Author:
Joubert Marina,Guenther Lars,Metcalfe Jenni,Riedlinger Michelle,Chakraborty Anwesha,Gascoigne Toss,Schiele Bernard,Baram-Tsabari Ayelet,Malkov Dmitry,Fattorini Eliana,Revuelta Gema,Barata Germana,Riise Jan,Schröder Justin T.,Horst Maja,Kaseje Margaret,Kirsten Marnell,Bauer Martin W.,Bucchi Massimiano,Flores Natália,Wolfson Orli,Chen Tingjie
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic escalated demand for scientific explanations and guidance, creating opportunities for scientists to become publicly visible. In this study, we compared characteristics of visible scientists during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic (January to December 2020) across 16 countries. We find that the scientists who became visible largely matched socio-cultural criteria that have characterised visible scientists in the past (e.g., age, gender, credibility, public image, involvement in controversies). However, there were limited tendencies that scientists commented outside their areas of expertise. We conclude that the unusual circumstances created by Covid-19 did not change the phenomenon of visible scientists in significant ways.