Phys.org July 22, 2023
An international team of researchers (Australia, USA – UC Berkeley, State University of Louisiana, Germany, Spain, Nepal, UK) surveyed 908 researchers in environmental sciences, to estimates and compare the amount of effort required to conduct scientific activities in English between researchers from different countries and, thus, different linguistic and economic backgrounds. Their survey demonstrated that non-native English speakers, especially early in their careers, spend more effort than native English speakers in conducting scientific activities, from reading and writing papers and preparing presentations in English, to disseminating research in multiple languages. Language barriers could cause them not to attend, or give oral presentations at, international conferences conducted in English. The researchers urged scientific communities to recognize and tackle these disadvantages to release the untapped potential of non-native English speakers in science. They proposed potential solutions that can be implemented today by individuals, institutions, journals, funders, and conferences… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
The manifold costs of being a non-native English speaker in science. Credit: PLoS Biol 21(7): e3002184.