30 July 2026 to 5 August 2026
Natal, Brazil
America/Sao_Paulo timezone

Gender and racial inequalities in CNPq fellowships in Physics and Astronomy

Not scheduled
20m
Natal, Brazil

Natal, Brazil

Via Costeira Sen. Dinarte Medeiros Mariz, 6664-6704 - Ponta Negra, Natal - RN, 59090-002
Talk Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Speaker

Prof. Sendy Melissa Santos do Nascimento (UFRN)

Description

Gender and racial inequalities in Brazilian science have been widely discussed, particularly regarding access to opportunities and academic recognition. This study analyzes the distribution of fellowships awarded by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Physics and Astronomy, using data from the 2025 CNPq Funding Panel. Individuals who did not declare race were excluded (325 of 1,908 fellowships). The Black population is defined as the combined categories Black (Preta) and Parda. The analysis included Junior Scientific Initiation, Scientific Initiation, Junior and Senior Postdoctoral, and Research Productivity fellowships. Master’s and PhD fellowships were excluded because graduate training in Brazil is largely funded by other agencies. Black researchers represent 46.6% of Junior Scientific Initiation and 51.2% of Scientific Initiation fellowships, indicating strong participation at early stages. However, their presence declines at higher levels, reaching 24.6% of Research Productivity fellowships. Intersectional analysis shows that Black women are concentrated in early modalities, accounting for only 3.6% of Research Productivity fellowships. In contrast, White men hold 57.2% of Research Productivity fellowships. These findings highlight persistent structural barriers affecting the academic advancement of Black researchers, particularly Black women.

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