Gender Disparities in STEM: Between Motivation and Perceptions of Early-Career Researchers

Despite increasing attention to gender disparities in academia, women remain underrepresented at all academic levels globally, especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines. In some of these fields, gender disparities are particularly prominent and affect topics such as future career aspirations. From this point of view, this paper aims to investigate a key element in addressing gender disparities in academia: Perceptions of gender bias. In order to do so, we implemented an online questionnaire to be administered among early-career researchers from an Italian university. We focused on them because they are at a critical stage where perceptions of gender bias can significantly impact their career decisions.

To answer the following research question: How do early-career researchers perceive gender disparities in STEM disciplines?, we first performed an exploratory factor analysis. Our exploratory factor analysis identified two latent factors: Perceptions of gender bias and motivations for choosing STEM disciplines. In light of these results, we adopted a mixed-method approach. First, we performed a Mann-Whitney U Test to identify potential differences between male and female early-career researchers. Then, a qualitative analysis of open questions allowed us to gain more profound insights into how respondents perceived gender disparities. Our results reveal significant gender-based differences in how early-career researchers perceive their academic environment. Indeed, the female group is more likely to report limitations and biases that hinder their opportunities in academia. However, it is interesting to note that there are no statistically significant differences in terms of motivations for choosing these disciplines.

Our results contribute to the growing discourse on gender disparities in STEM, highlighting the challenges faced by early-career researchers and offering insights on fostering greater inclusivity in academia. As global challenges intensify, transitioning toward more equitable and stable systems is imperative to advance both science and society.