Physical Society Colloquium

Equity for Women in Science: Dismantling Systemic Barriers to Advancement

Vincent Larivière

École de bibliothéconomie et des sciences de l'information
Université de Montréa

If current trends continue, women and men will be equally represented in the field of biology in 2069. In physics, math, and engineering, women should not expect to reach parity for more than a century. The gender gap in science and technology is narrowing, but at a decidedly unimpressive pace. And even if parity is achievable, what about equity? In this talk, I will discuss the first large-scale empirical analysis of the global gender gap in science, providing strong evidence that the structures of scientific production and reward impede women's career advancement. I will present scientometric analyses (done in collaboration with Cassidy Sugimoto) using millions of published papers across disciplines. The data show that women are systematically denied the chief currencies of scientific credit: publications and citations. The rising tide of collaboration only exacerbates disparities, with women unlikely to land coveted leadership positions or gain access to global networks. The findings are unequivocal: when published, men are positioned as key contributors and women are relegated to low-visibility technical roles. I will additionally offer solutions to this problem, with the data themselves pointing the way by showing where existing institutions fall short. A fair and equitable research ecosystem is possible, but the scientific community must first disrupt its own pervasive patterns of gatekeeping.

Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cupo_MLPl1I