Research bonuses need transparent and fair rules, Nature commentary argues

A newly appointed supervisor at a Chinese university says bonuses tied to research achievements can give supervisors another source of power over early-career researchers, and argues that sharing them should not depend on personal generosity.

3 Nov 2026

A Nature commentary highlights how supervisors’ control over personal bonuses linked to research achievements can affect early-career researchers. The author, recently appointed to supervise master’s students at a Chinese university, says they intend to share any bonus they receive for work produced with students’ contributions.

The piece refers to a survey reported by Nature in June that found poor supervision can push early-career researchers out of academia. It describes control of bonuses as a less visible aspect of the power supervisors hold.

The author argues that an individual supervisor’s willingness to share a bonus is not a substitute for institutional rules. The commentary calls for clear and fair arrangements for distributing research-related rewards.

Sources: Nature.