Not everyone has an equal chance to make their mark in science. A new study reveals that being a woman, speaking English as a second language, or working in a lower-income country can significantly limit a researcher’s opportunities—not just in publishing papers, but in visibility, recognition, and career progression.
Dr Diogo Veríssimo, Senior Researcher at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI), University of Oxford, was part of the team behind the study. He said:
We found that talented scientists can be held back not by their ideas or skills, but by the language they speak, the country they’re from, or their gender.”
The survey of 908 environmental scientists across eight nationalities revealed stark disparities. Women published fewer English-language papers than men, with the gap widening for non-native English speakers and researchers from lower-income countries. In some cases, female scientists from lower-middle-income countries who weren’t native English speakers published up to 70% fewer English-language papers than male native English speakers from wealthier countries.
Encouragingly, when papers in all languages were considered, the productivity gap narrowed, showing the importance of valuing research beyond English-language publications. The findings underline the need for fairer evaluation systems that account for these hidden barriers, helping all scientists contribute fully to addressing global challenges. Lead author Associate Professor Tatsuya Amano from The University of Queensland, said: "This study highlights how language, economic status, and gender combine to create a significant and often overlooked productivity gap in science, especially when measured by English-language publications. We believe that this gap is not a true reflection of individual productivity. Rather, as a growing body of evidence shows, it stems from systemic barriers that continue to limit fair participation and full contribution to science by historically and currently underrepresented groups.”
Dr Shawan Chowdhury from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences, in Melbourne, Australia was also one of the authors. He emphasised the urgency of rethinking how scientific contributions are evaluated:
As someone from an underdeveloped country and non-native English-speaking background, I’ve seen firsthand how language and economic barriers can shape a researcher’s career trajectory. This study is a wake-up call to institutions and funding bodies to rethink how they define and reward scientific excellence.
"Our study highlights how overlapping factors like gender, language, and economic background can compound disadvantage in science.
"It’s not only about fewer publications, but also about reduced visibility, opportunity, and representation. While gender inequality has been well documented, we must also recognise how other attributes shape scientific productivity.”
The study highlights how scientific evaluation systems often overlook these hidden barriers. By recognising the role of language, economics, and gender, the global scientific community can ensure that everyone has a fair chance to contribute to solving the world’s biggest challenges.
Read the full study published in PLOS Biology: Language, economic and gender disparities widen the scientific productivity gap