Are Women Contributing Equally to the Oceanography Science in Brazil?

Abstract

Brazil has witnessed a huge increase in the number of articles published in international journals, has graduated more people, and displayed better science proxies. In Oceanography, Brazil has built up a complex system of science and technology, that today ranks 13th in the world in terms of scientific publications, according to the Thomson Reuters database; ahead of countries such as Holland and Russia. But this has not generally improved the gender equality in the field. An evaluation of gender in Brazilian oceanography is presented, as well as an investigation of the reasons for the low participation of women in the Brazilian political decisions today, regarding the future of the sea. Between 1995 and 2010, the percentage of women increased from 34 to 45 % in the leadership class, and from 41 to 52 % in the non-leadership class. But within its own class, the percentage of women leaders remained very similar during this period, varying from 29 to 26 %. In marine science, women leadership is even smaller, as viewed from recent initiatives such as the National Institutes of Science and Technology (INCTs) and the National Institute of Oceanic and Waterways Research (INPOH). Although some recent policies have promoted a more democratic selection of students to universities, and probably a better gender equality, specific mechanisms to improve women leadership in the young oceanography field, are still necessary.