Are women submitting fewer grant proposals?

© SNF

Studies and surveys confirm that during the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s workload at home has increased. Does that mean women researchers are also submitting fewer proposals to the SNSF? Analyses show that, with one exception, their share has remained stable.

On 16 March 2020, the Swiss Federal Council declared an extraordinary situation which remained in force until 11 May. Scientists switched to home offices, and schools and day-care centres closed. The SNSF has evaluated a number of studies and surveys dealing with the situation of women researchers during the pandemic. The general conclusion is that their amount of care work has increased and that they have suffered professional disadvantages (for more on the topic see below).