UCL School of Management is delighted to welcome Xing Li, Peking University, to host a research seminar discussing: ‘Bless or Curse? Consequences of an age-limit release for scientists’.

Abstract:

Gender gaps exist widely in academia. To reduce such gap, National Science Foundation in China (NSFC) raised the age limit for female applicants in Youth Program from 35 to 40 years old in 2011, whereas kept that for males unchanged. Although such a policy change brings in applications from female scientists older than 35, its effects on the younger female cohorts (i.e., younger than 35 years old) are unclear. This study examines their application tendencies and award rates using detailed application data. Difference-in-differences estimates reveal a decrease in both application numbers and award rates for female applicants in Youth Program than males, and the gender gap was, unintendedly, enlarged. Further analyses explore the underlying mechanisms.