Academic connections

co-authorship networks and Social Network Analysis in the Graduate Program in Geosciences at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Objective. The objective of this work is to investigate the structure and dynamics of co-authorship relationships in the Graduate Program in Geosciences at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), using bibliometric analysis and Social Network Analysis to examine the scientific collaboration of the program during the 2017-2020 quadrennium. Method. The study is exploratory and descriptive in nature, which contributed to the characterization of the empirical corpus based on the information and data gathered from the Lattes Platform, Sucupira Platform, the program's webpage, and the Indicators Reports (CAPES). It follows a qualitative-quantitative methodological approach, aiming to combine data collection and analysis techniques to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the program's behavior. The data collection and extraction process was automated using scriptLattes (V8.11). The survey of scientific production was conducted using the Web of Science database. For network visualization, the VOSviewer software was used, along with the OpenRefine tool for normalizing the names of co-authors, institutions of the actors, and themes of the networks. Results. The Graduate Program in Geosciences at UFRGS is one of the oldest in the country in the field of Geochemistry, having been established in 1968. Since then, it has become one of the leading programs in this field. Initially, a characterization of the program was presented, highlighting its faculty, which consists of 49 active professors, 47 of whom are permanent, and 32 hold productivity grants. There is a predominance of male faculty among the permanent members, totaling 34 professors. Regarding scientific production, the program recorded a total of 1,151 works, with an emphasis on full articles, which account for 514 publications. The analysis also revealed the existence of co-authorships with various institutions, with a strong connection to the University of São Paulo, as well as significant collaboration with other federal universities, relevant public and private entities, and international partners. At the international level, more intense collaboration networks were identified with the United States. These connections promote knowledge exchange, financial support, and mobilization of human resources, strengthening scientific collaboration and innovation in the field of Geochemistry. The thematic mapping shows that the terms are interconnected through a logic that combines geographic aspects (specific regions), methodological aspects (such as isotopic analyses represented by "U-Pb"), and procedural aspects (such as "Evolution" and "Tectonic Evolution"). This suggests an interdisciplinary and integrated approach, characteristic of Geochemistry and the Geosciences. Conclusions. The study revealed that scientific production in the field of geochemistry is the result of broad and diverse collaboration, involving different institutions and countries, highlighting the importance of international cooperation for generating high-quality research. The themes developed in collaboration not only identify trends and patterns in the area, but also underscore the relevance and impact of research conducted by the program, addressing the demands and challenges of society. Furthermore, the results open up perspectives for future studies that deepen the understanding of the dynamics of scientific collaboration in this field in Brazil. Additional investigations may include temporal analyses, evaluation of the impact of international collaboration, development of new indicators to measure the efficiency and impacts of partnerships, and other approaches that contribute to strengthening research in geochemistry and its global relevance.