A socio-demographic study of the exoplanet direct imaging community
Abstract
Astronomy and science are fields in which specific groups remain under-represented despite multiple
studies that investigate this issue and propose solutions. In this article, we analyze the demographics
and social behavior of the exoplanet direct imaging community. Our focus is on identifying possible
under-representation among this group, and quantifying inappropriate social behaviors. During the
Spirit of Lyot conference 2019 (Tokyo, Japan), we conducted a survey that gathered a participation rate
of 53%. We analyzed the data collected under the prisms of gender balance and seniority representation.
The proportions of women and of non-binary persons reveal a more diverse community in comparison
to the other scientific groups (e.g. the IAU members), but still far from a balanced representation
of all genders. Early-career scientists appear to have a lower visibility in the field than permanent
researchers, with PhD students being under-represented at international conferences, and postdocs
being excluded from conference Science Organizing Committees. Regarding social relations, the results
are alarming, in particular when it comes to self-censoring of women or to unprofessional behavior,
which was experienced by 54% of this community (gender-biased behavior: 29%; oral interruption:
33%; inappropriate behavior: 33%), and in particular by women. We recommend the community to
become pro-active to build a safe environment and to continue its inclusion efforts. One aspect could
be to systematically include socio-demographic surveys in conference registration forms to monitor the
evolution of the community, in particular at larger scales. To do so, the survey questions available on
GitHub.
Origin : Files produced by the author(s)