Published three times annually by the American Economic Association’s Committee on the Status of Women news in the Economics Profession. 2016 ISSUE II

In Thiscswep Issue FOCUS Interview with Bell Award Managing a Job Search Recipient Janet M. Currie as a Couple Introduction by Shelly Lundberg ...... 3 Marianne Bitler Navigating a Joint Job Search: Janet M. Currie, the Henry Putnam Pro- Evidence from the Job Seekers’ Study fessor of Economics and Public Affairs by Brooke Helppie McFall & Marta Murray-Close ...... 3 and chair of the economics department Advice from Recipients of CSWEP’s at Princeton University, is the 2015 re- Carolyn Shaw Bell Award . . .5 cipient of the Carolyn Shaw Bell Award. The Dual Job Search: Early Honesty is The Bell Award is given annually by the Best Policy by John Cawley . . . .6 CSWEP to an individual who has fur- Our Dual-Career Search Experience thered the status of women in econom- and Advice by Julie L . Hotchkiss & ics through example, achievements, Robert E . Moore ...... 8 increasing our understanding of how More on Timing and Strategy . .8 women can advance in the economics Considerations for LGBT Economists profession and mentoring others. in Dual-Career Situations by Kitt Carpenter ...... 11 Currie’s research focuses on the Institutional Matters ...... 12 health and well-being of children. Her Eleanor Roosevelt Fellow of the Ameri- Think About the Long Run work is notable for combining a focus can Academy of Political and Social Sci- by Melinda Morrill & Thayer Morrill 13 on important, policy-relevant questions ences, a Fellow of the Econometric Soci- Advice from Placement Directors 14 with unassailable objectivity and scru- ety and a Fellow of the Society of Labor The Two-Body Opportunity for pulous attention to methodological de- Economists. Universities by Jill J . McCluskey . . 15 tail. She has studied early intervention Currie received the 2015 Bell Award programs, programs to expand health From the CSWEP Chair for her dedicated mentorship of col- insurance and improve health care, leagues and students, both female and Chair’s Letter public housing programs and food and male, who praise her sage, practical, no- by Shelly Lundberg ...... 2 nutrition programs. Her current re- nonsense advice and her creativity in search focuses on socioeconomic dif- Milestones & Honors devising solutions to career challeng- ferences in child health and environ- es. She has been a role model for oth- Interview with Bell Award Winner mental threats to children’s health and er women as they have navigated dual- Janet Currie by Marianne Bitler 1, 17 on understanding how well the medical career issues and she exemplifies how Reflections on the Founding of profession makes treatment decisions. economists can use their research to in- CSWEP by Myra Strober ...... 16 . Currie is a prolific researcher, hav- form policy. She is known for her com- Brag Box ...... 20 ing published over 90 journal articles mitment to gender equity in econom- Calls & Announcements and 30 book chapters in addition to writ- ics. Currie served as Co-PI on the initial ing or editing four books. Currie directs NSF grant that funded the CeMENT Dear CSWEP ...... 15 the Program on Families and Children Mentoring Workshops and led the re- Bell Award ...... 19 at the National Bureau of Economic Re- Bennet Award ...... 19 search team that produced the only rig- Call for CSWEP Liaisons . . . . 20 search. Among other honors, she is a orous scientific evidence for the efficacy Haworth Committee Funding . . . 19 member of the National Academy of of a mentoring program. She has also 2017 EEA Sessions ...... 19 Medicine, a Fellow of the American made tremendous contributions to the 2017 MEA Sessions ...... 19 Academy of Arts and Sciences, the 2014 2016 SEA Sessions ...... 19 continues on page 17 For Free Digital Subscriptions, email [email protected] Forward the CSWEP News to colleagues and graduate students. Contributors Shelly Lundberg From the Chair

On July 1, the CSWEP office began women who are remaking economics transitioning from the Duke University and my colleagues, male and female, in campus to the campus of the Universi- the CSWEP community who are dedi- Marianne Bitler, Kitt Carpenter, John Cawley, ty of California, Santa Barbara. I’ve be- cated to promoting their success. In ad- Professor of Professor of Professor Economics, Economics, of Policy gun my term as CSWEP Chair, and will dition to maintaining and supporting University of Vanderbilt Analysis and be working with the committee’s new the gains of the past few years, I would California, Davis University Management Administrative Assistant, Amber Pipa. like to focus on increasing awareness of and Professor of Economics, Amber is a California native with a de- CSWEP and the resources it provides Cornell gree from UC San Diego and experience to young economists, and in particular University in nonprofit administration and com- would like to reach out to female PhD munity outreach, and I am delighted to students earlier in their graduate ca- have her on board. reers. Our junior mentoring takes place My first order of business is to ex- at the annual meetings of the AEA, and tend my heartfelt thanks to Marjorie only students who are on the job market McElroy, who has spent four years as are able to participate. The liaison net- CSWEP’s primary booster and guide work has improved our ability to con- Julie L. Shelly Lundberg, Jill J. McCluskey, in her role as Chair, and who leaves be- nect with graduate students via email, Hotchkiss, Leonard Broom Distinguished hind a transformed organization. On but I’m sure there is more we could do Research Professor of Professor of Economist and Demography, Sustainability her watch and with the support of the and would welcome your thoughts and Senior Adviser, Department and Associate CSWEP Board, mentoring programs suggestions. Let me know what you Federal Reserve of Economics, Director, School Bank of Atlanta University of of Economic have expanded in scope and frequency, think at [email protected]. California, Santa Sciences, and this momentum continues under Please enjoy and share this issue of Barbara Washington the leadership of Terra McKinnish, As- CSWEP News, which is full of material State University sociate Chair and Director of CSWEP to inform and inspire. Just in time for Mentoring Programs. The development the opening of this year’s job market, of the CSWEP liaison network has in- more than 20 economists share their creased the circulation of the CSWEP advice on how to manage the ever-knot- News, submissions to AEA paper ses- ty issue of dual careers. Marianne Bitler sions and applications to mentor- interviews the winner of the 2015 Caro- ing events. Operations supporting the lyn Shaw Bell Award for advancing the Brooke Robert E. Moore, Melinda Morrill, CSWEP annual survey of economics de- status of women in economics, Janet Helppie McFall, Associate Associate Assistant Professor of Professor of partments are being centralized at the Currie. We encourage you to respond Research Economics, Economics, University of Michigan under Associ- to this issue’s call for nominations for Scientist, Georgia State North Carolina Institute for University State University ate Chair and Director of the CSWEP the Bell Award and the Elaine Bennett Social Research, Survey Margaret Levenstein, and plans Research Prize and consider nominat- University of are underway to transform more than ing your colleagues and mentors. Fi- Michigan 40 years of survey data into a research- nally, don’t miss the excerpt from Myra ready dataset. These accomplishments Strober’s memoir with a first-hand ac- have been facilitated by a substantial in- count of the controversial founding of crease in funding from the American CSWEP more than 40 years ago. Economic Association. Ongoing thanks are due to Jennifer Socey, whose ener- gy and good judgment can be seen be- Thayer Morrill, Marta Murray- Myra Strober, hind this impressive list of accomplish- Associate Close, Assistant Professor Professor of Professor of Emerita, School ments, and who continues to assist with Economics, Economics, of Education, the transmission of human capital from North Carolina University of Stanford NC to CA. State University Massachusetts University Amherst As the academic year begins, I’m looking forward to spending the next couple of years focusing on the young

