Hidden in the light: Scientists’ online presence on institutional websites and professional networking sites

Abstract

The visibility of individual scientists and their academic performance plays a major role in gaining the creditability to get funded and to advance in academic positions. Therefore, web presences are increasingly used to boost one’s own visibility, disseminate research results and keep up to date with the research of others. However, previous reports show that these channels are not used equally by all scientists. Our study therefore investigates how faculty members (N = 868) at all universities in Lower Saxony (Germany) in the disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry present themselves on institutional websites and professional networking sites. We find that online presentations on institutional websites are mostly rudimentary. In contrast, there are more informative self-presentations on professional networking sites for both established (professors) and less-established (only PhD holders) faculty members. Our figures confirm observations that scientists present themselves online, but less-established ones seem to find less-supportive environments in academic institutions.