The academia downturn: the impact of COVID-19 in the Brazilian research productivity

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on research productivity in Brazil using a scientometrics approach. We analyze data from 134,492 researchers registered on the Lattes platform, focusing on publications, supervisions, research projects, and conference participation between 2010 and 2022. As expected, our findings reveal a significant decrease in productivity in all measures following the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Despite this overall decrease, there was a surge in research on COVID-19-related topics, particularly in the health sciences. We also found that, while gender did not significantly influence productivity changes, researchers with PQ scholarships and those with more than 19 years of experience since completing their PhD were disproportionately affected. These results highlight the need for policies to support these vulnerable groups during global crises.