2 CSWEP News FOCUS on Managing a Job Search as a Couple

Shelly Lundberg that they should), which makes the ad- interviews, flyouts and offers are less vice that has been volunteered of even likely to be offered when the expected The job market for new PhD econo- more interest. probability of a successful recruitment mists is competitive and intense, and You will notice that there is a lack of is low. Several of the contributors point the CSWEP Newsletter has devoted a lot consensus on one key dimension of job out, rightly, that belated or incomplete of space over the years to advice on navi- search strategy—when to reveal dual- signaling has potential costs in the form gating the process. Prospective job can- career constraints—and I would like to of missed opportunities and long-term didates should begin by turning back provide some perspective on this point reputations. And yet, no one knows bet- to previous issues, including Navigat- instead of summarizing the excellent ter than you how difficult it is to convey ing the Job Market 2.0, edited by Cecilia material that follows this introduction. a signal that is both truthful and com- Conrad, and Navigating the Job Market First, the issue is one of effective signal- plete, given how little you know about as Dual Career Economists, edited by Ju- ing, not honesty. We do not expect com- what your individual options will be and lie Hotchkiss, who also contributes an plete transparency from job candidates what tradeoffs will be available. article to this issue co-written with her in the form of truthful revelation of We hope that the advice in this is- spouse. In addition to discussing dual their reservation wages, location prefer- sue will be of interest to all junior econ- searches in this issue, John Cawley has ences or other factors that will affect job omists with career-focused partners— an extensive guide and advice on the job choices. If you are applying to UCSB, male or female, gay or straight. Read market available on the AEA’s website. I will expect you to reveal your passion the diverse and thoughtful contribu- Graduate students often ask for ad- for surfing but not your attachment to tions here, have that frank talk with vice about the market, but I’ve been snowy winters, even though it would be your partner that many recommend and finding it increasingly difficult to answer convenient for me to know all. Most de- know that many of these articles were questions about dual job search. What is partments are severely constrained in submitted with an additional note that the best strategy for those whose part- the number of applicants they can in- urges you to remember how lucky you ners are fellow economists/new PhDs terview and fly out, and the fact is that are to be in this together. in other academic fields/research scien- tists? At what stage in the interview/fly- out/offer process should you reveal that your partner is also on the job market? How does this depend on the type of ac- Navigating a Joint Job Search: ademic or non-academic institution you Evidence from the Job Seekers’ Study are talking to? What should be revealed about willingness to live apart? What strategies can maximize the probabili- market had settled. Encouragingly, we ty of ending up with two great jobs that Brooke Helppie McFall and find that most new job candidates en- are also close together? Should this ad- Marta Murray-Close joy positive outcomes and that job can- vice still have a gendered dimension, or didates with spouses and partners fare are we done with that? This issue pres- Discussions of the economics job mar- at least as well as others. ents the answers that my colleagues ket are replete with anecdotes and advice A common concern for partnered have provided—some in response to a based on personal experience. Informa- job candidates is whether and when general call and others, such as place- tion about broad patterns of participa- to discuss their partner with potential ment directors and Carolyn Shaw Bell tion is harder to find. We aim here to fill employers. On the one hand, job can- Award winners, in response to a specif- some of this gap. For four job-market didates may worry that employers will ic request. I was not able to include all seasons—from 2007–08 to 2010–11— avoid applicants with potentially cost- contributions, but the entries here are we used the job-candidate websites of ly family commitments. On the oth- representative of the advice I received. PhD programs in economics and relat- er hand, negotiating early for dual-ca- A number of placement directors that I ed fields to obtain the names and con- reer accommodations may allow them contacted didn’t appear to have thought tact information of new entrants to the to accept jobs they would otherwise much about these questions (or think junior PhD job market in economics. We then surveyed the job candidates as have to pass up. Job candidates who re- they prepared for conference interviews sponded to our surveys were divided in in late December and again after the their disclosure strategies. Just under 2016 ISSUE II 3 Job Seekers’ Study one-quarter (23 percent) reported that partner are probably single. Consistent Economics job-market participants all of their potential employers knew with this idea, our data show that part- also have excellent outcomes, regard- about their partner after they complet- nered men who did not disclose were no less of coupleness. PhD job candidates ed their conference interviews. Over more likely than single men to secure in the 2007–08 to 2009–10 job markets half (58 percent) reported the same af- a tenure-track job. Conversely, employ- received an average of 17 interview re- ter they completed their flyouts. ers may assume that women who do not quests and ended up with an average of Disclosure strategies were largely mention a partner probably have one. In three job offers (McFall, Murray-Close, consistent between men and women this case, discussing a partner at flyouts Willis and Chen 2015). In the end, vir- and across levels of partner education, may be advantageous for men and neu- tually everyone accepted a job, and most with one exception. Among men with tral—but reassuringly, not disadvanta- of these were of candidates’ most-pre- PhD partners and women with PhD and geous—for women. ferred job type. Average salaries, at more non-PhD partners, the rate of full disclo- Overall, it should be helpful for part- than $100,000 (in 2016 dollars), were sure by the end of flyouts ranged from nered PhD job candidates to know that strong, and most PhD job candidates 49 to 53 percent. Among men with non- our research shows that job candidates were quite satisfied with the final out- PhD partners, the rate was considerably with partners do better, on average, come of their first PhD-level job search. higher, at 65 percent. Thus, having a in terms of offers they receive at each In conclusion, it’s hard to give ad- non-PhD partner increased the willing- stage of the job market than unpart- vice to PhD job candidates with partners ness of men to discuss the partner with nered job candidates (McFall and Mur- about what to do, but if we have any to potential employers but had no effect on ray-Close 2016). Furthermore, job can- give, it would be not to worry too much. the disclosure strategies of women. didates with PhD partners do the best A large majority of PhD job candidates While we can’t say definitively that of all. While we can’t rule out the possi- are partnered, and our evidence sug- one approach is best for all job candi- bility that job candidates with partners gests that such candidates tend to have dates, our data do show how disclosure would do even better were they not con- very good prospects. strategies are associated with employ- strained by dual-career problems, these ment outcomes. Controlling for dif- findings should reassure job candidates References ferences in partner education and aca- that having a partner is not inconsistent McFall, B. H., and M. Murray-Close (2016). “Moving Out to demic background, men who followed a with job-market success. Move Up: Dual-Career Migration and Work-Family Tradeoffs.” strategy of full disclosure by the end of While some PhD job candidates re- Economic Inquiry 54: 44–62. doi: 10.1111/ecin.12283 flyouts were 15 percentage points more ported choosing a job that would not be McFall, B. H., M. Murray-Close, R. J. Willis and U. Chen (2015). “Is It All Worth It? The Experiences of New PhDs on likely to secure a tenure-track job than their first choice were their partner not the Job Market, 2007–10.” Journal of Economic Education 46: men who did not. There was no compa- constrained (9 percent), almost twice 83–104. doi: 10.1080/00220485.2014.980528 rable effect for women, who were equal- as many reported that they chose to live ly likely to secure a tenure-track job apart from their partners in the year af- whether or not they followed a strategy ter the job market. Thus, non-tradition- of full disclosure. The gender difference al living arrangements are an important in the relationship between full disclo- part of the choice set for couples deal- sure and tenure-track employment was ing with a geographically broad and thin most pronounced among job candidates market, especially for dual-PhD couples with PhD partners. in which both partners are primarily in- That full disclosure is positively as- terested in tenure-track positions. While sociated with tenure-track employment the personal toll of such a choice may for men but not women may reflect un- be high, especially with respect to child- measured differences in the circum- rearing and fertility plans, as well as for stances, preferences or negotiating the survival of less-established rela- strategies of male and female job can- tionships, it is a viable option for many didates. But this pattern may also re- couples. Preliminary analyses of our flect employer responses to disclosure. 2007–08 cohort data show that living Employers may view men who express apart is also generally a temporary ar- family commitments in an especially rangement: most established PhD cou- positive light. They may assume that ples who expected to live apart after the partnered men are more likely than sin- job market were observed to be living to- gle men to be stable, productive employ- gether again within three years of their ees and that men who do not mention a job-market year.

