Women in Science. Lessons From the Baby Boom

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kim, Scott; Moser, Petra
• 署名单位: University of Pennsylvania; New York University; National Bureau of Economic Research; Centre for Economic Policy Research - UK
• 刊物名称: ECONOMETRICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0012-9682
• DOI: 10.3982/ECTA22741
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 1521-1560
• 关键词: world-war-ii; gender-differences; social norms; gap; profession; ECONOMICS; COSTS; rise

摘要

This paper investigates how children affect women in science, using biographies in the American Men of Science (MoS 1956), linked with publications. First, we show that mothers have a unique life cycle pattern of productivity: While other scientists peak in their mid-30s, mothers become less productive at that age and reach peak productivity in their early-40s. Next, we estimate event studies of marriage, comparing mothers and fathers with other married scientists. Event study estimates show that the productivity of mothers declines until children reach school age, while fathers experience no change. These differences have important implications for tenure and participation: Just 27% of mothers achieve tenure, compared with 48% of fathers and 46% of other women. When women carried the full burden of childcare, the time costs of raising the baby boom led to a great loss of female scientists.