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Gender and racial diversity socialization in science
Weihua Li1,2,3,4,5,6, Hongwei Zheng7, Jennie E Brand8
1LMIB, NLSDE, BDBC, and School of Artificial Intelligence, Beihang University, Beijing, China.
Nature Computational Science
|April 17, 2025
Summary
Early scientific collaborations significantly predict later research group diversity, especially for men. This generational effect, alongside advisor-advisee homophily, contributes to slow diversity changes in science.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Science
- Network Science
- Diversity and Inclusion Studies
Background:
- Scientific collaboration networks are crucial for career progression and productivity.
- The impact of these networks on workforce diversity remains under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if early-career collaboration diversity predicts later diversity in research groups.
- To analyze the role of collaboration networks in shaping gender and racial diversity in science.
Main Methods:
- Development of a computational null model.
- Analysis of two large-scale, longitudinal scientific collaboration datasets.
Main Results:
- Early-career collaborator diversity is strongly associated with established researcher diversity.
- This diversity-association effect is more pronounced for men.
- Generational effects from collaborator diversity and advisor-advisee homophily slow diversity change.
Conclusions:
- Early collaboration environments significantly influence future research group diversity.
- Network structures and homophily contribute to the slow pace of diversity improvement in science.
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