Undergraduate Gender Diversity and the Direction of Scientific Research

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Truffa, Francesca; Wong, Ashley
• 署名单位: University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; Tilburg University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.20221561
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 2414-2448
• 关键词: Single-sex schools; FEMALE SOCIALIZATION; college; daughters; education; PRODUCTIVITY; Coeducation; science; women; work

摘要

Can diversity lead to greater research focus on populations underrepresented in science? Between 1960 and 1990, 76 all-male US universities transitioned to coeducation. Using a generalized difference-in-differences design, we find that coeducation led to a 44 percent increase in gender-related research publications. This increase is driven by research focused on female subjects and gender differences. While coeducation led to a compositional shift with more women and researchers interested in gender topics, much of the increase comes from male incumbent researchers shifting their research focus toward gender-related topics. The results support interaction with more diverse students and peers as key underlying mechanisms. (JEL I23, J16, O31, O34)