Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro
Bibliometric studies have found that male researchers have their greatest productivity around the age of 40, that female researchers produce less than their male colleagues, that incentives for collaboration are slow to affect productivity and that, just like humans, research institutes become large...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Vicerractoría Investigación
2010-12-01
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| Series: | Revista de Biología Tropical |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442010000400004 |
| _version_ | 1797712517923864576 |
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| author | Julián Monge-Nájera Vanessa Nielsen-Muñoz Ana Beatriz Azofeifa |
| author_facet | Julián Monge-Nájera Vanessa Nielsen-Muñoz Ana Beatriz Azofeifa |
| author_sort | Julián Monge-Nájera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bibliometric studies have found that male researchers have their greatest productivity around the age of 40, that female researchers produce less than their male colleagues, that incentives for collaboration are slow to affect productivity and that, just like humans, research institutes become larger, less productive, more expensive to maintain and less able to raise money as they grow old. Almost invariably, these conclusions come from statistical studies of large numbers of European and American scientists, and there are practically no studies about tropical researchers. We present an in-depth analysis of the productivity of an internationally recognized tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro, based on the totality of his published work and on our own knowledge, as co-workers and friends, of the life frame in which that scientific output was produced. His life output departs from the expected pattern in that he had the highest productivity before reaching the expected peak productivity age, and that when he reached it his productivity fell and never recovered. Furthermore, marriage did not produce the expected fall in productivity. A close analysis of his life indicates that in the middle of his career he switched to intense teaching and conservation activities, and this better explains why his output of scientific research articles was low afterwards. This switch may occur in other tropical scientists. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (4): 1093-1114. Epub 2010 December 01.<br>Los estudios bibliométricos han encontrado que los investigadores de sexo masculino tienen su mayor productividad aproximadamente a los 40 años; que las investigadoras producen menos que sus colegas masculinos, que los incentivos para la colaboración tardan en aumentar la productividad y que, al igual que los seres humanos, los institutos de investigación se hacen más grandes, menos productivos, más costosos y menos capaces de recaudar dinero a medida que envejecen. Casi siempre, estas conclusiones provienen de estudios de un gran número de científicos europeos y estadounidenses, y prácticamente no hay estudios sobre los investigadores tropicales. Aquí presentamos un análisis detallado de la productividad de un botánico y conservacionista tropical reconocido internacionalmente, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro, basado en la totalidad de su obra publicada y en nuestro propio conocimiento de su vida como compañeros de trabajo y amigos. Su vida se aparta del patrón esperado en que tuvo su mayor productividad en los primeros 20 años de carrera y produjo comparativamente poco en los siguientes 20 años. Además, el matrimonio no produjo el descenso esperado en su productividad. Justo a la mitad de su carrera se dedicó intensamente a actividades de enseñanza y conservación, lo que explica esa baja en su producción. Este patrón podría darse en otros científicos tropicales. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:22:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-16baf9858d6f428f8b3874fe2444e234 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0034-7744 2215-2075 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:22:56Z |
| publishDate | 2010-12-01 |
| publisher | Vicerractoría Investigación |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista de Biología Tropical |
| spelling | doaj.art-16baf9858d6f428f8b3874fe2444e2342023-09-02T22:15:43ZengVicerractoría InvestigaciónRevista de Biología Tropical0034-77442215-20752010-12-0158410931114Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez PignataroJulián Monge-NájeraVanessa Nielsen-MuñozAna Beatriz AzofeifaBibliometric studies have found that male researchers have their greatest productivity around the age of 40, that female researchers produce less than their male colleagues, that incentives for collaboration are slow to affect productivity and that, just like humans, research institutes become larger, less productive, more expensive to maintain and less able to raise money as they grow old. Almost invariably, these conclusions come from statistical studies of large numbers of European and American scientists, and there are practically no studies about tropical researchers. We present an in-depth analysis of the productivity of an internationally recognized tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro, based on the totality of his published work and on our own knowledge, as co-workers and friends, of the life frame in which that scientific output was produced. His life output departs from the expected pattern in that he had the highest productivity before reaching the expected peak productivity age, and that when he reached it his productivity fell and never recovered. Furthermore, marriage did not produce the expected fall in productivity. A close analysis of his life indicates that in the middle of his career he switched to intense teaching and conservation activities, and this better explains why his output of scientific research articles was low afterwards. This switch may occur in other tropical scientists. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (4): 1093-1114. Epub 2010 December 01.<br>Los estudios bibliométricos han encontrado que los investigadores de sexo masculino tienen su mayor productividad aproximadamente a los 40 años; que las investigadoras producen menos que sus colegas masculinos, que los incentivos para la colaboración tardan en aumentar la productividad y que, al igual que los seres humanos, los institutos de investigación se hacen más grandes, menos productivos, más costosos y menos capaces de recaudar dinero a medida que envejecen. Casi siempre, estas conclusiones provienen de estudios de un gran número de científicos europeos y estadounidenses, y prácticamente no hay estudios sobre los investigadores tropicales. Aquí presentamos un análisis detallado de la productividad de un botánico y conservacionista tropical reconocido internacionalmente, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro, basado en la totalidad de su obra publicada y en nuestro propio conocimiento de su vida como compañeros de trabajo y amigos. Su vida se aparta del patrón esperado en que tuvo su mayor productividad en los primeros 20 años de carrera y produjo comparativamente poco en los siguientes 20 años. Además, el matrimonio no produjo el descenso esperado en su productividad. Justo a la mitad de su carrera se dedicó intensamente a actividades de enseñanza y conservación, lo que explica esa baja en su producción. Este patrón podría darse en otros científicos tropicales.http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442010000400004bibliometríaproductividaddiferencias entre científicos tropicales y de zonas templadasciencia en "países en desarrollo"conservación y cienciabibliometryproductivitydifferences among tropical and temperate scientistsscience in "developing countries"conservation and science |
| spellingShingle | Julián Monge-Nájera Vanessa Nielsen-Muñoz Ana Beatriz Azofeifa Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro Revista de Biología Tropical bibliometría productividad diferencias entre científicos tropicales y de zonas templadas ciencia en "países en desarrollo" conservación y ciencia bibliometry productivity differences among tropical and temperate scientists science in "developing countries" conservation and science |
| title | Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro |
| title_full | Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro |
| title_fullStr | Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro |
| title_full_unstemmed | Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro |
| title_short | Determinants of scientific output: an in-depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist, Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro |
| title_sort | determinants of scientific output an in depth view of the productivity of tropical botanist and conservationist luis diego gomez pignataro |
| topic | bibliometría productividad diferencias entre científicos tropicales y de zonas templadas ciencia en "países en desarrollo" conservación y ciencia bibliometry productivity differences among tropical and temperate scientists science in "developing countries" conservation and science |
| url | http://www.scielo.sa.cr/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-77442010000400004 |
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