People, Profiles

A day in the life of an academic mom

By Public Affairs

Tania Lambrozo
Tania Lambrozo

7:00 a.m . The little one wants oatmeal. The big one wants cereal. I just want coffee. I feed the kids, unload the dishwasher, assemble lunches and backpacks and sweaters and water bottles, brush teeth and hair. I am an octopus, all limbs in motion. Is that letter of reference due today?

9:00 a.m . I’m finally in my office, a glorious hour of uninterrupted work time ahead. My glorious hour is quickly lost to email. Questions from students, questions from colleagues, questions from strangers, forms that need signatures and additions and approvals. The letter of reference is not due today . But what about that grant report?

So writes Tania Lombrozo, an associate professor of psychology at UC Berkeley — and a mother. In a new blog post on the National Public Radio website, “A Day in the Life of an Academic Mom,” Lambrozo brings readers into the daily realities of her life.

Lombrozo’s research focuses on the cognitive psychology of explanation and understanding; concepts, theories and causality; moral reasoning; and philosophy and psychology. She directs the Concepts and Cognition Lab at Berkeley.

Read Lambrozo's post on NPR's Culture and Cosmos blog