The expert group is under the patronage of Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. The group is expected to publish a study and provide the European Commission with recommendations by the end of the year.
Lerchenmüller is studying the consequences of the pandemic on men and women in their various roles. Last year, he and his co-authors from the universities in Harvard, Heidelberg and Mannheim published a widely acknowledged analysis in the British Medical Journal Open. The pandemic has led to an increased load of family obligations, e.g. due to the closure of schools and daycare centers. Often, women have shouldered this burden. The lower productivity during this crucial phase could be a major problem for the career prospects of female early-stage researchers.
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