Disparities in COVID-19 Impacts on Work Hours and Career Satisfaction by Gender and Race among Scientists in the US: An Online Survey Study

Seulkee Heo (), Pedro Diaz Peralta, Lan Jin, Claudia Ribeiro Pereira Nunes and Michelle L. Bell
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Seulkee Heo: School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Pedro Diaz Peralta: School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Lan Jin: School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
Claudia Ribeiro Pereira Nunes: School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Michelle L. Bell: School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA

Social Sciences, 2022, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work–life balance may be unequal between female and male scientists. Further information is needed regarding whether the working conditions and career satisfaction for women and racialized scientists are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This online survey collected data from 1171 scientists in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and medicine (STEMM), public health, or other areas of science/engineering working in the US to examine potential disparities in changes in work hours and career satisfaction by gender and race/ethnicity. A significantly higher percentage of women reported increased work hours compared to men. Women, especially racialized women, experienced disproportionately higher increases in teaching and service than the other groups, which contributed to the increased total work hours for women. Satisfaction with the current career progress was lowest for racialized women compared to their counterparts. Our results indicate that the pandemic has inequitably affected allocation of workloads and career satisfaction by gender and race in scientific fields. Institutions of higher education and other research organizations should acknowledge the gender/race differences in science before and during the pandemic to better support the career development and achievement of all scientists, especially women and even more so racialized women.

Keywords: academia; COVID-19; gender; women career; race (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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