Your Participation Requested: International Gender Gap Project Survey

The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and other groups have issued a survey to learn more about the problems social and behavioral scientists, as well as other researchers, face around the world. Click here to learn more about the Global Survey of Scientists.

The survey is part of a larger international project called “A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical, Computing, and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?” The project aims to address the gender gap in science and study barriers to achievement for women scientists.

“Mathematical and natural sciences have long and honorable traditions of participation by highly creative women contributors. However, the percentages of women scientists remain shockingly low and there is a significant gender gap at all levels between women and men,” says the website.

“Currently, existing data on participation of women in the mathematical and natural sciences is scattered, outdated, and inconsistent across regions and research fields. The project will provide evidence to support the making of informed decisions on science policy.”

(See a roundup of recent research on gender inequality and sexism here.)

Following the conclusion of the survey, the project team aims to conduct a bibliographic study of publication patterns, examining, for instance, differences in publication rates between men and women, where men and women scientists publish papers, and patterns of coauthorship for men and women. The project organizers also hope to develop a database of good practices to enhance participation of girls and women in science.

Click here to take the Global Survey of Scientists.