Dr. Fox at Georgia Tech is performing studies of gender and family within the faculty of the various colleges and programs at Tech. Her most recent study (under "Data Collection") found, among other things, that:

1. In their household/family arrangements, the majority of men and women are married or live with a life partner. Occupations of spouse/partners diverge by gender of faculty—with women (44%) being three times more likely than men (15%) to have a spouse/partner who is a college or university professor. Further, the majority of women (51%) are “equal contributors” to household income, while the majority of men (51%) are “sole contributors.” These two areas–spousal occupation and contribution to household income–point to the importance among women, especially, of dual-career issues/considerations.
2. Women are less likely than men to be parents of any children. But among those who are parents, 44% of women and 32% of men have pre-school children. This points to the importance of supportive family programs—addressed by Georgia Tech in the opening of the new Georgia Tech and Home Park Childcare Center, and the establishment of Campus Nursing Moms Program (nursing locations on campus), and the Active-Service Modified Duties procedure (to allow a more flexible schedule for family-related issues).
3.Overall and across Colleges, we find that both men and women report that work interferes “somewhat” with family. Except in Ivan Allen College, however, women report a higher interference in the other direction, of family with work, than do men.
4.We find that women are more likely than men to report that their work is affected by childcare options.

Given all of the studies, I think we need to be stressing to young girls that they can do anything they set their minds to but that they must chose a mate that understands/accepts their ambitions. The Georgia Tech study is reassuring in the fact that family interferes with the careers of both women and men as it should if both partners contribute equally to the child rearing. The bottom line, though, is that you can't step into and out of technology or reputation-drive fields at the drop of a hat, and likewise you can't expect employers to hire you based on your degree from 15 years ago or your experience from 5 years ago.

RE: What women want. . .