Presentations

• 2024: TI Network Economics Day, Tinbergen Institute
• 2025: WOEPS, University of Strasbourg; PhD Seminar, Erasmus School of Economics; Brown Bag Seminar, Erasmus School of Economics; 10th Summer School on Data and Algorithms for ST&I Studies, KU Leuven; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Abstract

Female researchers, on average, publish fewer articles than men. This may partly be due to differences in collaboration networks. I study gender differences in the formation of new collaborations using a large-scale natural experiment, where researchers are randomly assigned to serve together on Italian national evaluation committees. Pairs who sit on the same committee are 44\% more likely to collaborate in the subsequent eight years compared to other potential pairs who were not drawn together. Despite pronounced gender differences and homophily in observational data, I find no gender differences in the likelihood of forming new collaborations and no same-sex preference when researchers meet at random. These results suggest that observed gender differences in collaboration patterns likely do not reflect taste-based discrimination or differential networking ability.

Citation

Not circulated.