Title: A Career and a Life: Reimagining Academic Culture to Support Flourishing Faculty

Balancing a meaningful life with the rigorous demands of higher education remains one of academia’s most pressing challenges. Drawing on a decade of social science research examining work-family tensions among scientists, Rice University sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund dives into what the data reveals about how universities can actively evolve to become structurally friendly to families and broader life goals while removing systemic barriers to faculty well-being. Ultimately, this session offers a roadmap for how we can better sponsor, support, and empower people of all family statuses to build flourishing, long-term careers in academia. 

Elaine Howard Ecklund is a sociologist and author exploring how religious and ethical commitments shape work, leadership, and public life. She holds the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences at Rice University, where she serves as Professor of Sociology and directs the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. Her research highlights how pluralism can serve as a vital asset in professional life. 

A dedicated institutional leader, Elaine views mentoring as an essential model for organizational culture and growth. At Rice, she helped establish the Sociology PhD program, served nine years as Director of Graduate Studies, and founded the Religion and Public Life Program, directing it for 12 years. She has served as president of both the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association and chaired the Sociology of Religion section of the American Sociological Association. She also co-founded the subfield for the sociology of science and religion. In 2023, she received the Rice University Presidential Mentoring Award and in 2026 she received the University Award for Excellence in Professional Service and Leadership. 

Elaine has led nearly 20 national and international research projects, published over 150 articles, and authored nine books. In 2018, she was a Gifford Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. 

Date: Monday, Aug 31, 2026 

Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm; Format: In-person 

Location: Lair 242 Rhododendron Room (lecture and reception) 

To Register: Please email: wvuadvance@mail.wvu.edu  

The events are organized by the WVU ADVANCE Center, sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. The Mohindar Singh Seehra Endowment was created to provide funds to host a guest speaker to explore topics related to the challenges involved in combining and balancing a professional career with a family life.