STILLWATER — Seven years was a long time to wait, but it was worth the sacrifice for Oklahoma State University professors Eliot and Estella Atekwana.

They searched for years to find faculty positions that would allow them to be together and pursue their careers. At one point, Eliot Atekwana commuted five hours a day so he could live with his family.

Another time, Estella Atekwana raised their three children while she and her husband taught in different countries.

Now their offices are separated by just two flights of stairs in OSU's Noble Research Center, and their careers are thriving, the couple said.

Finding faculty positions in the same location that are equally fulfilling for both partners is challenging for many dual-career couples who work in higher education. Many, like the Atekwanas, are forced to make career or family sacrifices in order to stay together or pursue their academic interests.

Some universities are skeptical about hiring spouses because of potential problems with conflicts of interest or if the couple separates.

But the benefits often outweigh those challenges, said John T. Snow, dean emeritus and professor in the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.

Snow has been involved with hiring or recruiting members of several dual-career couples. Once his top candidate for a position turned down the job because her husband couldn't get a position at OU.

Snow said every case is unique, but ultimately, dual-career couples tend to be an asset when given proper support. He said OU makes a strong effort to attract them.

Sarah and Phillip Lancaster, employees at OSU, were able to find jobs together after graduate school. Sarah Lancaster has a teaching position in the plant and soil sciences department and Phillip Lancaster has a postdoctoral fellowship in the animal science department.

Commuting to work

Many couples, like the Atekwanas, are not as fortunate.

When they were starting their careers, Eliot and Estella Atekwana taught at schools in Michigan that were two-and-a-half hours apart. He commuted five hours a day so he could live with his family.

When he took a job in Indianapolis, he continued to commute, but only on weekends. By the time he arrived home at 1 or 2 a.m. on Fridays, his children had been sleeping for several hours.

''He made a lot of trucker friends," Estella Atekwana joked.

She moved to Botswana with their children for a yearlong sabbatical. She later accepted a position at the University of Missouri-Rolla.

The administration was enthusiastic about hiring her husband, but it took three years for him to get an offer. In the meantime, he drove five hours home on weekends.

The strain of living apart challenged them in different ways. Estella Atekwana struggled to raise their children alone during the weekdays.

Eliot Atekwana said he never was able to fully invest in the communities he worked for. He struggled to make career advancements because of distractions that came from worrying about his family, paying for two households and the long commutes.

Throughout those seven years, the Atekwanas worked to gain experience that would make them attractive hires. Those efforts paid off.

Since they have been together, their productivity has skyrocketed, Estella Atekwana said. They came to OSU in 2006.

''We're able to enjoy our careers and really, really excel," Estella Atekwana said.

The National Science Foundation recently announced it will award the Atekwanas a multimillion dollar grant to help fund a project in Botswana. The couple also are working on a joint project that will examine the environmental effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fulfilling potential

Their positions are ideal for each of their careers, Estella Atekwana said. Many people who are part of a dual-career couple and want to stay together are forced to tag along and accept a position that is not ideal so their partner can take a position.

Some departments will not hire a couple, regardless of how productive each person is, Eliot Atekwana said. He hopes schools will be less hesitant about hiring spouses as more successful dual-career couples emerge.

If they had not found positions together, Estella Atekwana said they would not be fulfilling their potential. She said investing in dual-career couples will pay off for universities. If couples are not together, they will keep looking for new jobs until they find a way to be together. She and her husband have taught at nearly half a dozen institutions in several different states, but they don't look anymore.

''All of our focus now is to try to help develop our program and help our students," Eliot Atekwana said. "We're putting in a lot of effort to try to ensure that we can create a very good program here."