Tackling Gender disparities in energy research: a diagnostic tool for equality in research centres

Background In a case study in Spain, the unequal proportion of men and women in a research organization in the energy sector is severe, and long-established dynamics that might determine diferences in access to leader‑ ship positions and inequalities in research careers are evident. The gender gap in historically masculinized felds, such as energy engineering refects more than simply the diferences in male and female values and personalities. This study seeks to explore the gender gap in energy research centres and to identify barriers that potentially hinder the research careers of women. It proposes the development of a diagnostic tool, based upon indicators, to moni‑ tor and evaluate gender roles and inequalities in the management of research centres for identifying and address‑ ing the dynamics and obstacles that hinder women's progress in the energy sector and their potential contribution to the feld. This participatory multicriteria-based tool prioritizes the proposed indicators by their infuence and impor‑ tance in the context of energy research and applies it to the monitoring of a specifc Spanish energy research centre.