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The academic disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) have long suffered from a lack of diversity. While in
recent years there has been some progress in addressing the
underrepresentation of women in STEM subjects, other characteristics that
have the potential to impact on equality of opportunity have received less
attention. In this study, we surveyed 188 early career scientists (ECRs),
defined as within ten years of completing their PhD, in the fields of
ecology, evolutionary biology, behaviour, and related disciplines. We
examined associations between ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, sex,
socioeconomic background, and disability, with measures of career
progression, namely publication record, number of applications made before
obtaining a postdoc, type of contract, and number of grant applications
made. We also queried respondents on perceived barriers to progression,
and potential ways of overcoming them. Our key finding was that
socioeconomic background and ethnicity were associated with measures of
career progression. While there was no difference in the number of
reported first-authored papers on PhD completion, ethnic minority
respondents reported fewer other-authored papers. In addition, ECRs from a
lower socioeconomic background were more likely to report being in
teaching and research positions, rather than research only positions, the
latter being perceived as more prestigious by some institutions. We
discuss our findings in the context of possible inequality of opportunity.
We hope that this study will stimulate wider discussion, and help to
inform strategies to address the underrepresentation of minority groups in
the fields of ecology and evolution, and STEM subjects more widely.
191 views reported since publication in 2020.