This module analyzes the visibility and perception of professors in sports economics, sport management, and sport sociology at academic conferences. Quantitative data were collected using an online survey of all conference attendees including Bachelor, Master, and Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, and professors in these disciplines.
The survey assessed how students, young academics, and professors behave at academic conferences, how they perceive male and female academics, and what attributes they ascribe to them. It also asked whether professors are considered role models and how such role models affect individuals’ decisions and academic careers.
In addition, the visibility of female professors was captured through their own presentations, session attendance, and contributions to discussions in the sessions.
Why is the conference participation and visibility important to academics?
The presentation of research results at scientific conferences and the discussion of projects are highly relevant for the publication of high-quality research results in scientific journals. Moreover, participation in conferences serves as a platform for participants to build and expand their professional network. Thus, colleagues learn more about current projects and findings and can exchange and network regarding common research interests on new projects. In addition, conferences are an important component for the presence of young scientists in the network and thus highly relevant for their career development. To date, there are comparatively few studies on scientific conferences.