The effect of mentee and mentor gender on scientific productivity of applicants for NIH training fellowships

H, Yu; Ka, Willis; Litovitz, Aviva; Rm, Harriman; Davis, Matthew T.; Meyer, P; Busse, Brad; Meseroll, Rebecca A.; Hd, Wijayatilake; Mj, Perkins; Jm, Anderson; Gm, Santangelo

doi:10.1101/2021.02.02.429450

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Our results differ from a recent study that found higher continuation rates among women in chemistry that work with women PhD mentors, after controlling for students’ research productivity [ 8 ]. However, our general finding that apparent differences between men and women mentors are reduced after controlling for status is consistent with a recent preprint on gender and research productivity [ 66 ]. We view such results, like our own, as reason to work for equity in institutional support for women mentors in academia.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Impact of gender on the formation and outcome of formal mentoring relationships in the life sciences

2022

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Despite increasing representation in graduate training programs, a disproportionate number of women leave academic research without obtaining an independent position that enables them to train the next generation of academic researchers. To understand factors underlying this trend, we analyzed formal PhD and postdoctoral mentoring relationships in the life sciences during the years 2000 to 2020. Student and mentor gender are both associated with differences in rates of student’s continuation to positions that allow formal academic mentorship. Although trainees of women mentors are less likely to take on positions as academic mentors than trainees of men mentors, this effect is reduced substantially after controlling for several measurements of mentor status. Thus, the effect of mentor gender can be explained at least partially by gender disparities in social and financial resources available to mentors. Because trainees and mentors tend to be of the same gender, this association between mentor gender and academic continuation disproportionately impacts women trainees. On average, gender homophily in graduate training is unrelated to mentor status. A notable exception to this trend is the special case of scientists having been granted an outstanding distinction, evidenced by membership in the National Academy of Sciences, being a grantee of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or having been awarded the Nobel Prize. This group of mentors trains men graduate students at higher rates than their most successful colleagues. These results suggest that, in addition to other factors that limit career choices for women trainees, gender inequities in mentors’ access to resources and prestige contribute to women’s attrition from independent research positions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Impact of gender on the formation and outcome of formal mentoring relationships in the life sciences

2022

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“…Our results differ from a recent study that found higher continuation rates among women in chemistry that work with women Ph.D. mentors, after controlling for students' research productivity (35). However, our general finding that differences between male and female mentors are reduced after controlling for access to resources is consistent with a recent preprint on gender and research productivity (62).…”

Section: The Role Of Mentor Gender On Trainee Retentionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Impact of gender on the formation and outcome of mentoring relationships in academic research

Schwartz¹,

Liénard²,

David³

2021

Preprint

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An imbalance in gender representation has been identified across many fields of academic research. Men are disproportionately represented, especially at more senior career stages. Efforts to increase recruitment of women into training programs has increased their representation in many fields, but a "leaky pipeline" is still observed: a disproportionate number of women leave research before obtaining an independent position. To understand factors that lead to attrition of women from academic research, we analyzed a database of mentoring relationships covering the period 2000 to 2015 in several science and humanities fields. While representation of women has increased over time among both trainees and independent researchers, male graduate students and postdocs still continue to independent research at higher rates than their women colleagues. We analyzed aspects of the mentoring relationship that contribute to this continuing bias. One strong pattern that is observed is homophily, where trainees and mentors tend to be of the same gender. It has been hypothesized that institutional bias may limit the influence of female investigators, which could in turn impact the retention of their trainees in academia. Indeed, we observe trainees of female mentors are less likely to continue into independent research careers than trainees of male mentors. This disparity persists, but is reduced, after controlling for temporal trends in retention rates and under-representation of women mentors at the highest levels of funding and citation. Although the trainee pool for mentors that receive highly prestigious awards is skewed towards men, homophily is otherwise unrelated to mentor achievement. These results suggest that, in addition to other factors that limit career choices for female trainees, institutional bias that gives female mentors access to fewer resources contributes to the leaky pipeline for gender.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…While the cause of the gender, ethnic, and racial gap in SPI status reported in this study is likely multifactorial, disparities in mentorship available to Black and women faculty may contribute to this gap. 17 Mentorship not only guides early career faculty on a path to success but also exposes faculty to a network of peers that will facilitate collaborations and support. 18 , 19 , 20 Black and women scientists are less likely than White and men scientists to be mentored by high impact senior mentors, 21 and therefore less likely to acquire the scientific network, tacit knowledge, and sponsorship that are inherently required for securing grants.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Inequities in Receipt of Multiple National Institutes of Health Research Project Grants

et al. 2023

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ImportanceDiversity in the biomedical research workforce is essential for addressing complex health problems. Female investigators and investigators from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups generate novel, impactful, and innovative research, yet they are significantly underrepresented among National Institutes of Health (NIH) investigators.ObjectiveTo examine the gender, ethnic, and racial distribution of super NIH investigators who received 3 or more concurrent NIH grants.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional study included a national cohort of NIH-funded principal investigators (PIs) from the NIH Information for Management, Planning, Analysis, and Coordination (IMPAC II) database from 1991 to 2020.ExposuresSelf-identified gender, race and ethnicity, annual number of NIH grant receipt, career stage, and highest degree.Main Outcomes and MeasuresDistribution of investigators receiving 3 or more research project grants, referred to as super principal investigators (SPIs), by gender, race, and ethnicity.ResultsAmong 33 896 investigators in fiscal year 2020, 7478 (22.01%) identified as Asian, 623 (1.8%) as Black, 1624 (4.8%) as Hispanic, and 22 107 (65.2%) as White; 21 936 (61.7%) identified as men; and 8695 (35.3%) were early-stage investigators. Between 1991 and 2020, the proportion of SPIs increased 3-fold from 704 (3.7%) to 3942 (11.3%). However, SPI status was unequal across gender, ethnic, and racial groups. Women and Black PIs were significantly underrepresented among SPIs, even after adjusting for career stage and degree, and were 34% and 40% less likely than their male and White colleagues, respectively, to be an SPI. Black women PIs were the least likely to be represented among SPIs and were 71% less likely to attain SPI status than White men PIs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.21-0.41).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cross-sectional study of a national cohort of NIH-funded investigators, the gender, ethnic, and racial gaps in receipt of multiple research project grants among NIH investigators was clearly apparent and warrants further investigation and interventions.

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The effect of mentee and mentor gender on scientific productivity of applicants for NIH training fellowships

Cited by 4 publications

References 28 publications

Impact of gender on the formation and outcome of formal mentoring relationships in the life sciences

Impact of gender on the formation and outcome of formal mentoring relationships in the life sciences

Impact of gender on the formation and outcome of mentoring relationships in academic research

Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Inequities in Receipt of Multiple National Institutes of Health Research Project Grants

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