4 CSWEP News Advice from Recipients of CSWEP’s Carolyn Shaw Bell Award

I always tell my students that they each The advice I give pairs on the market enter the market as a separate entity. I is to be very, very good. Apply in cities will help them get the best and the most and areas with multiple universities. Claudia Goldin, interviews they can get. They will opti- Both partners should apply to any de- Catherine Eckel, Harvard University mize later. Optimization involves bar- partment that has multiple openings, Texas A&M gaining strength with places. If students even if they don’t both fit. Check web- University have options, they can bargain from a sites for spousal hiring policies. position of strength. I will help them do I think if you are completely open that as well. If one member of the team from the beginning regarding a part- has a good option, say in DC, and the ner’s job situation it is too easy for a other has an offer from a really great search committee to just leave you off place, say not in DC, I will make calls the interview list. At that point all the to see if I can “sell” that one to an insti- committee knows about candidates is tution so they can be together (if that is what’s on paper, and it always feels like what they want). there are many candidates. But after the It never makes any sense to lim- ASSA interview, and if you get a campus it the search at the outset. Begin with visit, then the search committee has de- no constraints. Strut your stuff every- cided that it likes you. where. Then optimize (and possibly I tell folks on the market that there compromise). is a sort of sweet spot to tell. Usually at the end of the campus visit there is a meeting with the department head or For years I have given the same advice, the chair of the search committee. I’d which is that a candidate’s relationship do it there. Tell one person with deci- status is none of the employer’s busi- sion-making authority—ideally the de- Janet Currie, ness and that candidates should not feel partment head. Ask about policy, local Princeton University that they need to share any personal in- employment options, etc. Indicate that formation unless they think it is to their a job for your partner is not a deal break- own advantage. But lately I have been er, but it would be nice if something can wondering if that is the right advice. It be worked out. Remember that the de- seems that much about people’s per- partment head is prohibited by law from sonal situation is already widely known asking about this, of course, so you have because of social media. Perhaps the to bring it up. right thing to do has changed. Maybe If you wait until later, when you have people should take ownership of their an offer in hand, it may be too late for information by specifically addressing the department head to help with this. it with potential employers. For exam- A lot of negotiation between the depart- ple, a woman could say, “My boyfriend ment and the administration happens is in city X, but he and I have already prior to the first formal offer. If the uni- discussed the fact that it might be bet- versity has a spousal policy, the time for ter for us in the longer term if I take a the department head to bring it up is job I love and commute for a few years when the head goes to the dean for ap- rather than taking a job that is less of a proval to make an offer. Later the cen- good fit in city X. It is really important tral funding for spousal hires may be to both of us that I make a good start in used up. my career.”

2016 ISSUE II 5 Bell Award Recipient Advice I have only had a few students graduate I always encourage students to remem- since I returned to full-time faculty sta- ber that the job market is their profes- Betsy Hoffman, tus three years ago, but this is the advice sional coming out. Therefore, while one Hilary Hoynes, Iowa State I give to dual-career couples: First, have has to be thinking about how to max- University of University a plan that both of you agree on before imize things around the joint search, California, you go on the market. Have an agree- one has to also remember that there is Berkeley ment about what sacrifices you are will- huge value in meeting people, and that ing to make and what are deal breakers. occurs through interviews and campus Do you both have to have jobs in the visits. The bottom line is to make the same college or university or commu- most of this. nity? If so, it is best to make that clear We are in a world now where there to your possible future employers. Don’t is NO norm for what to do with joint spring it on a department chair after be- searches, whether to be out about it or ing offered a job. not. I advise my students to do the fol- To my mind, the bottom line is com- lowing: Carefully track where each of munication and agreement between the you get first interviews. Then keep com- spouses about sacrifices and deal break- munications open with your adviser to ers before going on the market. When see if they can help by emailing some my husband, Brian Binger, and I first colleagues to help get matching inter- went on the market, he did not want views geographically. an academic job, but he did want me to Once you get your offer, that is when get a job in a metropolitan community you freely discuss your spouse. I have large enough for him to look for a re- a great story from this year. A student search position. We started with me in told the chair about her joint search af- a tenure-track job at Northwestern and ter receiving an offer. The department him in a research position at the Uni- was planning to search in her partner’s versity of Chicago. However, once we field the next year and ended up making both had tenure-track jobs at Purdue, him an offer too. it became important for him to at least have a teaching position (not necessarily tenure-track) each time we moved. So, our joint career also allows me to give advice that Brian and I have followed throughout our careers. The Dual Job Search: Early Honesty is the Best Policy John Cawley

Being part of a dual-career couple adds and after you know the full set of pos- I genuinely believe that honesty— another layer of complexity and stress sibilities you can look for overlap with early honesty—is the best policy. I to your job search. Not only do you have those of your partner. Moreover, by hav- think it’s better for you as a candidate two people’s outcomes to worry about, ing more offers you are in a better po- because then you are not wasting your but you are concerned that whether sition to negotiate a favorable situation time interviewing for jobs that you can’t and when you share the fact of your at the job you most want. Announcing accept. It’s better for your long-term dual search may affect your chances of that you are constrained may limit your relations with potential employers be- achieving a successful outcome. number of interviews and thus offers cause (as I can attest from serving on Some people counsel such job can- you receive and may hurt your bargain- a lot of search committees) it is annoy- didates to proceed as if they were com- ing position, such people advise, so re- ing when someone who insisted early pletely unconstrained. Go on the market fuse to admit any constraints even if you on that they were conducting an un- as a free agent, they say, so you can have are asked point blank. constrained search turns down an offer the maximum number of opportunities, I disagree with that approach. because their partner lives somewhere

