Quantifying delayed recognition of scientists

Abstract

Delayed recognition is a significant phenomenon with implications for career advancement, funding opportunities, and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Despite its importance, most studies have focused on delayed recognition at the paper level, leaving a gap in understanding how this phenomenon unfolds at the level of individual scientists. This paper presents a novel framework for quantifying delayed recognition in scientists by analyzing their career-level citation trajectories. The framework utilizes two key metrics—the author beauty coefficient ($\mathrm{AB}$) and author career awakening time ($A_{t\alpha }$)—to capture the temporal dynamics of a scientist’s citation impact over the course of their career. Our analysis demonstrates that these metrics reveal patterns distinct from paper-level measures, with no significant correlation to averaged paper delayed recognition scores. Fixed-effect regression analyses indicate that female scientists and those pursuing novel or disruptive research experience greater delays in recognition. Additionally, through Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) analysis, we find that scientists in smaller groups exhibit higher survival rates in academia but also face more significant delayed recognition. This paper delivers a fresh methodological approach and critical insights into the demographic and research factors driving delayed recognition, enhancing our understanding of scientific impact at the individual level.