2019 Fall Luncheon Honoree

Dr. Evgenia Andreevna Zabolotskaya

Dr. Evgenia (Zhenia) Andreevna Zabolotskaya was honored by the Women in Acoustics Committee at the 2019 Fall WIA Luncheon.  Evgenia’s many accomplishments are highlighted in the following:

Also, Evgenia’s daughter provided these personal comments from Evgenia in January 2020 when the Acoustics Today article on Work-Parenting Harmony was being prepared:

The beauty of life is the many roles we reflect upon ourselves. We begin as the children of our own parents, and then become students, working for the career that we desire. Once our education is over, we begin our career. And at some point, if the universe chooses to bless us with our own family and children, we take on the role of a partner and parent. Many of us who have gotten the pleasure of a career and raising a family understand the struggle that can come with balancing both. I’ve experienced this, in a country that provided meager support compared to the United States. 

I have two daughters, both of whom were born when my education was already completed and my career in physics and acoustics had already begun. In Russia, particularly at this time, there was little to no child-care available, so my mother was a supportive figure at this time, providing care for my first daughter. When my second daughter was born, she was cared for by my first, as my mother had passed away by this time. My husband, Yuri, was by my side from the beginning, and we founded our family together from the start. In Russia at this time, women were often discriminated against when working in science and having children certainly didn’t help this situation. Nonetheless, I persevered, continuing my work through the scrutiny I faced. A pressure that was certainly relevant through the years of having children and working was the difficulty of balancing both. This is never easy and can’t be made easy. It is made doable only through the support of your employer, family, and friends. In today’s world, especially in the United States, the attitude towards mothers and women in science has become a lot more tolerant, and that is an incredible improvement. However, maternity, as well as paternity leave, should be made more accessible and not be seen as a hindrance towards success in a scientific career. I’m forever grateful for the experiences I’ve had, and the joy I experienced both in my professional life, and my personal life, with my wonderful husband, and two beautiful, incredible daughters.