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Gender, race and parenthood impact academic productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic: from survey to action

Fernanda Staniscuaski, Livia Kmetzsch, Eugenia Zandonà, Fernanda Reichert, Rossana C. Soletti, Zelia M.C Ludwig, Eliade F. Lima, Adriana Neumann, Ida V.D. Schwartz, Pamela B. Mello-Carpes, Alessandra S.K. Tamajusuku, Fernanda P. Werneck, Felipe K. Ricachenevsky, Camila Infanger, Adriana Seixas, Charley C. Staats, Leticia de Oliveira
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.04.187583
Fernanda Staniscuaski
1Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Department, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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  • For correspondence: fernanda.staniscuaski@ufrgs.br
Livia Kmetzsch
1Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Department, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
2Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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Eugenia Zandonà
3Department of Ecology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
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Fernanda Reichert
4Management School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 90010-460, Brazil
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Rossana C. Soletti
5Interdisciplinary Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Tramandaí, RS, 95590-000, Brazil
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Zelia M.C Ludwig
6Federal University of Juiz de Fora/UFJF - Physics Department, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, MG, 36036-900, Brazil
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Eliade F. Lima
7Federal University of Pampa/UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, 97501-970, Brazil
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Adriana Neumann
8Mathematics and Statistics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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Ida V.D. Schwartz
9Genetic Department, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
10Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-007
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Pamela B. Mello-Carpes
7Federal University of Pampa/UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, 97501-970, Brazil
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Alessandra S.K. Tamajusuku
7Federal University of Pampa/UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, 97501-970, Brazil
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Fernanda P. Werneck
11Biodiversity Coordination, National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA), Manaus, AM, 69067-375, Brazil
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Felipe K. Ricachenevsky
2Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
12Botanic Department, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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Camila Infanger
13Graduate Program in Management, Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing, São Paulo, SP, 04018-010, Brazil
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Adriana Seixas
14Pharmacoscience Department, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
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Charley C. Staats
1Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Department, Biosciences Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
2Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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Leticia de Oliveira
15Biomedical Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, RJ, 24210-130, Brazil
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Abstract

While the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is altering academia dynamics, those juggling remote work and domestic demands – including childcare - have already felt the impacts on productivity. Female authors are facing a decrease in papers submission rates since the beginning of the pandemic period. The reasons for this decline in women productivity need to be further investigated. Here we show the influence of gender, parenthood and race in academics productivity during the pandemic period, based on a survey answered by 3,345 Brazilian academics from various knowledge areas and research institutions. Findings revealed that male academics - especially childless ones - were the least affected group, whereas female academics, especially Black women and mothers, were the most impacted group. This scenario will leave long-term effects on the career progression of the most affected groups. The results presented here are crucial for the development of actions and policies that aim to avoid further deepening the gender gap in science. This particular situation we are facing during the pandemic demands institutional flexibility and academia should foster the discussion about actions to benefit Black scientists and academics with families in the post-pandemic scenario.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted July 04, 2020.
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Gender, race and parenthood impact academic productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic: from survey to action
Fernanda Staniscuaski, Livia Kmetzsch, Eugenia Zandonà, Fernanda Reichert, Rossana C. Soletti, Zelia M.C Ludwig, Eliade F. Lima, Adriana Neumann, Ida V.D. Schwartz, Pamela B. Mello-Carpes, Alessandra S.K. Tamajusuku, Fernanda P. Werneck, Felipe K. Ricachenevsky, Camila Infanger, Adriana Seixas, Charley C. Staats, Leticia de Oliveira
bioRxiv 2020.07.04.187583; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.04.187583
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Gender, race and parenthood impact academic productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic: from survey to action
Fernanda Staniscuaski, Livia Kmetzsch, Eugenia Zandonà, Fernanda Reichert, Rossana C. Soletti, Zelia M.C Ludwig, Eliade F. Lima, Adriana Neumann, Ida V.D. Schwartz, Pamela B. Mello-Carpes, Alessandra S.K. Tamajusuku, Fernanda P. Werneck, Felipe K. Ricachenevsky, Camila Infanger, Adriana Seixas, Charley C. Staats, Leticia de Oliveira
bioRxiv 2020.07.04.187583; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.04.187583

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