DataSheet_1_Being ECR in marine science: Results of a survey among early-career marine scientists and conservationists.docx

Ocean research and conservation are still largely exclusive fields, with ongoing issues of racial, gender, class, and geographic underrepresentation. To improve accessibility and retention within these fields, we need to create equitable, just, and welcoming study and work environments. It is therefore crucial to listen to the voices of students and early career ocean professionals (ECOP). We conducted an online survey on the study- and workplace experiences of ECOP, focusing on social obstacles, such as economic strain, unpaid work, and workplace discrimination and abuse. Strong economic barriers to education access were evident in certain geographic areas. Almost half of the reported work time in the field was uncompensated, yet unpaid work rarely translated into career advancement and was often associated with workplace abuse. Dissatisfaction and burn-out rates at the earliest career stages were alarming, and experienced hardship and mental health issues were particularly dire for women and non-binary persons. While most respondents were white and from the global north, meaning the results may not reflect experiences of ECOP in other regions, this study highlights some of the barriers to equity as well as work ethics issues that should be urgently addressed within the field.

海洋研究与保护至今仍属于高度排他性领域，长期存在种族、性别、阶级与地理代表性不足的问题。为提升该领域的准入包容性与人员留存率，亟需构建公平、公正且友好的学习与工作环境。因此，倾听海洋专业学生与早期职业海洋从业者（Early Career Ocean Professionals, ECOP）的声音至关重要。本研究针对早期职业海洋从业者开展线上调查，聚焦其学习与工作经历中的各类社会阻碍，包括经济压力、无偿劳动、职场歧视与侵害。研究发现，部分地理区域的教育准入面临显著经济壁垒；该领域近半数工作时长未获报酬，而无偿劳动几乎无法助力职业晋升，且往往与职场侵害相伴相生。职业早期阶段的不满情绪与职业倦怠比例令人堪忧，女性与非二元性别从业者面临的困境及心理健康问题尤为严峻。尽管多数受访者为白人且来自全球北方地区，意味着本研究结果未必能反映其他区域早期职业海洋从业者的经历，但本研究仍揭示了该领域亟待解决的公平性壁垒与职业伦理问题。