS
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EP 114: Women in STEM Advice | Do You Have a Skills Gap or Imposter Syndrome? [Dr. AJ Lauer]
Episode 114
Monday, April 13, 2026 • Duration 47:49
Imposter syndrome in women in STEM can feel like a constant need to over-prepare, prove yourself, and still worry you’ll be “found out.”
In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. AJ Lauer, EdD—a STEM leadership and workplace inclusion expert—to help you tell the difference between a real skills gap and imposter phenomenon, and to give you a simple way to respond in the moment.
Dr. Lauer teaches us how to notice your personal triggers, a quick nervous-system reset, the most important conversation you can have with your supervisor, and how to face imposter syndrome head on!
If you’ve ever felt like you have to prove you deserve a seat at the table, this conversation will help you get back into that calm, intellectual space where you can make clear high-stakes decisions—without perfectionism running the show.
~
ABOUT DR. AJ LAUER, EdD
Dr. AJ Lauer, EdD is a STEM leadership and workplace inclusion expert with 20+ years in DEI and workforce development in science and technology. Through her work at Thriving Ibis, Dr. Lauer coaches high-performing women in STEM on sustainable confidence and is the author of My Monster Mungo, an illustrated book that reframes imposter syndrome.
Book: My Monster Mungo: A Story About Imposter Syndrome
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
🫥 (4:26): What is imposter phenomenon?
🫥 (8:05): Why women in STEM experience imposter syndrome and “prove-it pressure”
🫥 (9:50): How motherhood can amplify the “superhuman” juggling effect (perfectionism)
NEXT STEP
KEEP LEARNING ON THIS TOPIC
HELPING MOMS IN STEM
STAY CONNECTED
EP 113: How to Get Unstuck as a Scientist When Motherhood Changes Everything | Life Planning 101
Episode 113
Monday, March 30, 2026 • Duration 26:05
3 Self-Discovery Steps to Get Unstuck as a Scientist Mom
Work Life balance after motherhood can feel impossible when you’re pulled in two directions—trying to be a good mom and a good scientist at the same time. If you’ve ever felt like you’re never fully enough in either role, this episode is your reset.
In today’s episode, we’re getting honest about why so many moms in STEM feel stuck after motherhood changes everything…and the simple life planning and self-discovery framework that helps you choose a new identity, shift your beliefs, and finally take aligned action.
Hit play to learn how to feel like a whole, integrated woman (not split between “career you” and “mom you”).
Episode Highlights
(0:00) The “stuck in a rut” feeling (and why it’s common for moms in science & tech)
(2:38) The real problem: trying to force an old identity into a new life context
(6:20) The 3-step solution to designing the identity you want
(23:17) What changes when you choose to be your best self
“So much changes once we become moms - and yet we still look at ourselves, expect from ourselves, and perform as if we are the same person we were before becoming moms.”
“You're being pulled in so many different directions, and you're trying to have it all without a clear plan.”
“Your identity drives your beliefs, your beliefs drive your actions, and your actions create your results.”
↓
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EP 112: Science Careers for Moms - TRAILER
Monday, March 16, 2026 • Duration 05:08
Women in STEM: If you want to have both - a meaningful science career and a rooted family life —and you’re done feeling like you’re “failing at both”… this NEW SHOW is for you.
This is a short welcome episode where I’m introducing the new podcast name and focus: Science Careers for Moms.
If you’re a STEM-trained mom who wants to have both: a meaningful science career and a rooted family life (without burning out, second-guessing, or trying to do it all), you’re in the right place.
After listening, you’ll know:
If this show is for you and what to do next
The 3 outcomes you can expect from the show: STEM career planning clarity, Decision-making frameworks, and Systems to support work life balance
How this show creates instant community with women in STEM who share insider stories and experts who offer solutions supporting scientist moms
You don’t need the perfect routine or more willpower—but you do need a framework that fits real constraints of a demanding career and realities of mom life…like maternity leave, childcare logistics when you travel to conferences, sick kid weeks, and grant review deadlines.
Let this show be your key to escaping the cultural trap that forces women in STEM to choose, so you can build a clear path to whole-life success.
SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW
👍🏽 Add Science Careers for Moms to your playlist
MOMS IN STEM - SHAREABLE QUOTES
“The culture of science wasn’t built for caregivers.”
“You should never have to choose between being a good mom and being a good scientist.”
“Here’s what I learned: ‘trying harder’ can’t be your only strategy. That just leads to burnout, guilt, and living a very fragmented life.”
EP 111: Design Your Life, Then Set Your Career Goals: Purpose-Driven Personal Growth for Moms in STEM
Episode 110
Monday, March 2, 2026 • Duration 23:14
Life Planning vs. Goal Setting
Are you checking off goals but still thinking, "I'm constantly trying to juggle a million things at once, and I'm not doing any of them well"? Maybe you've hit milestones—passed exams, published papers, earned promotions—yet there's this quiet voice saying, "The things I want to be doing are not part of my life right now… I don't feel like myself."
If life planning for moms sounds like just another productivity hack, think again. This episode reveals why goal setting alone keeps high-achieving STEM moms stuck in the binary choice between career and family—and how designing your life, then setting your goals, creates the integrated, purposeful path you've been missing.
In today's episode, I share the critical difference between life planning and goal setting, why your pre-motherhood identity (intellectual rigor, contribution, mastery) doesn't have to conflict with the mom you want to be, and a simple three-step experiment to anchor your personal growth in a holistic life vision instead of random achievement.
