The imaginary carrot: no correlation between raising funds and research productivity in geosciences

The ability of researchers to raise funding is central to academic achievement. However, whether success in obtaining research funds correlates with the productivity, quality or impact of a researcher is debated. Here we analyse 10 years of grant funding by the Swiss National Science Foundation in Earth and Environmental Sciences, and compare it to the publication record of the researchers who were awarded the funds. No significant statistical correlation can be established between the publication or citation record of a researcher and the amount of money this researcher obtains in grant funding. These results imply that researchers successful in raising funds are not necessarily in a position to be more productive or produce more impactful publications. Those results should be considered for deciding whether to use grant funding as a criterion for career advancement procedures.