Perspectives – Academic career in ecology: Effect of gender, caregiving labor, and the working environment

LOMÁSCOLO, SILVIA B.; SANDOVAL-SALINAS, MARÍA L.; NOVILLO, AGUSTINA; FONTANARROSA, GABRIELA; GABRIELA NÚÑEZ MONTELLANO, MA.; PIQUER-RODRÍGUEZ, MARÍA; ALVAREZ, MARISA; ASCHERO, VALERIA; CHILLO, VERÓNICA; FANJUL, MARÍA ELISA; MARTÍNEZ-GÁLVEZ, FERNANDA; PERO, EDGARDO J.I.; RODRÍGUEZ, DANIELA; SCHROEDER, NATALIA; ZARBÁ, LUCÍA

FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2024 vol. 560

0378-1127

True meritocracy is only fair when a leveled playing field is guaranteed. Scientists with caregiving responsibilities,often women, carry a heavy burden of unpaid labour, and therefore suffer downfalls in performance.Centered on an online survey that circulated among Argentinean ecologists between March and June2020, we explored some of the mechanisms that may be behind differential performance and perception ofperformance in scientific tasks between genders. Based on 437 responses, we found that caregiving relays moreon women than men, and that women dedicate less uninterrupted time to paid work, and more to unpaid domesticlabour, especially when working from home. Women seem to start their careers younger than, but promoteto higher categories older than men. Women value their own work more poorly than men. Both female andmale researchers seem to choose more male referents and advisers, especially among older generations. Theinteraction between family and work is perceived negatively by women in early career stages, yet women andmen felt supported by their advisers with respect to family-related issues. After the COVID pandemic, homeofficehas become an acceptable work practice adopted in different work places. However, our results showthat at least in some fields of science, this may be inequitably productive for men and women. Public policiesmust help relieve all scientists, but especially women, from heavy unpaid caregiving labour and facilitate leavingtheir home space to detach from tasks related to domestic issues during work hours. Greater peer recognition ofwomen’s research should increase their participation as advisers and referents, and improve perception of theirown work and those of other women. Public policies should aim at a fairer and more equitable working environmentfor women.