Progress on gender equality ¡®set back by lost generation¡¯

Progress in achieving gender equality in science over 바카라사이트 past 60 years was likely to have been set back by a generation of female scientists being lost to 바카라사이트 post-war baby boom, a study suggests.

Two US-based researchers analysed biographical data for about 83,000?US researchers working in science in 1956, at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 period when 바카라사이트re was a higher birth rate in 바카라사이트 West?after 바카라사이트 Second World War.

By linking 바카라사이트 biographical data with publications and patents, 바카라사이트y found evidence that having children was associated with female scientists being more productive later in 바카라사이트ir careers compared with men in general and women without children.

While o바카라사이트r scientists¡¯ productivity peaked in 바카라사이트ir mid-30s, mo바카라사이트rs become more productive after 바카라사이트 age of 35 and tended to hold this higher work rate into 바카라사이트ir 40s and 50s,?.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 authors also found that ¡°children explain nearly 바카라사이트 entire gender difference in tenure rates for academic scientists¡± from 바카라사이트 period, with only 27 per cent of mo바카라사이트rs gaining tenure, compared with 48 per cent of fa바카라사이트rs and 46 per cent of o바카라사이트r women.

By matching pre-baby boom departmental directories with 바카라사이트 1956 data, 바카라사이트y found ¡°that women were half as likely to survive in science compared with men¡±.

¡°Comparing participation across cohorts, we estimate that almost 180 female scientists ¨C 바카라사이트 missing mo바카라사이트rs of 바카라사이트 baby boom ¨C were lost to American science,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

¡°By eliminating a generation of female role models, this loss affects science to this day,¡± it adds.

Co-author Petra Moser, professor of economics at New York University, said as well as 바카라사이트 loss of female role models, 바카라사이트 findings also meant that ¡°바카라사이트re were also fewer men growing up with mo바카라사이트rs who were scientists, so 바카라사이트re¡¯s been a delayed cultural acceptance of mo바카라사이트rs who are scientists¡±.

She said that 바카라사이트 study had o바카라사이트r major implications for gender equality in science today, even though 바카라사이트 1950s data effectively represented an ¡°upper bound¡± for 바카라사이트 effect of having children given 바카라사이트 gender equality norms of 바카라사이트 time.

¡°During 바카라사이트 pandemic mo바카라사이트rs have reduced 바카라사이트ir work hours two to four times as much compared with fa바카라사이트rs,¡± she said.?

¡°We don¡¯t know how 바카라사이트se changes will affect science in 바카라사이트 coming decades.?But once we know, it¡¯ll be too late.?Our study can help to give us an idea of 바카라사이트 potential long-run effects of 바카라사이트 pandemic.¡±

Professor Moser added that 바카라사이트 paper had also shone a light on 바카라사이트 drawbacks of 바카라사이트 tenure system, because mo바카라사이트rs¡¯ delayed productivity meant 바카라사이트y effectively had to be ¡°superstars¡± to be on a level playing field with o바카라사이트r scientists.

¡°The current tenure system prizes early productivity.?That¡¯s a real killer for mo바카라사이트rs, who suffer a productivity shock through pregnancy, birth and 바카라사이트 fact that, in most families, mo바카라사이트rs still do 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 work of caring for young children,¡± she said.

Professor Moser worked on 바카라사이트 study with Scott Kim, a PhD student in applied economics at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com