Female scientists less likely to get research credit

Female scientists are less likely to be cited for their work in journal articles than their male peers, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

Why it matters: There is already a "well-documented gap" in published research between male and female researchers which only worsened during the pandemic.

• But this study from Ohio State University researchers shows part of this gap isn't just due to productivity differences, but instead due to women's contributions not being acknowledged.

Details: The researchers used the UMETRICS dataset available through the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science, which contained detailed information on sponsored research projects for 52 colleges and universities from 2013 to 2016.

• Women who worked on a research project were 13% less likely to be named as authors in related publications compared to their male colleagues.
• Women were 59% less likely than men to be credited on patents related to projects that they both worked on.
• The trend held true across all scientific fields, the researchers said.