Tequila Harris, Assistant Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, was invited to attend First Lady Michelle Obama's press briefing for the "NSF Career Life Balance Initiative" at the White House on September 26, 2011.  Over the past month, a select group of PECASE, CAREER, and Postdoctoral Fellow awardees have provided input to NSF to help establish the new policies for this initiative.  

"The folks at the NSF understand that you shouldn’t be penalized or lose a chance to advance in your career because you are taking care of a new child or a mom or dad who's gotten sick," said the First Lady in her press release. "This is another way that my husband's administration is leading by example on issues like these.  We all know that when you take steps to make life easier for working parents, it’s a win for everyone.  Workplace flexibility policies can increase worker productivity.  It can decrease turnover rates.  It can reduce absenteeism.  It can attract the best workers, and it can help those workers keep their jobs."

Harris remarked, "I was delighted and honored to have been chosen by NSF to help shape these new  policies, which will definitely enhance work-related flexibility for many young scientists and engineers.  Although, Georgia Tech has continually made progress in developing and implementing work-life balance initiatives to maintain its best and brightest scientist and engineers, one such example is modified duty for new fathers, in addition to new mothers."