A solid publication record is a key factor in a successful academic career. In mathematics, a recent study on publication patterns based on comprehensive metadata sources showed a systemic gender imbalance in the publication distribution of mathematicians. Using four decades of data, it was shown that women mathematicians tripled their number since 1970, but publish less than men at the beginning of their careers, and leave academia at a higher rate. High-ranked journals publish fewer articles by women, some showing less than 5% authorships by women with no change over time. Women publish fewer single authored papers, although their coauthor networks are similar in size to those of men.

Similar methodology will be used to study publication patterns in physics, chemistry, astronomy, if possible biology and computer science, and across countries and regions. This will allow us to understand common and discipline-specific issues that require interventions. We will develop some new items for the survey appropriate to different disciplines to determine specific areas of inequality at which to target recommendations. A key objective is to create a sustainable and dynamic methodology to provide a continuous data processing flow, and hence allow for easy updates and longitudinal data analyses.

• Prof. Dr. Helena Mihaljevic (Projektleitung)

International Science Council and project partners

• International Mathematical Union (IMU); International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC); International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP); International Astronomical Union (IAU); International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS); International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM); International Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IUHPST); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through its project STEM and Gender Advancement (SAGA); Gender in Science, Innovation, Technology and Engineering (GenderInSITE); Organization of Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD); Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), through ACM-W

https://gender-gap-in-science.org/work-packages/publication-patterns/