The Perception of Sanctions among Highly Productive Russian Scientists

• In Event: The War's Impact on Russian Science: The Brain Drain Dimension

Abstract

Russian science has been under sanctions for two years, and the number and variety of sanctions are growing. The segment of highly productive scientists may be under the greatest pressure, as they are more involved in international scientific cooperation than others. These researchers drive science forward, and weakening their ability to work or their emigration will do the most damage to Russian science as a whole.
The paper presents the results of an empirical survey conducted in 2022 among highly productive Russian scientists to understand the extent to which they feel the pressure of sanctions. The survey results indicate that three-quarters of the high-performing scientists have experienced various types of sanctions-related constraints. The most significant challenges were related to economic sanctions. They resulted in restricted access to material and technical resources, infrastructure, and information/data repositories. Conversely, the impact of sanctions on international relations and cooperation was relatively less pronounced. In this area, the effects of sanctions were observed primarily through decisions by organizations and individuals to terminate or reduce cooperation with Russian scientists.

Author

• Irina Dezhina, Stanford U