6 CSWEP News Early Honesty is Best else and is immovable. That sort of mis- apart; we wanted jobs in the same city or Happily, it worked out for both of us. representation affects employers’ per- sufficiently nearby cities that we could We in particular lucked out in that both ceptions of the candidate’s profession- still live together. We both preferred ac- of us were hired for existing search- alism and honesty. ademic jobs but recognized that there es; neither of us had to deal with any You may worry that revealing that were some non-academic jobs that baggage associated with being a “trail- you are conducting a dual job search would be enjoyable and rewarding and ing spouse.” I don’t think this would will decrease your chances of getting close substitutes for academic jobs so have been a major obstacle, but I sus- certain interviews or offers, but it can we applied for those too. pect it’s the sort of thing that can cause help your chances with others—and When we went on the market joint- insecurity. Everyone occasionally feels those are the ones that are the most like- ly, we shared this information with em- dismissed or disregarded by others; I ly solutions to your two-body problem. ployers. I wrote in my cover letter that I suppose if you were an accommodated Volunteering what your strong prefer- was on the market jointly with my wife, spouse you might wonder if that was the ences are can help certain employers to described her credentials and job inter- reason for such treatment. My recom- see that you are a good match. An em- ests and clarified that each of us was mendation is to put it out of your mind, ployer who can accommodate both part- applying for jobs only in areas where enjoy the fact that you and your spouse ners in the couple may see it as an ad- we both saw numerous opportunities. have jobs in the same place and make vantage they have over the competition, This left the door open for them to of- the most of the opportunity. as well as a way to quickly and success- fer to help with spousal accommoda- Dual-career issues do not end with fully complete two searches, and may tion, but also signaled that we did not hiring—they continually arise at the make you offers that you would not have expect it and that we were not wasting new jobs. Rachel was very clear from the otherwise gotten. their time by applying for jobs we knew beginning that she wanted me to never When you volunteer the informa- we couldn’t accept. sit next to her in a meeting; she wanted tion matters too. It takes time for ad- The first time on the market, we us to be seen as independent decision ministrators to put together packages to both got academic job offers, but not in makers, not a voting bloc. A senior (fe- accommodate spouses; the more lead- the same city. We did both get non-ac- male) scholar advised Rachel early on time you give them, the greater their ademic job offers in the same city, but that women should never coauthor with chance of success. Universities have we chose instead to accept postdoctoral their husband, especially before tenure, a wide range of occupations that they fellowships at the University of Michi- because the husband will get a dispro- could potentially hire a spouse into: ten- gan (a fantastic place to do a postdoc, by portionate share of the credit. Another ure-track faculty, lecturer, research as- the way). When we were getting ready issue is that work stress may be more sociate, lawyer, accountant, information for our second time on the market, we likely to follow you home if you are col- technology, administrative assistant. compared our lists of jobs that interest- leagues; you may want to try to come For the university to find your spouse a ed us and discovered that we both had to some agreement about how much tenure-track job may be time consum- the same department at the top of our and when you will talk about work. If ing and costly; other jobs may be rela- lists: Policy Analysis and Management you have children, you will need to care- tively easy. Universities differ wildly in at Cornell University. I liked the fact fully coordinate work travel and how to their willingness and ability to accom- that it had a lot of economists yet was handle kid vacations that don’t over- modate spouses, and it is much more interdisciplinary and had a strong group lap with yours, as well as the inevitable likely to be done for recruits who are of health economists. Rachel liked that child sick days. star senior faculty rather than rookie the description of the search fit her to a Working in a similar sector or at the PhDs. That said, academic employers “T,” it was an interdisciplinary depart- same employer also has its benefits. You realize that many of their new faculty ment and the position had an extension have more time together and a greater hires, regardless of rank, have spouses component. We tailored our cover let- range of shared experiences and under- who will also need jobs and they are in- ters for the positions to state that our standing than most couples. Although it creasingly offering some form of assis- spouse (whom we named) had applied is commonly described as the “two-body tance with spousal job searches. for the other position. I reiterated this problem,” it’s actually a nice situation. I My wife, Rachel Dunifon, and I were during my interview at the AEA meet- wish you the best of luck with your com- jointly on the job market twice—once ings. The search committee chair lat- bined searches. when we were finishing our PhDs and er said that when he checked with the once when we were finishing our post- other search committee and discovered docs. Before we went on the market, we that they had Rachel at the top of their had frank discussions about our pref- list, they were excited that they might erences for various types of jobs. We be able to successfully resolve two job agreed that we were not willing to live searches quickly.

2016 ISSUE II 7 Our Dual-Career Search Julie L. Hotchkiss and Experience and Advice Robert E. Moore

We faced the dual-economist job search problem in 1989. of conversation across at least six dinner tables—if a joint job Our fields (International Trade/Development and Labor/ search is not revealed, you can be sure that no collaboration Econometrics) do not overlap, and we were fortunate that between institutions will take place. it was a good year to be on the job market: there were many Perhaps the most surprising aspect of our experience was departments with multiple openings in applied micro that that those most helpful and sympathetic to our dual-search year. We specifically targeted larger departments with mul- challenge were not always other academic couples. Indeed, tiple openings and jobs in larger cities. We focused on the one of our most surprising experiences was being told, in coasts (East and West) because so many Midwestern univer- all seriousness, by a senior female economics faculty mem- sities, though often big, are in smaller, less urban areas with ber whose husband was also employed in her department, few other opportunities nearby. This has served us well as that we were each foolish to have married another economist. Julie was able to move to another institution in town as her Now much further down the career path, we heartily disagree career progressed without us having to move to a new city. with her assessment. Larger cities offer more joint opportunities over the course Our advice: Be completely above board and open about of a couple’s careers. your joint search. Would you really want to work for an insti- When applying to the same department, we could think tution that would be less likely to hire you if they knew that of no compelling reason to not reveal our joint search at the you were in a dual search? If they want you, it will help your outset. In our combined 50 years at either Georgia State Uni- joint job search problem. If they don’t want you due to your versity or the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, neither one of joint search, you won’t spend a lot of time going down a frus- us has ever witnessed a job candidate being passed over be- trating road. cause of knowledge of a joint job search. In fact, you may be providing an opportunity for the institution to kill two birds with one stone. Also, it is highly unlikely that you will trick the institution into hiring both of you by not revealing your significant other until late in the game. When applying to different departments at the same in- More on Timing & Strategy stitution, the earlier a department knows about your joint job search at the institution, the better chance your signifi- cant other will have of not falling through the cracks in the other department. While one department doesn’t likely hold Based on our experiences with both much sway in the hiring decisions of other departments, the sides of the market and drawing on the chances of your significant other getting a second look im- Joni Hersch and implications of our own research, we proves with nudging from the department that wants to hire Jennifer Bennett recommend that job candidates reveal you, because the second department knows that the proba- Shinall, their dual-career search early. Specifical- bility of an offer being accepted is likely higher in that case. Vanderbilt ly, job candidates who reveal their dual When applying to different institutions in the same city University search at the time they are invited for a or area, the institution that wants to hire you likely has even flyout improve the prospective employ- less sway over hiring decisions at other institutions. How- er’s ability to assist and seek a remedy ever, again, the sooner you let your potential employer know for the situation. Although there is no about your joint job search, the sooner they can reach out to reason to conceal a dual search at the other academic or non-academic institutions to which your initial interview stage, there also is lit- partner has applied. Of course, the success of this strategy is tle reason to reveal it since the initial increasing in the size of the job market to which you are both interview time is short and at that point applying. In Atlanta, collaboration in hiring, or at least the a job candidate has not yet convinced formal or informal sharing of information, is quite common the hiring committee to invest signifi- between Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, the Fed and cant resources in her candidacy. On the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example. other hand, revealing at the offer stage There are one or two economists in each research group at the is likely too late for arrangements to be Fed whose spouse is employed at one of these other institu- made in what is typically a very short tions. If a joint job search is revealed, it is likely to be a topic time frame—especially if it crosses

