An intersectional gender analysis of familial and socio-cultural drivers of inequitable scientific career progression of researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background:Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA)suffers from a dearth of concrete information on the causes of women’s under-representation in scientific research workforce particularly at higher levels compared with the wealth of information that exists in the global north.The goal of this study was to illuminate familial and socio-cultural drivers that contribute to intersectional gender inequities in scientific career progression in SSA to inform strategies that could promote career equity for African scientific researchers.Methods:This study was nested within the context of‘Developing Excellence in Leadership,Training and Science in Africa’(DELTAS Africa)—a health-based scientific research capacity strengthening initiative.It adopted an exploratory qualitative cross-sectional study design.In-depth interviews were conducted among 58(32 Female and 26 Male)trainees/research fellows at various career stages,affiliated to three purposively selected African Research Consortia.The interviews were conducted between May and December 2018 in English.The data were analysed inductively based on emergent themes.Results:The study participants were nationals of thirteen SSA countries.More female than male participants had young children.Four themes were identified.They illustrate women’s and men’s characterisation of the normative career pathway and progression requirements which calls for significant‘time’commitments(theme 1),and how social power relations of gender within the family and wider society shapes their participation in scientific research activities(theme 2).This culminates in researchers’’differential experiences of navigating between the‘two different lives’—family and career,and the resultant implications for their career progression and personal well-being(theme 3).Women researchers made different and conscious trade-offs for navigating the‘two different lives’by utilising various metaphors such as the‘biological clock and career clock’,the‘glass ball and rubber ball’,and the concept of‘sacrifice’(theme 4).Conclusions:This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate how intersectional gender analysis through use of qualitative research methods may provide novel insights into the hidden familial and socio-cultural drivers of gender inequitable scientific research career progression.It offers important policy and practice measures and approaches for fostering career equity for women and men scientists within research capacity strengthening initiatives in SSA.

Values of the Times of Marx's Theory of Science and Technology Progress and Utilization of Natural Resources

Marx's theory of scientific and technological progress and utilization of natural resources is an indispensable and important part of Marx's economic theory.To realize the harmonious unification of man and nature,man must correctly understand the effect of scientific and technological progress on the use of natural resources,fundamentally solve the problem that scientific and technological progress cannot replace the position of natural resources in economic development,and objectively evaluate the relationship between human power and the power of nature.Grasping and comprehending the scientific connotation of Marx's theory of scientific and technological progress and utilization of natural resources has a very important theoretical value and practical significance for saving and effectively using natural resources and building an environment-friendly society.

Strategic Scientific and Technological Capacity-Building in Clinical Medicine in China:Taking the Innovative Development of Reproductive Medicine at Peking University Third Hospital as an Example

Based on the macroanalysis of the unbalanced development of the"demand side"and the"supply side"of clinical medicine in China,this paper elucidates the stakeholders,resources,and ecosystem of the strategic scientific and technological capacity-building and calls for a larger coverage,smoother supply chain,and more sustainable ecosystem to ensure the development of clinical medicine.Furthermore,focusing on the establishment and development of clinical reproductive health in China,the authors introduce the strategic scientific and technological capacity-building of reproductive medicine in Peking University Third Hospital,with an attempt to inform similar efforts in other fields and even the whole clinical medicine in China.

Great Progress Achieved on Scientific Survey and International Cooperation along the Lancang-Mekong River

Scientific Survey on the middle-and lower-reaches of Lancang-Mekong River and Grand Shangri-La Area is a key project of national scientific infrastructure programme funded by Ministry of Science

Empirical Analysis of Economic Growth in Sichuan Province

For a long time, the factors influencing a regional economic growth are mainly workforce, capital and scientific and technological progress. But with the further promotion of China＇s reform and opening-up and intensification of the further improvement degree, the main factors influencing a regional economic growth constantly change. This paper utilizes the relevant data of Sichuan to set up the econometric model and quantitatively studies the factors influencing economic growth of Sichuan. Through comparing the greatness that each factor influences the economic growth of Sichuan, the paper takes system changes as leading factor to influence the economic growth during 1984-2003 of Sichuan. At the same time, the upgrading of industrial structure will be a core of economic growth in the future, and the scientific and technological progress is the potential force of economic growth.