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How long do top scientists maintain their stardom? An analysis by region, gender and discipline: evidence from Italy
We investigate the question of how long top scientists retain their stardom.
We observe the research performance of all Italian professors in the sciences
over three consecutive four-year periods, between 2001 and 2012. The top
scientists of the first period are identified on the basis of research
productivity, and their performance is then tracked through time. The analyses
demonstrate that more than a third of the nation's top scientists maintain this
status over the three consecutive periods, with higher shares occurring in the
life sciences and lower ones in engineering. Compared to males, females are
less likely to maintain top status. There are also regional differences, among
which top status is less likely to survive in southern Italy than in the north.
Finally we investigate the longevity of unproductive professors, and then check
whether the career progress of the top and unproductive scientists is aligned
with their respective performances. The results appear to have implications for
national policies on academic recruitment and advancement
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