8 CSWEP News More on Timing & Strategy academic units—despite however eager I have been involved in hiring young the institution may be to accommodate economists for quite a while and have dual careers. An open discussion at the encountered this problem from the hir- Glenn MacDonald, flyout stage allows time to investigate ing side many times. Washington possible options, both within the insti- The situation is very simple. Your University in tution and externally, and to seek bud- partner status is important, relevant in- St. Louis getary approval. formation that will influence what of- Even though we have often heard that fers are actually of interest to you. By job candidates are advised to conceal withholding this information you are any personal information (even to the misleading your potential employer/ point of removing wedding or engage- colleagues, purposefully allowing them ment rings), our research, “Something to make an assumption that is incorrect to Talk About: Information Exchange and possibly wasting their time. When Under Employment Law,” forthcom- they learn the truth they will correctly ing at the University of Pennsylvania Law realize that you were misleading them Review, shows that concealing personal to gain some sort of advantage. This is information at the interview stage actu- damaging in several ways. If you secure ally hurts job candidates. In our 2016 and accept an offer that probably would vignette experiment, we examined the not have been forthcoming if your em- effects of providing personal reasons for ployer were better informed, you now an employment gap on hiring probabili- have colleagues who know you misled ties. Although we varied the content of them. If you secure and reject such an the reason provided by each of our fe- offer, you now have potential referees/ male candidates, we consistently found editors/letter writers who know you that any explanation improved a candi- misled them and caused them to waste date’s employment prospects, relative to their time. no explanation, for an otherwise identi- The answer is simple enough. You cal job candidate. Our results are con- and your partner should decide what sistent with the behavioral economics you are willing to do and then com- theory of ambiguity aversion. Because municate candidly about this. You can hiring committees are aware that dual say “we are only looking in big cities in careers are common, not being forth- hopes we can find two jobs” or “the job coming only creates ambiguity without market in my partner’s field is terrible adding any valuable information re- and we have resigned ourselves to the garding a job candidate’s productivity or fact that my obtaining a quality appoint- fit within the department. Concealing ment may mean a considerable period information can only harm, not help, a of time apart.” Honesty will likely im- dual-career search. pact your offers. Penn State may pass on you since they have less opportunity to deal with your partner issue. NYU may go for you precisely because they feel My take is that one should be up front they have a good shot at solving your right from the start, indicating to em- problem and making a durable match. Dan Hamermesh, ployers in interviews at the AEA/ASSA You may feel that schools shouldn’t Royal Holloway meetings or earlier (but NOT on a CV or be thinking about these things and that University of in a job application) that one is engaged they should be purely focused on your London and in a joint search in economics (or with a research and other potential as a col- league. I agree these are the most im- University of Texas partner who is in some other academic field). This makes one’s position clearer portant things, and from the employer’s at Austin to potential employers and avoids last- side we are not supposed to ask about, minute revelations that I, as a quondam for example, marital status. But the job employer, found most annoying. market is a very competitive place on both sides. To attract good candidates employers have to figure out what

2016 ISSUE II 9 More on Timing & Strategy matches are likely to work out. Candor on your signals that the spouse is of “faculty quality” and part helps this process work more smoothly and makes it less likely he/she will be offered a non- increases the likelihood you will obtain a job that tenure track position. is a good fit and where you are likely to have a suc- Second, during the interview be prepared to cessful launch for your career. Your honesty and answer questions about your family in the broad- consideration will be noted and appreciated. est possible way. If you don’t bring up your family first, questions from your interviewers about your family are illegal but extremely common. Expect them, and keep in mind that anything you say be- When should you let potential employers know fore you are offered the job might cause another your partner will need a job too? My general rule applicant to be ranked higher than you. You are of thumb is to wait at least until you have been in- not in a position to negotiate until you receive a Heather Stephens, vited for a flyout – when they have signaled that job offer. West Virginia they are interested in hiring you. Early in the flyout Finally, after one of you has an offer, only then University process, I waited until I was on campus, in some do you ask for a tenure-track offer for your spouse. cases until the end of my visit when I had the final This is a big ask but a reasonable one, even if there meeting with the chair. As the process went on and is no search currently going on in your spouse’s we were facing deadlines on offers, I let the chair prospective department. This negotiation is be- of the hiring committee know my situation before tween your department chair, the dean and/or pro- I visited; this provided more time to explore op- vost and the other department. Your chair really portunities for my spouse. Based on discussions wants to make this deal go through, and you want with people on the hiring side, I do not think it is to give him or her all the ammunition you can. So advisable to wait until after you have an offer. Even this is when you should disclose that your spouse if the university is willing to help your partner, it has been offered other jobs comparable to the one takes time. If your partner is in a different college, you are asking for. This process of creating a new multiple deans may have to get involved, and you faculty line will at best take several weeks and will want to give that process as much time as possible. require a flyout for the spouse. For the individual with the first offer, insist on not giving an answer until the university has decided on your spouse. Keep in mind you lose your leverage once you sign. In 2014, my wife and I completed a joint faculty If you are so fortunate as to get a spousal of- search and moved to Lawrence, Kansas, to begin fer, be sure to negotiate the terms. Don’t assume our jobs as tenure-track assistant professors at the that because you’re the trailing spouse you have David Slusky, University of Kansas. She was hired through an no leverage to ask for what you need to succeed University of open search in computational biology, and I was at your job. Kansas the spousal hire in economics. Below is the advice Fortunately, many universities are starting to we would give our past selves, which we hope is see two-body problems as a win-win: you both get applicable to others going through a similar situa- the jobs you want, the university gets two faculty tion. Our advice falls into three categories: it would have trouble getting individually and the 1) Conduct two full searches in parallel; university has a much greater chance of keeping 2) Answer questions broadly; and both of you for the long term. 3) Negotiate fully once given an offer. First, each member of the couple should con- duct a full and complete search. Apply to any in- dividual job that you would take if it were the only job you were offered and your spouse weren’t of- fered a tenure-track job. If you only apply to places where you both want to live, places that have ac- tive searches for both of you or places that are top choices for both of you, then you’ll limit your op- tions too much. The goal of this step is for each of you to have a faculty offer. When the spouse of a new hire has a faculty offer somewhere else, it

