Abstract
We read with great interest the article by Krukowski et al. 1 “Academic Productivity Differences by Gender and Child Age in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine Faculty During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” First, Krukowski et al. should be commended for their important work. The authors surveyed science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine faculty in the United States and assessed pre-Coronavrius Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic productivity. Significant gender disparities were observed with women reporting a decrease in productivity for first/corresponding and coauthored article author's submissions, yet men had no significant differences in productivity. 1 On balance, faculty with young children also reported decreases in productivity. Although the authors acknowledge the inequities of faculty of color, there are other aspects of the study that deserve further attention.
Although participants included those with and without childcare responsibilities, those who may have caregiving responsibilities for an adult or children with special needs are neglected. In a recent study, 28% of faculty members were responsible for children or another adult family member other than their partner in the home, for caregiving coordination. 2
The small sample size of Black and Indigenous Women of Color (BIWOC) introduces the risk of suggesting that BIWOC would have the same experiences as their white female counterparts. BIWOC are burdened with social injustices due to race in addition to what their white counterparts endure. 3 For example, racism, violence, hate crimes, 4,5 and social movements (e.g., #shutdownacademia and ‘Strike For Black Lives’) 6,7 have been on the rise, impacting both work and home life for BIWOC researchers. 3
What's more, BIWOC are less likely to hold tenure-track faculty positions, have higher teaching loads, and less success with mentoring 8 than their white peers. This is exacerbated by the “minority tax,” including extra service and committee activities, and other responsibilities placed on faculty of color. 9
Importantly, Kurkowski et al. acknowledge the need for policies and procedures to further support faculty. Cassese and Holoman 10 demonstrated writing groups can be used as a mechanism for coordinating a network of peer mentors, which seeks to promote greater scholarly productivity both directly (e.g., accountability and goal setting,) and indirectly (e.g., social support and professional advice). As faculty and trainees, our writing group began during the pandemic stemming from lack of support and decreasing productivity. The writing group includes BIWOC and provides social support, guidance, encouragement, and accountability. The nonhierarchal group provides a safe space and creates a culture of inclusion, supporting each other during a challenging time, while encouraging each other to work toward the fulfillment of intended academic goals. All members agree to the following commitments: (1) an active writing project (2) providing feedback to others, and (3) being open to receiving feedback from other members in the group. Over the course of 6 months (June 2020–November 2020), the six women who participated submitted 13 peer-reviewed publications, of which 5 have been published at the time of this submission. Seven scientific conference abstracts were also accepted to both national and international professional conferences. Finally, three NIH grant proposals were submitted and funded, including a diversity supplement for underrepresented scholars.
Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, institutions could create mechanisms such as the writing group along with extended daycare and eldercare benefits, and extend mental health benefits.