Size and ageing of the scientific community in Chile

F. Saavedra; Mary Mackenzie; R. Pessot; M. Krauskopf

doi:10.1007/bf02016545

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Scientometrics

Volume/Issue:: Volume 27: Issue 2

Size and ageing of the scientific community in Chile

Authors:

F. Saavedra

F. Saavedra Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Technológica Santiago (Chile) Santiago (Chile)

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Mary Mackenzie

Mary Mackenzie Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Technológica Santiago (Chile) Santiago (Chile)

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R. Pessot

R. Pessot Universidad Austral de Chile Instituto de Bioquimica Valdivia (Chile) Valdivia (Chile)

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M. Krauskopf

M. Krauskopf Universidad Austral de Chile Instituto de Bioquimica Valdivia (Chile) Valdivia (Chile)

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Pages:: 105–117

Online Publication Date:: 06 Aug 2005

Publication Date:: 26 Jun 1993

Article Category:: Research Article

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02016545

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Abstract

The size and ageing of the Chilean scientific community was studied using as data the individuals actively engaged in research projects funded by the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FONDECYT). Between 1982 and 1991, 4966 individuals participated at least once, either as responsible for the research or as qualified associate in one term of the funding period. From this population, 2765 persons can be considered further committed with scientific research. As for sex, about 30% of the researchers are women. Taking into account all the disciplines, and in addition to the fact that the size of the Chilean scientific community seems to be subcritical, the study reveals that the workforce has been ageing dangerously through the years. The number of young scientists becoming part of the scientific workforce is decreasing. Research in mathematics, physics and chemistry, although qualitatively competitive, relies only on an extremely small group of excellent scientists, situation which is seriously affecting the scientific capacity that the country needs. Biology, although with a higher number of individuals, exhibits a pattern of ageing which will also affects the possibilities to strengthen the scientific demands. The global context in which science develops, leads to a brain drain that Third World countries will have to overcome, implementing public policies to offer the support that young people require to nurture the scientific strength. Indigenous Ph. D. programs demand urgent attention of policy decision makers as well as from research universities which need to offer opportunities to substitute, when existing, their incompetent faculty.

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Scientometrics

Print ISSN:: 0138-9130

Online ISSN:: 1588-2861

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Scientometrics
Language	English
Size	B5
Year of Foundation	1978
Volumes per Year	1
Issues per Year	12
Founder	Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher	Akadémiai Kiadó Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245. CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible Publisher	Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN	0138-9130 (Print)
ISSN	1588-2861 (Online)