10 CSWEP News Considerations for LGBT Economists in Dual-Career Situations Kitt Carpenter

Navigating dual-career issues for LGBT couples who were legally married in regardless of sexual orientation or gen- economists has an obvious addition- one state became magically “unmar- der identity need to have honest conver- al complication: it’s hard to reveal that ried” when they crossed state lines into sations with our partners about prefer- you’re in a joint search without also re- a state that did not recognize same-sex ences, expectations, willingness to live vealing the gender of your spouse/part- marriage. This created all sorts of life apart, etc. And we all should be open ner. This effectively means coming out challenges for LGBT economists in du- and not close off opportunities prema- to a potential employer not only about al-career searches; same-sex marriage turely because of perceptions or repu- your dual-career status but also about has effectively eliminated many of these tations, which may be wrong. But there your sexual orientation. Since there is concerns. are other pieces of advice that differ not perfect congruence on these issues But important challenges remain markedly for LGBT economists and de- (some individuals, departments and in- for LGBT individuals engaging in du- pend, for example, on whether you are stitutions are happy to accommodate al-career searches. Attitudes toward the out to your advisors about being LGBT a dual-career issue for heterosexual LGBT community remain very negative and/or about having a partner. I had the couples but not for same-sex couples), in large parts of the country (and world). great fortune of doing my PhD studies giving broad advice here is extremely Many (most?) economics departments at Berkeley where there were no few- difficult. in the world are dominated by older er than four out gay people on the fac- Another challenge is that we econ- white men who generally hold more ulty. Even though I was single in grad omists are a historically conservative conservative/traditional views about school (despite extensive efforts to the bunch, and there have not been out- families. And it remains true that— contrary), I never felt that my advisors lets for LGBT people to discuss these even with full marriage equality—it is would have cared one way or the other issues. For example, while our sister or- perfectly legal in most states in the US about my sexual orientation or my part- ganizations (American Political Science to discriminate on the basis of sexual nership status, which was wonderful. Association, American Sociological As- orientation and gender identity, includ- From my own personal experience, sociation, American Statistical Associ- ing refusing to interview, fly-out or hire it has been much easier to deal with ation) have had LGBT interest groups someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or these issues as a partnered and now for literally decades, the AEA Executive queer/questioning. (Although recently married gay person than when I was Committee just this year officially vot- the Equal Employment Opportunity single. Having a partner has allowed me ed to sponsor LGBT-related activities for Commission ruled that sexual orienta- to effectively come out about both sex- economists for the first time in its 131- tion and gender identity discrimination ual orientation and dual-career needs year history. (More on this below!) is inherently sex discrimination and when talking with potential employers. First, some good news. Things are thus prohibited by federal law, so indi- When I was single and people asked me getting better. Public opinion towards viduals in all states can file discrimina- if I was married or had a family (illegal the LGBT community is improving na- tion claims with EEOC.) but extremely common), I never knew tionwide, and changes in federal poli- And after securing a job offer, LGBT if they were trying to screen on sexual cies—most importantly, full federal individuals in dual-career situations orientation, dual-career needs or both. marriage equality afforded by the Unit- face additional considerations, such as It has been refreshing to be able to re- ed States Supreme Court in July 2015— whether the institution offers health fer to my husband openly in such situa- has improved prospects for LGBT benefits that address the specific needs tions and kill both birds with one stone. economists in dual-career situations of LGBT couples (for example, IVF, tran- I am very much of the view that I would markedly. Prior to full marriage equality, sition-related services). Other policies, not want to work at an institution that there were numerous horror stories of such as whether the institution’s paren- would not have hired me due to my sex- LGBT individuals whose same-sex part- tal leave policy is inclusive of LGBT pop- ual orientation. ners from other countries were forced ulations (for example, providing leave My biggest piece of advice is to find to leave the United States because one for adopted as well as birth children), a few people who are more senior to partner could not sponsor the other for are also uniquely relevant. you who have navigated these issues in permanent residence (unlike for differ- Some of my advice for LGBT econo- the past. I have been extremely fortu- ent-sex couples), even in states that rec- mists mirrors exactly the advice in this nate to have some pioneering mentors ognized legal same-sex marriage. Pri- issue for heterosexual economists in a who went through some tough job ex- or to full marriage equality, same-sex dual-career situation. All economists periences to help me know what/who to

2016 ISSUE II 11 LGBT Economists avoid, red flags, how to deal with particularly awkward anti- check the conference program for exact details.) Our inau- LGBT situations and the like. There are lots of LGB econo- gural events at AEA/ASSA 2016 in San Francisco drew 100 mists in the profession at all levels, in all fields and in all types participants, and we hope Chicago will keep the momentum of institutions (and a sizable number of T economists)—you going. Economics PhD students and economists in any sec- just have to know where to find them. tor are welcome. One way to do this is to take part in the AEA-supported We also maintain an email list-serve and will start an AEA- LGBT activities at the annual meetings. At each of the next supported newsletter targeted at LGBT economists and allies. three annual meetings (Chicago 2017, Atlanta 2018, Phila- To learn more about these initiatives or to get on the email list- delphia 2019) the AEA will sponsor a breakfast (and we will serve, please contact me (christopher.s.carpenter@vanderbilt. organize a separate Happy Hour) for LGBT economists and edu) or my co-organizer Lee Badgett ([email protected]. allies where we will offer social support and address issues edu). We would love to see you in Chicago to discuss these and facing our community, including dual-career concerns. (The other issues with other members of our community! Chicago breakfast will be Saturday 1/7/2017 at 7 am; please

Institutional Matters

I used to recruit new PhD economists the economics department at the same for RAND (2002–10), and I discussed university. This is particularly true at Sue Hosek, this issue with a number of applicants business schools, where finance, strate- during this time. RAND’s position is gy, accounting, marketing and entrepre- RAND very clear—the more information we neurship departments often hire PhD have, the better, and we’re always hap- economists who are difficult to differ- py to consider whether the spouse of an entiate from economists in economics applicant might also fit into RAND. We departments. This was my experience don’t have a fixed number of hiring po- at the Kellogg School of Management, sitions, so we can hire anyone who pass- Northwestern University. And because es the quality bar and would fit into one of that size, and the willingness of de- or more of our research areas. The prob- partments within professional schools lem we face is that candidates hold back to work closely with one another, it is the information at the advice of their ad- much easier for professional schools visors and by the time we learn about to find two job openings for dual-ca- the spouse it may be too late. We cannot reer job searchers. Second, profession- ask about spouses—the guidance we al schools may have a great deal more get on that couldn’t be clearer, so we’re flexibility in creating permanent lectur- stuck with asking broad questions about er positions for a spouse. While not ide- other considerations in their search. al, lecturer positions often pay better in professional schools as well. And final- ly, when a couple searches for two jobs, they may not be equally qualified. Often My recommendation, based on my ex- the standards for economists in profes- perience searching for jobs and my sional schools are modestly lower than experience hiring economists, is that in the economics department at the James Dana, couples should consider professional same university. This can make it easier Northeastern schools early in your career planning. for couples to find two rewarding jobs at University First, professional schools, such as busi- the same university. Planning for a ca- ness schools, public policy schools, law reer at a professional school needn’t be schools and public health schools, some- different than planning for a career in times hire many more economists than an economics department. Obviously,

