Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences

The polar regions provide valuable insights into the functioning of the Earth’s regulating systems. Conducting field research in such harsh and remote environments requires strong international cooperation, extended planning horizons, sizable budgets and long-term investment. Consequently, polar res...

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Autores principales:	Blanca Figuerola, Nicolas Valiente, Andres Barbosa, Madeleine J. Brasier, Roger Colominas-Ciuró, Peter Convey, Daniela Liggett, Miguel Angel Fernández-Martínez, Sergi Gonzalez, Huw J. Griffiths, Shridhar D. Jawak, Faradina Merican, Daly Noll, Janire Prudencio, Fernanda Quaglio, Luis R. Pertierra
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	austerity COVID-19 diversity and inclusion interdisciplinarity mentoring post-doctoral researchers Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/bd73c15e51894b28bc63f0a0a96c8f5a
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:bd73c15e51894b28bc63f0a0a96c8f5a2021-11-11T10:25:22ZShifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences2296-701X10.3389/fevo.2021.777009https://doaj.org/article/bd73c15e51894b28bc63f0a0a96c8f5a2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.777009/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/2296-701XThe polar regions provide valuable insights into the functioning of the Earth’s regulating systems. Conducting field research in such harsh and remote environments requires strong international cooperation, extended planning horizons, sizable budgets and long-term investment. Consequently, polar research is particularly vulnerable to societal and economic pressures during periods of austerity. The global financial crisis of 2008, and the ensuing decade of economic slowdown, have already adversely affected polar research, and the current COVID-19 pandemic has added further pressure. In this article we present the outcomes of a community survey that aimed to assess the main barriers and success factors identified by academic researchers at all career stages in response to these global crises. The survey results indicate that the primary barriers faced by polar early and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) act at institutional level, while mitigating factors are developed at individual and group levels. Later career scientists report pressure toward taking early retirement as a means of institutions saving money, reducing both academic leadership and the often unrecognized but vital mentor roles that many play. Gender and social inequalities are also perceived as important barriers. Reorganization of institutional operations and more effective strategies for long-term capacity building and retaining of talent, along with reduction in non-research duties shouldered by EMCRs, would make important contributions toward ensuring continued vitality and innovation in the polar research community.Blanca FiguerolaNicolas ValienteAndres BarbosaMadeleine J. BrasierRoger Colominas-CiuróPeter ConveyPeter ConveyDaniela LiggettMiguel Angel Fernández-MartínezSergi GonzalezHuw J. GriffithsShridhar D. JawakFaradina MericanDaly NollDaly NollJanire PrudencioFernanda QuaglioLuis R. PertierraLuis R. PertierraFrontiers Media S.A.articleausterityCOVID-19diversity and inclusioninterdisciplinaritymentoringpost-doctoral researchersEvolutionQH359-425EcologyQH540-549.5ENFrontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol 9 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	austerity COVID-19 diversity and inclusion interdisciplinarity mentoring post-doctoral researchers Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5
spellingShingle	austerity COVID-19 diversity and inclusion interdisciplinarity mentoring post-doctoral researchers Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 Blanca Figuerola Nicolas Valiente Andres Barbosa Madeleine J. Brasier Roger Colominas-Ciuró Peter Convey Peter Convey Daniela Liggett Miguel Angel Fernández-Martínez Sergi Gonzalez Huw J. Griffiths Shridhar D. Jawak Faradina Merican Daly Noll Daly Noll Janire Prudencio Fernanda Quaglio Luis R. Pertierra Luis R. Pertierra Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences
description	The polar regions provide valuable insights into the functioning of the Earth’s regulating systems. Conducting field research in such harsh and remote environments requires strong international cooperation, extended planning horizons, sizable budgets and long-term investment. Consequently, polar research is particularly vulnerable to societal and economic pressures during periods of austerity. The global financial crisis of 2008, and the ensuing decade of economic slowdown, have already adversely affected polar research, and the current COVID-19 pandemic has added further pressure. In this article we present the outcomes of a community survey that aimed to assess the main barriers and success factors identified by academic researchers at all career stages in response to these global crises. The survey results indicate that the primary barriers faced by polar early and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) act at institutional level, while mitigating factors are developed at individual and group levels. Later career scientists report pressure toward taking early retirement as a means of institutions saving money, reducing both academic leadership and the often unrecognized but vital mentor roles that many play. Gender and social inequalities are also perceived as important barriers. Reorganization of institutional operations and more effective strategies for long-term capacity building and retaining of talent, along with reduction in non-research duties shouldered by EMCRs, would make important contributions toward ensuring continued vitality and innovation in the polar research community.
format	article
author	Blanca Figuerola Nicolas Valiente Andres Barbosa Madeleine J. Brasier Roger Colominas-Ciuró Peter Convey Peter Convey Daniela Liggett Miguel Angel Fernández-Martínez Sergi Gonzalez Huw J. Griffiths Shridhar D. Jawak Faradina Merican Daly Noll Daly Noll Janire Prudencio Fernanda Quaglio Luis R. Pertierra Luis R. Pertierra
author_facet	Blanca Figuerola Nicolas Valiente Andres Barbosa Madeleine J. Brasier Roger Colominas-Ciuró Peter Convey Peter Convey Daniela Liggett Miguel Angel Fernández-Martínez Sergi Gonzalez Huw J. Griffiths Shridhar D. Jawak Faradina Merican Daly Noll Daly Noll Janire Prudencio Fernanda Quaglio Luis R. Pertierra Luis R. Pertierra
author_sort	Blanca Figuerola
title	Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences
title_short	Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences
title_full	Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences
title_fullStr	Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences
title_full_unstemmed	Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences
title_sort	shifting perspectives in polar research: global lessons on the barriers and drivers for securing academic careers in natural sciences
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/bd73c15e51894b28bc63f0a0a96c8f5a
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Shifting Perspectives in Polar Research: Global Lessons on the Barriers and Drivers for Securing Academic Careers in Natural Sciences

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