This episode is for professionally-trained moms in science, tech, or PhD research who are tired of work-life balance feeling like a myth and purpose-driven personal growth feeling disconnected from daily reality.
You'll gain:
Clarity on why your achievements don't restore your sense of identity
A practical framework (Vision → Goals → Daily Decisions) that honors both ambition and caregiving
A low-pressure mini-vision exercise you can start this week
Permission to stop adding random goals and start designing a life where all parts of you finally fit together
If you're ready to move from randomly pursuing goals to a purposeful plan that actually feels like you, hit play so you can achieve your ambitious mom life!
→→→ I've created a free Alignment Audit specifically for moms in STEM who want to stop setting random goals and feeling disconnected and out of alignment to instead designing a life that actually fits who you are and who you’re becoming.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
GOAL SETTING FOR WORKING MOMS - QUOTABLE MOMENTS
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I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
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EP 110: Clear Decision Making Comes From Rewiring Your Identity as an Ambitious Woman [Neurosomatic Practitioner - Riana Malia]
Episode 111
Monday, February 23, 2026 • Duration 54:22
Identity Shift for Women starts when you stop making decisions from an old version of yourself.
If you’re a mom in STEM who’s successful on paper but disconnected inside, this episode will help you make clear decision-making choices without self-blame.
Riana Malia is a board-certified neurosomatic practitioner and identity architect with 20+ years in personal development. She helps high-achieving women regulate their nervous system, clear old patterns, and make aligned decisions without reliving their whole story.
This conversation is about the invisible reason your decisions feel harder than they “should”: your identity and your nervous system are still operating from an older version of you.
You’ll learn a practical clarity-first framework (values + non-negotiables), a simple way to stop people-pleasing, and a micro-practice that interrupts the loop of decision fatigue.
If you keep trying to “think your way out,” you’ll stay stuck. This episode shows you how to make decisions from safety and clarity so you can move forward with confidence.
“I’m doing all of the right things. Why can’t I figure this out?” If that’s you, hit play.
IDENTITY SHIFT FOR WOMEN - QUOTABLE MOMENTS
“You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.”
“Between now and dead, what do you want?”
“If you want a different story, you have to stop telling the old one.”
“And the thing about your unconscious mind is it will never make you a liar.”
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
(0:00): Teaser
(2:56): Introducing Riana
(4:45): Identity shift and how lack of clarity leads to almost what you want
(6:49): Conscious vs. unconscious mind: why insight alone does not always create change
(12:05): Boundaries and people-pleasing: the clean yes / no decision making
(19:58): Clearing “expired ways of thinking” to make room for what’s next (Pantry/closet metaphor)
RIANA’S LINKS
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I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
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This podcast helps high‑achieving women in STEM grow sustainable careers.
👩🏻🔬 Know a scientist/engineer/data/health-tech mom who’s returning to work after a career break? Send this episode to them.
👋 Calling all science moms! What questions do you have about building a career in science while raising a family? . I'll answer them in an upcoming episode. Drop your name and podcast/business name if you'd like a shout-out! (Feel free to send other messages too!) → solveformom.com/contact
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources
🤩 If this episode helped, please leave a review—it helps more women in STEM find this show in search.
~
Sarah Walton is a wealth consciousness advocate who helps high-achieving women stop negotiating against themselves. As host of The Game On Girlfriend Podcast (323+ episodes), she helps put more money in the hands of more women through her mindset coaching on pay, role scope, and work flexibility.
“Wealth consciousness doesn't always mean money. I'm talking about wealth in love, wealth in health, wealth in relationships, wealth in life, wealth in living.”
“We don't apologize anymore. We say, ‘I've got to go.’ You don't have to say why. It's none of their business.”
“These years fly by so fast. And not one of us looks back and says, ‘Yeah, but I wish I had made that marketing meeting.’ …Nobody, nobody thinks that. And so to do that to ourselves in the moment is such a disservice.”
(0:00): Why goal-setting might be keeping you stuck
(2:15): New listener welcome!
(3:00): How life planning honors both ambition and caregiving for STEM moms
(4:50): Why goals in isolation leave high-achievers feeling disconnected
(8:17): Life Planning vs. Goal Setting
(12:48): Vision snapshot, Goals, Calendar
(21:30): Wrap-Up & share your vision-driven goals
"The main problem isn't that you don't have enough goals, it's that your goals aren't anchored to a clear integrated vision of your life."
"Life planning connects where you are right now in life to that bigger vision and when you set goals, they become those concrete steps in your roadmap."
"When you design your life first, your goals will finally have somewhere meaningful to land and that's when you're really creating a path for you to achieve your ambitious mom life."
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources
➡️ Follow @solveformom on LinkedIn for life planning strategies that help you envision, plan, and take action on your big ideas while prioritizing family time.
🔬Connect with me on my personal LinkedIn as a fellow PhD researcher & scientific consultant.
📍Follow Solve for Mom on Pinterest for daily tips for moms in STEM to find balance one micro-step at a time.
(22:11): The 24-hour rubber-band rewiring practice (“magnet for miracles”)
(30:01): Moving from an old identity & self-blame to a “next level” identity - Riana’s heart-felt story
(41:17): Being “in” vs. “on top of” your identity story
(43:28): In 72 hours(!), rewire your way of thinking to make room for what’s next
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information and FREE resources
➡️ Follow @solveformom on LinkedIn for life planning strategies that help you envision, plan, and take action on your big ideas while prioritizing family time
📍Follow Solve for Mom on Pinterest for daily tips for moms in STEM to find balance one micro-step at a time
