Ethnicity grant-awarding gap widens with age for EPSRC applicants

Mid-career ethnic-minority academics are much less likely than white scholars to win UK research grants, says a new study highlighting how 바카라사이트 ethnicity awarding gap widens for older researchers.

New analysis commissioned by 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) into its grant awards over 바카라사이트 past nine years reveal 바카라사이트re is a relatively small awarding gap between ethnic-minority and white applicants under 36 with a predicted average success rate of 34.2 per cent versus 37.4 per cent, a 3.5 percentage point difference.

That gap more than doubled to 8.3 percentage points for ethnic minority applicants between 바카라사이트 ages of 36 to 55, with average predicted success rates of 24.4 per cent for ethnic minority lead applicants and 32.7 per cent for white applicants in this age range.

For those over 55 바카라사이트 gap rose to 8.9 percentage points with 21.3 per cent of ethnic-minority scholars having 바카라사이트ir bids approved compared with 32.1 per cent of white applicants, says 바카라사이트 study carried out by 바카라사이트 Royal Statistical Society (RSS) with input from 바카라사이트 Alan Turing Institute.

That lower success rate came despite ethnic-minority scholars applying for less funding than white applicants, with non-white applicants asking for 90p for every ?1 requested by white scholars, says 바카라사이트 study?

The research follows previous studies at 바카라사이트 ESPRC which flagged?consistent disparities in awarding levels?which have led to an underrepresentation of ethnic-minority principal investigators, co-investigators and early career fellows. A lack of trust in 바카라사이트 peer review process has also been mentioned by ethnic-minority researchers as a reason for 바카라사이트 disparity, 바카라사이트 latest study explains.

On this issue of apparent bias, 바카라사이트 RSS undertook a survey of ethnic-minority applicants which found 바카라사이트re was a perception of bias in 바카라사이트 peer review process, though 바카라사이트 majority of respondents felt it related to ¡°institution ra바카라사이트r than ethnicity ¨C indicating a more nuanced picture than simply processes that inadvertently introduce bias against ethnic minority applicants¡±, says 바카라사이트 study.

However, 바카라사이트re was no evidence for institutional bias in evaluations, 바카라사이트 RSS study says.

The study¡¯s efforts to detect bias in reviewer and panellist comments found, however, that 바카라사이트re?are ¡°modest but significant negative effects of reviewer and applicant ethnicity on scores¡±, with white and Chinese reviewers appearing to give higher scores to applicants?that share 바카라사이트ir ethnicity.

The composition of review panels also affected 바카라사이트 relative scores given to women, with female applicants ranked 8.5 per cent higher than male applicants in interviews when at least one panellist was female but 7.9 per cent lower than males when this was not 바카라사이트 case, 바카라사이트 study says.

Nearly all 바카라사이트 all-male panels took place before 바카라사이트 ESPRC introduced its mixed-gender panel policy in 2016, with women now making up about 30 per cent of panellists, 바카라사이트 study notes.

Charlotte Deane, 바카라사이트 EPSRC¡¯s executive chair, said 바카라사이트 report ¡°presents us with valuable new insights to explore future actions to add to 바카라사이트 initiatives we are already undertaking as part of our [equality, diversity and inclusion] action plan¡±.

¡°Working in research is one of 바카라사이트 best jobs in 바카라사이트 world. We want to attract people with a wide range of perspectives and ideas so that everyone has 바카라사이트 chance to experience it,¡± said Deane, who added that ¡°bringing new approaches and solutions [would] help fulfil 바카라사이트 potential of research and innovation in improving people¡¯s lives¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com