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The sex and ethnicity or national origins of researchers in astronomy and oncology in four countries, 2006–2007 and 2011–2012

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Abstract

This paper uses two large databases, one of given names and one of family names, to categorise the names of researchers from Italy, Sweden, the UK and the USA whose papers in astronomy and oncology were published in 2006–2007 and in 2011–2012 by sex (gender) and ethnicity or national origin. For all the countries, there were relatively many more females publishing papers in oncology than in astronomy, but their share of contributions was lower than the percentage of researchers. Sweden and the UK had much higher percentages of both other European and Rest of the World researchers than Italy did. US researchers with non-European names were categorised in six main country groups. The ones with the greatest presence were Chinese (mainly Mandarin) and South Asians (mainly Indians). The method could be adapted to investigate the progress of women in research in many other countries, and the role played by non-national researchers in their scientific output.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evaluametrics Ltd, 157 Verulam Road, St Albans, AL3 4DW, UK

    Philip Roe

  2. Division of Research Oncology, Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 6RT, UK

    Grant Lewison

  3. Department of Geography, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC1, UK

    Richard Webber

Authors
  1. Philip Roe
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  2. Grant Lewison
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  3. Richard Webber
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Correspondence to Grant Lewison.

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Roe, P., Lewison, G. & Webber, R. The sex and ethnicity or national origins of researchers in astronomy and oncology in four countries, 2006–2007 and 2011–2012. Scientometrics 100, 287–296 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-013-1223-1

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