12 CSWEP News Institutional Matters professional schools put more weight Think About the Long Run on teaching and on applied, policy-rel- evant research, but the research meth- ods and research outlets are frequently the same. Melinda Morrill and Thayer Morrill We received a lot of great advice when navigating our joint A liberal arts college perspective: The search. But, looking back, the best advice we received was that processes of hiring at universities, small productivity solves all problems. The easiest way to resolve a joint-location problem is by publishing. Your joint-location Katherine colleges and governments all vary. Dis- problem is not settled until you both have tenure at the same Schmeiser, closing the status of a relationship too late can make it impossible to get two place. Getting two assistant professor positions is a big step Mount Holyoke in the right direction, but it is far from a guarantee of both College positions that year (particularly if you are both economists). Governments and people getting tenure. This is the main question you should large universities may have more flex- ask yourself: which option will allow me and my partner to ible hiring timelines, programs specifi- be most productive? cally to support dual academic couples Not all non-tenure track positions are equal in this regard. (within or across disciplines) or flex- While a lectureship can be a long-term solution to a joint-lo- ibility in creating additional positions. cation situation, it is difficult to do research while carrying a Small colleges have the least flexibility heavy teaching load. Similarly, some tenure-track positions and follow set procedures (usually both have lighter teaching loads and more flexibility regarding the candidates need to be in the initial appli- amount of time you spend in the office versus traveling. To cant pool and interviewed at the AEA/ gain two tenured positions, you are best off finding a situation ASSA meetings). where you can both get papers published quickly. Although At colleges and universities hiring typically the salary is lower, universities often have resources more than one position, being upfront to put together postdoc or research assistant professor posi- is better than disclosing too late. For tions. Always keep in mind that you are looking for a long- these, apply jointly and mention in the term solution, which might involve tradeoffs in the short run. cover letter that your spouse is also ap- In our case, we accepted two positions at the same uni- plying to a position at the institution, versity: one tenure-track professorship and one research as- or both send a signal to the institution. sistant professorship. The latter position carried a one-course If only one of you gets an interview, ask teaching load (by request). Seven years later, after a conver- your advisor to contact the department sion to tenure track resulting from much effort and support to clarify that your spouse has also ap- from generous colleagues, we were both voted unanimously plied and you are both very interested for tenure. We know of many happy endings that involved in the institution. For single-interview living apart for a few years as well—there are many ways to institutions, be clear during the process navigate the joint job search process. But, in the end, to have that you are willing to take the job alone options you need to have publications. Our advice is really the (if that’s true). same for any graduate student: go where you think you will be the most productive.

The common wisdom is that big cities are the best places for dual-career cou- Heather Stephens, ples because they offer lots of potential West Virginia job opportunities. But, in my experi- University ence, universities in big cities know this and are not likely to help your partner find a position. So, you should not rule out opportunities in smaller towns. In fact, small-town universities are more likely to have either formal or informal dual-career hiring programs.

2016 ISSUE II 13 Advice from Placement Directors

We suggest job applicants mention du- I never mention this issue unless the al-career issues at the flyout stage, in couple in question asks me to mention Nick Bloom, part because this is often not a bind- it to specific schools. Even then, I try Derek Neal, Stanford ing constraint. In particular, some to make sure that both partners agree University of couples may be happy to live apart for on what they want me to say to specific University Chicago great offers, sometimes places can do schools. deals (like postdocs and leave) to help There are many private informa- bridge the issue, or some couples will tion problems here that make this situ- commute shorter distances (like Bos- ation tricky. Often, it appears that the ton-New York) but not longer ones (like two partners are not always on the same Boston-San Francisco). page in terms of what they want, and Every year we have one or two joint even if they are, sometimes their advi- placement couples and another three sors are not. Thus, I keep my mouth or four couples with locational issues shut unless it is possible to establish where one is not in economics (for ex- common knowledge among all parties ample, a lawyer or in tech), so this is an concerning how these issues should be ongoing theme. This is also an issue for raised with whom and when. recruitment at both the junior and se- And, I wait for them to start these nior levels, with frequent joint offers be- discussions. In almost all of these sce- ing generated for academic couples (of- narios, at least one partner ends up ten both in economics but not always). making a professional sacrifice for the other (with the exception of the rare cas- es where the couple breaks up during the process). I believe that nothing good This issue is one that I’ve struggled to can happen if either party feels that I am have a good answer for. I think we’d all trying to influence whatever bargaining like to believe that more information is game they are playing. Brian Cadena, better, so revealing a joint search imme- University of diately is helpful. In reality, though, I’ve Colorado, Boulder seen candidates have success when they reveal information only after they have reason to believe that a potential em- ployer is interested. This interest could be revealed in many ways, including so- liciting an application, offering a first- round interview or offering a flyout. Complicating all of this, of course, is the fact that some candidates are will- ing to live apart, at least for a while. I think the timing of when to reveal a joint search depends strongly on how important it is to live with one’s part- ner in the first years after placement. There’s no easy answer.

14 CSWEP News The Two-Body Opportunity for Universities Jill J. McCluskey

Like many academic couples, I met my husband when we An important related research question is whether PAPs were in graduate school. He was studying physics and I was have a significant influence on improving the representation studying agricultural and resource economics at UC Berke- of women in STEM disciplines by sealing the “leaky pipeline” ley. Washington State University (WSU) offered my husband of women in academic careers and in increasing the number a tenure-track position. WSU has a partner accommodation of senior female role models in these disciplines. At WSU, we program (PAP), and I was invited to interview. I was offered a tested empirically whether dual-hire faculty members have tenure-track job, and we are still at WSU 17 years later. longer durations of employment. If those hired via PAPs are My experience made me think about how being part of more productive and have longer durations of employment a dual-career couple affects the representation of women relative to their colleagues, then it is reasonable to expect on university faculty, including in science, technology, en- higher rates of tenure achievement. At WSU, PAP hires are gineering and math (STEM) disciplines and at senior levels. indeed more likely to obtain tenure. We therefore argue that For over a generation, universities have made efforts to hire the “two-body problem” is actually a “two-body opportunity.” more women in STEM fields. However, women are under- represented on university faculties in general and especial- References ly in STEM fields and at the full professor level. One reason Fox, M. F. (2005). “Gender, Family Characteristics, and Publication Productivity among may be the two-body problem. Researchers have shown that Scientists.” Social Studies of Science 35: 131–150. doi: 10.1177/0306312705046630. women in STEM disciplines are more likely than their male Scheibinger, L., A. Davies Henderson and S.K. Gilmartin (2008). “Dual-Career Academic counterparts to be partnered with another academic and that Couples: What Universities Need to Know.” The Clayman Institute for Gender Research: Stanford University. http://gender.stanford.edu/dual-career-research-report. academic women are more likely than men to refuse a job of- Woolstenhulme, J., B. Cowan, J. McCluskey and T. Byington (2012). “Evaluating the Two-Body fer if their partner cannot find adequate employment at the Problem: Measuring Joint Hire Productivity within a University.” Mimeo, Washington State same location (Scheibinger, Henderson and Gilmartin 2008). University. Using survey data, Fox (2005) found that 59% of female sci- entists were married to another scientist, compared with just 17% of male scientists. Therefore, universities may find it dif- ficult to attract female candidates in STEM fields. To hire more female job candidates, some universities have instituted PAPs. However, there is a common percep- Dear CSWEP tion that because partner hires are recruited as part of the ne- In the spirit of “Dear Abby,” CSWEP answers questions gotiation process for a first hire, rather than based on their from our readers on topics related to women economists . own merits via a national search, they are somehow “not as Send your relevant questions to [email protected]! good” as other faculty in their department. Turning this ques- tion on its head, my colleagues and I hypothesized that facul- Q: What should women economists wear when inter- ty hired via PAPs are actually better, on average, than regular viewing at the AEA/ASSA Meetings and on flyouts? In hires within the same university (Woolstenhulme, Cowan, particular, can women wear pants, or should they wear McCluskey and Byington 2012). Consider the case in which a skirt/dress? one partner in the couple is able to attract an offer from a more prestigious university than her partner, but they accept A: In an unscientific poll of CSWEP Board members, positions at the university in which the weaker member of the all respondents agreed that wearing pants is fine. Other couple is able to obtain a position. We tested this hypothesis sartorial advice from Board members: wear a matching by comparing research productivity across faculty at WSU. or coordinating jacket, and wear professional-looking We found that dual-hire faculty are more productive both in shoes or boots that you can walk in since you’ll be run- terms of publishing and obtaining grants, and the difference ning between hotels or getting a campus tour (you don’t is statistically significant. need to wear heels, though, and don’t wear them if you can’t walk well in them).

