From School to University: An Overview on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Gender in Brazil

Since centuries ago, women have been seeking gender equity’s guarantee and even with the right to poll, divorce, work and education, it didn’t mean an equality of place in universities. Even though they are majority in Brazilian universities, this doesn't reflect itself in what relates to the permanence and career’s ascension in Exact Sciences field. A minimum number of women graduating in licentiate and bachelor degrees, though when they become researchers few ones achieve a productivity fellowship. Moreover black women’s situation is even more vulnerable. In basics education, a little number of women teaches disciplines related to Physics or Mathematics, making that students don’t fell represented. In this work is brought about a survey on ethnic/gender representativeness in database and together with students from middle/high school. The results of our study demonstrate that affirmative policies are needed to gender and ethnic equity in exact sciences yet. Not only in what refers to representativeness in researches and universities, but also aiming basics education’s schools. Encouraging the deconstruction of stereotypes and that more women, especially the black ones, can ingress on those graduation courses related to this scientific knowledge’s field

Bias against parents in science hits women harder

Worldwide, parenthood remains a major driver for the reduced participation of women in the job market, where discrimination stems from people’s biases against mothers, based on stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding the vision of motherhood in our society. In academia, parenthood may be perceived as negatively affecting scientists’ commitment and dedication, especially women’s. We conducted a survey amongst Brazilian scientists and found that mothers self-reported a higher prevalence of negative bias in their workplace when compared to fathers. The perception of a negative bias was influenced by gender and career status, but not by race, scientific field or number of children. Regarding intersections, mothers with less than 15 years of hiring reported having suffered a higher rate of negative bias against themselves. We discuss implications of these results and suggest how this negative bias should be addressed in order to promote an equitable environment that does not harm women in science

Gender, race and parenthood impact academic productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic : from survey to action

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is altering dynamics in academia, and people juggling remote work and domestic demands – including childcare – have felt impacts on their productivity. Female authors have faced a decrease in paper submission rates since the beginning of the pandemic period. The reasons for this decline in women’s productivity need to be further investigated. Here, we analyzed the influence of gender, parenthood and race on academic productivity during the pandemic period based on a survey answered by 3,345 Brazilian academics from various knowledge areas and research institutions. Productivity was assessed by the ability to submit papers as planned and to meet deadlines during the initial period of social isolation in Brazil. The findings revealed that male academics – especially those without children – are the least affected group, whereas Black women and mothers are the most impacted groups. These impacts are likely a consequence of the well-known unequal division of domestic labor between men and women, which has been exacerbated during the pandemic. Additionally, our results highlight that racism strongly persists in academia, especially against Black women. The pandemic will have long-term effects on the career progression of the most affected groups. The results presented here are crucial for the development of actions and policies that aim to avoid further deepening the gender gap in academia

Maternity in the Brazilian CV Lattes : when will it become a reality?

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Editorial Note

In difficult times, it is with great pleasure that we offer the community the third issue of the Quarks – Brazilian Electronic Journal of Physics, Chemistry and Materials Science. Given the broad scope of the Quarks periodic, a range of experts in their fields of study provides their research from fundamental science to materials with biological and optical applications. In addition to studies developed by Brazilian groups, researchers from countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Russia, and Switzerland have contributed to this present issue

Thyroxine: A Theoretical Study of the Vibrational and Electronic Properties

Through this work, we systematically studied the structural, vibrational and electronic properties of the fundamental state of the isolated thyroxine(3,5,3’,5-tetraiodothyronine). The minimum energy structures and properties were obtained using the Density Functional Theory (DFT). Our simulation results were compared with experimental results, including infra-red and Raman spectroscopy with an emphasis on the properties of iodine atoms. The UV-vis spectrum calculated in this work is the first result of this model for the thyroxine molecule

On the influence of low silica content on phosphates glasses doped with Erbium Ions

This work describes the spectroscopic characterization of a phosphate glass matrix doped with different Erbium concentrations. In order to increase the resistance of the glass, 3 mol %, of silicon oxide were added to the phosphate matrix. A study of the optical absorption, luminescence and lifetime was conducted in order to characterize the infrared emission of Er3+ ions at 1540 nm, due to the radiative transition 4I13/2 →4I15/2. Judd-Ofelt spectral analysis was carried out to determine the local structure and bonding in the vicinity of rare-earth ions. The experimental oscillator strengths calculated from the absorption spectra were used to evaluate the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ωλ (λ = 2, 4 and 6). Changes in the glass density, refractive index and the values of Ω4 and Ω6 with different rare-earth concentrations are ascribed to changes in the glass network structure. Our results indicate that the present glass is a quite good matrix for Erbium ions, and the quantum efficiency of the 1540 nm emission was high. No quenching mechanisms were detected up to 2% of Erbium concentration