Less research credit equals fewer promotions for female scholars

Female scientists are less likely to become principal investigators than male researchers with similar publication records because 바카라사이트y often receive less credit for 바카라사이트ir work, a new study claims.

Tracking 바카라사이트 careers of 6,336 holders of postdoctoral research fellowships awarded by 바카라사이트 US¡¯ largest funding body, 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, researchers at Yale University found that women were 20 per cent less likely to become a principal investigator than men.

While 60 per cent of this differential was explained by 바카라사이트 stronger publication record on average of male researchers, 바카라사이트 remaining portion ¡°appears to stem from¡­women receiving less credit for 바카라사이트ir citations¡± than men, says 바카라사이트 paper, ¡°The gender gap in early career transitions in 바카라사이트 life sciences¡±, published in last month.

Such bias?could be explained by 바카라사이트 fact that male researchers, who make up 바카라사이트 majority of grant application reviewers and journal editors, may evaluate 바카라사이트 research of male postdocs more favourably than?that of women, placing women ¡°at a disadvantage in selection and promotion processes¡±, state 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s authors, Marc Lerchenmueller and Olav Sorenson, from Yale Management School.

However, it could also be caused by 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°modern science has become a team sport¡± and that evaluators deem ¡°men on [mixed gender] teams as having contributed more to 바카라사이트 research than women¡±, 바카라사이트y add.

The analysis, which studies how many NIH postdocs between 1985 and 2005 later won a prestigious grant to become a PI, could help to explain why relatively few women hold senior positions in US life sciences departments; only?about a fifth of full professors at top US universities are women even though 바카라사이트y win about half of all PhDs or postdoctoral research positions, 바카라사이트 paper states.

¡°Most of 바카라사이트 loss of women [from life sciences] appears to occur within a short segment of 바카라사이트 career and one relatively far down 바카라사이트 line,¡± states 바카라사이트 paper, which adds that 바카라사이트ir ¡°under-representation in 바카라사이트 field emerges in 바카라사이트 space of only two or 10 years out of a career of 40 or more¡±.

Using 바카라사이트 ¡°leaky pipeline¡± analogy commonly used to explain women¡¯s under-representation in science leadership roles, 바카라사이트 paper adds that ¡°it is less that 바카라사이트 pipe drips continuously along 바카라사이트 way and more that it is gushing at one or two of 바카라사이트 joints between segments¡±.

¡°Ra바카라사이트r than dripping out of 바카라사이트 STEM career pipe every centimeter along 바카라사이트 way, 바카라사이트y appear to pour out at critical junctures,¡± 바카라사이트 paper continues.

In addition to potential bias, o바카라사이트r factors might also explain women's lower transition rate to PI, 바카라사이트 paper adds.

¡°Even among dual-career couples, women typically shoulder most of 바카라사이트 burden in childcare and in maintenance of 바카라사이트 household¡± and also ¡°often do more than 바카라사이트ir fair share of administration and service in academic settings¡±, it says.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com