the thing that *really* gets me about the pivot penalty is that pivoting is one of the easiest ways to escape a toxic supervisor by fleeing the "area", at least temporarily. academia is so relational and trainees have few options if their supervisors become hostile. adding costs to this one sucks.
@cbo.bsky.socialIn my latest (the start of my 2nd year as author of @undark.org's 'Selective Pressure' column), I examine the "Pivot penalty," where new data suggest that scientists are penalized when they move into a research area outside of their home area.
undark.org/2025/07/03/o...
undark.org
The Many Perils of the ‘Pivot Penalty’
Opinion | A recent study exposes modern science’s bias against researchers who explore beyond their established field.