PERCEPTION VS. REALITY: THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 WORK-FROM-HOME INITIATIVES ON GENDERED PRODUCTIVITY IN THE EARTH SCIENCES

COVID-19 work-from-home initiatives have resulted in a disproportionate impact amongst different groups within the Earth sciences. Using sex- (female vs. male) and gender- (women vs. men) based methods, this study investigates how global work-from-home initiatives impacted the perceived and measurable productivity of Earth scientists. An individual’s perception of their productivity is significant in understanding how some equity-deserving groups are affected by disruptions to normal routines. While productivity can be measured in various ways, peer-reviewed publications are a key metric of academic productivity, as they are a vital component of career advancement. Bibliometric (2019-2023) and survey-based (2020) data are thus used to evaluate and compare the productivity of Earth scientists. The discrepancies between perceptions versus a measurable output are highlighted to demonstrate that although females and males are publishing at nearly identical rates based on their proportions within the field of Earth sciences, women are harder on themselves. We posit the more negative perception of self-productivity among both women and early-career researchers can damage confidence, lead to mental health issues, or leaving academia entirely, and thus support structures should be focused on these groups to ensure more equitable outcomes.