Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey
ABSTRACT Current studies have highlighted a significant gender disparity in the field of soil science. However, the scarcity of research and data on this issue can hinder the urgent need to address it and effect meaningful changes. This was the first demographic survey of Brazilian soil science, foc...
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Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo |
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| author | Beatriz Wardzinski Barbosa Fabrício de Araújo Pedron |
| author_facet | Beatriz Wardzinski Barbosa Fabrício de Araújo Pedron |
| author_sort | Beatriz Wardzinski Barbosa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Current studies have highlighted a significant gender disparity in the field of soil science. However, the scarcity of research and data on this issue can hinder the urgent need to address it and effect meaningful changes. This was the first demographic survey of Brazilian soil science, focusing on gender composition over time at different academic and professional levels, as well as peer recognition. We examined the metrics of students and faculty from all Brazilian soil science graduate programs (2004-2021), as well as members, representatives, and awards of the Brazilian Soil Science Society (SBCS) (1947-2023). There is a concentration of graduate programs with the highest evaluation scores in the South and Southeast regions of the country, reflecting regional disparities in resources and infrastructure. In 2021, gender parity in doctoral enrollments was achieved, and women aged 25 to 29 became the majority of soil science students. However, the presence of women in faculty is still very low (19 % compared to men). Moreover, the proportion of women faculty members decreases as the hierarchical level increases, indicating that attrition occurs along the career ladder. The faculty shows a trend towards aging, especially among men, indicating a potential wave of retirements in the coming years. Women constitute only 30 % of SBCS affiliations, which are predominantly comprised of men professors. There has been a sharp decline in the overall number of affiliates over the past ten years, especially among students. Women are also a minority in the SBCS representative positions and are less recognized through its awards. There is a difference in thematic intersoil within soil science by gender, both at subdisciplines and at SBCS divisions and commissions, with women being more present in soil biology and men in soil physics and management. We emphasize the pressing need to address and correct the disparities and inequities found by our study, offering recommendations aiming at broader systemic and cultural reforms within the soil science community. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4f09305d1b8f448fa623e4150db0d231 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1806-9657 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo |
| spelling | doaj-art-4f09305d1b8f448fa623e4150db0d2312025-08-20T02:36:53ZengSociedade Brasileira de Ciência do SoloRevista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo1806-96572024-12-014810.36783/18069657rbcs20230160Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journeyBeatriz Wardzinski Barbosahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2411-4913Fabrício de Araújo Pedronhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5756-0688ABSTRACT Current studies have highlighted a significant gender disparity in the field of soil science. However, the scarcity of research and data on this issue can hinder the urgent need to address it and effect meaningful changes. This was the first demographic survey of Brazilian soil science, focusing on gender composition over time at different academic and professional levels, as well as peer recognition. We examined the metrics of students and faculty from all Brazilian soil science graduate programs (2004-2021), as well as members, representatives, and awards of the Brazilian Soil Science Society (SBCS) (1947-2023). There is a concentration of graduate programs with the highest evaluation scores in the South and Southeast regions of the country, reflecting regional disparities in resources and infrastructure. In 2021, gender parity in doctoral enrollments was achieved, and women aged 25 to 29 became the majority of soil science students. However, the presence of women in faculty is still very low (19 % compared to men). Moreover, the proportion of women faculty members decreases as the hierarchical level increases, indicating that attrition occurs along the career ladder. The faculty shows a trend towards aging, especially among men, indicating a potential wave of retirements in the coming years. Women constitute only 30 % of SBCS affiliations, which are predominantly comprised of men professors. There has been a sharp decline in the overall number of affiliates over the past ten years, especially among students. Women are also a minority in the SBCS representative positions and are less recognized through its awards. There is a difference in thematic intersoil within soil science by gender, both at subdisciplines and at SBCS divisions and commissions, with women being more present in soil biology and men in soil physics and management. We emphasize the pressing need to address and correct the disparities and inequities found by our study, offering recommendations aiming at broader systemic and cultural reforms within the soil science community.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832024000101601&lng=en&tlng=enwomen studiesgraduate degreeSBCSdisparitysoil scientometrics |
| spellingShingle | Beatriz Wardzinski Barbosa Fabrício de Araújo Pedron Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo women studies graduate degree SBCS disparity soil scientometrics |
| title | Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey |
| title_full | Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey |
| title_fullStr | Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey |
| title_short | Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey |
| title_sort | gender equity in soil science in brazil still at the beginning of a long journey |
| topic | women studies graduate degree SBCS disparity soil scientometrics |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832024000101601&lng=en&tlng=en |
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