Theme: Can Affirmative Action Redress Gender Inequality in Science? Evidence from Early Career Funding

Guest Speaker: Feng Hu, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China

Time:  November 22, 2024 (Friday) 10:00-11:30am

Venue: 318, Business School Building

Organizer: Department of Economics

Guest Bio:

  Feng Hu is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Economics and Management, University of Science and Technology Beijing, and graduated from Guanghua School of Management, Peking University in January 2007 with a Ph.D. in Management, and has published articles in Behavior, Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Comparative Economics, Management World, Financial Studies, and others. He has published more than 20 papers in domestic and international journals such as Behavior, Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Comparative Economics, Management World, Financial Studies, etc. He has also presided over two National Natural Science Foundation of China projects and one National Social Science Foundation of China project.

Synopsis：

  We study the impact of a large national affirmative action policy aimed at reducing gender inequality in science. The policy extended the maximum age of eligibility for women to receive a major early career grant in China by 5 years, while leaving it unchanged for men. We find that the policy significantly increased the number of female recipients of this grant, concentrated in the newly eligible age group. However, the policy reduced the likelihood that women would receive larger science grants and academic promotions later in their careers. We find no evidence that this policy affects women's subsequent scientific productivity. These findings highlight the need for more comprehensive and coordinated measures to redress persistent gender inequalities in science.