Scientists with East Asian and African names often omitted from US media coverage: study
By Ryan General
18 days ago
Scientists with perceived non-white-sounding names are often not credited in news stories covering their published work.
Key points:
- Researchers with East Asian and African names are especially affected by this type of media omission, a recent study found.
- Even when based in the US, these minority researchers have less chance of being credited than their Anglo-named colleagues.
- When it comes to researchers with minority ethnic names, journalists often mention the institutions they are part of.
The details:
- Hao Peng, a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, worked alongside University of Michigan Associate Professors Misha Teplitskiy and David Jurgens for the research.
- The study analyzed 223,587 science news stories from 288 U.S. media outlets between 2000 and 2019. The researchers found consistent underrepresentation of minority scientists across general news, press releases and science-specific publications.
- Peng posited that journalists might have made decisions based on unconscious stereotypes. This could be the case even when reporting on US-based minority researchers.
- The researchers noted that lack of media recognition could negatively impact individual scientists seeking career advancement and broader recognition.
- The study acknowledged limitations in accurately identifying researchers’ true ethnicity, noting that “many African Americans have Anglo names.”
Tangent:
- The findings come amid the numerous biases and visibility gaps minority scientists already face in academia. These include challenges in funding generation and exclusions from prestigious recognitions.
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