2016 ISSUE II 15 Reflections on the Founding of CSWEP Myra Strober

CSWEP is pleased to present an excerpt impressive woman, and her voice and committee is to from Myra Strober’s memoir, Sharing demeanor provide gravitas to our delib- report to the As- the Work: What My Family and Career erations. She has a large yellow pad and sociation annual- Taught Me about Breaking Through writes energetically as we draft our pro- ly, and if it learns (and Holding the Door Open for Oth- posed resolutions collectively. of discrimination, ers), published by MIT Press this past I am thrilled to see this collection it is to provide information so that the spring . Strober was the founding direc- of women economists. I think back to Association can “present, as amicus cur- tor of the Stanford Center for Research on my days as a doctoral student at MIT, iae, in any complaint, remedial action, Women (now the Michelle R . Clayman In- where I was one of only two women in or suit.” stitute for Gender Research) and the first my class, and to my current situation at “What makes you think the mem- chair of the National Council for Research Berkeley, where there is only one other bers will vote for this?” I ask the leaders on Women, a consortium of about 65 U .S . women economist—neither of us with of the caucus. “The economists I know centers for research on women . In this ex- tenure-track appointments. might not exactly be inclined toward cerpt, from Chapter 6, “Where the Rubber I also recall that Elizabeth Cady Stan- these ideas.” Hits the Road, 1971–1972,” (pp . 116–119) ton worked alone to draft the Declara- “We think Galbraith will carry the she discusses the founding of CSWEP . tion of Women’s Sentiments, with only day. That’s why we want to bring this up […] the most memorable part of the Lucretia Mott for support, and that Stan- this year, while Galbraith is president.” [1971 AEA] meetings is a session titled ton and Mott had no organized body to But the caucus does not rely solely “What Economic Equality for Wom- which they could present their grievanc- on him. It also does an incredible job en Requires”—organized and chaired es and proposals. In contrast, our effort of recruiting progressive economists of by Barbara Bergmann, my former col- in New Orleans is astonishingly collab- both genders from URPE to come to the league at Maryland—where I learn that orative, and if the AEA membership business meeting, and when I arrive at a caucus will meet later that day to draft agrees, we will have an already existing that meeting, the large room is packed. resolutions on women economists to Association (the AEA) through which to There are several speeches opposing present to the AEA’s business meeting. achieve our goals. the resolution, but two highly regarded The caucus is led by Marianne Hill, Peg- The resolutions, which Carolyn later economists, Andrew Brimmer and Rob- gy Howard and Laurie Nisonoff, doctor- presents to the AEA business meeting, ert Eisner, speak in favor, and when Gal- al students at Yale; and Francine Blau call on the AEA to “redress the low rep- braith calls for a vote, the ayes have it. and Paddy Quick, doctoral students at resentation of women in the economics A few weeks later, I get a call from Harvard. They met through the wom- profession” and “adopt a positive pro- Carolyn Shaw Bell. Galbraith has asked en’s caucus of the Union for Radical gram to eliminate sex discrimination her to chair the new committee. I met Political Economics (URPE), and have among economists.” They specifically Carolyn only briefly at the New Orleans done considerable ground work in ad- prohibit discrimination against women meeting, but she says she enjoyed talk- vance of the New Orleans event, includ- students and women applying for posi- ing with me and would like to ask Gal- ing Paddy meeting with John Kenneth tions as faculty members or for other braith to appoint me to CSWEP. She Galbraith, incoming president of the jobs, and they call for the open posting tells me the committee will meet three AEA, and Marianne, Peggy, and Laurie of job opportunities and the creation of or four times a year in various venues meeting with Guy Orcutt, a member of part-time jobs open to women and men. throughout the country. This seems like the AEA’s executive committee. They also call for the association to of- a big commitment. I tell her I’ll have to The caucus meeting is lively, with fer childcare at the annual meetings— think about it. numerous graduate students (male and not to pay for it, but to make sure it’s When I talk with Sam [my husband] female), a few young women faculty, available. about it, he’s not at all in favor. and an even fewer older women facul- Most important, the resolutions pro- “You’re already complaining you ty, including Carolyn Shaw Bell, profes- pose the establishment of a Committee don’t have enough hours in the day. sor of economics at Wellesley; Barbara on the Status of Women in the Econom- This is going to take you away from your Bergmann; Barbara Reagan, professor ics Profession (CSWEP) “numbering work, and it’s going to take you away of economics at Southern Methodist at least eight persons, to be appoint- from the kids and me. Why would you University and Margaret Gordon, my ed by the President of the Association want to do it? colleague at Berkeley. Carolyn becomes for a term of three years” to monitor “Because I think it’s really impor- the de facto chair and scribe. She is an compliance with the resolutions. That tant. And because it will give me some

16 CSWEP News Founding CSWEP Interview with Janet M. Currie continued from page 1 colleagues in economics.” “Well, I’m not going to argue with you. But I think it’s a mistake.” I think a great deal about what to do. Sam is right—my time is extreme- ly tight. But if he would just take over some household tasks, it could be a lot less tight. I’m angry with him, but I don’t want to bring up the issue of his share of the housework yet again. It just seems so fruitless. I don’t want to go against his wishes, but I really want to join this committee. Back and forth I consider, again and again. Eventually, I decide to join. I’ll just have to sleep less, I figure, and hope I’m not strain- ing Sam’s goodwill. But a few months later, when CSWEP meets at Galbraith’s home in Cambridge, I’m sure I’ve made the right decision. The more senior commit- tee members—Walter Adams, Carolyn Shaw Bell, Kenneth Boulding, Barbara Janet M. Currie, the Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, Chair of the Economics Department Reagan, and Phyllis Wallace—become and Director of the Center for Health and Well-Being at Princeton University, accepted the 2015 Carolyn Shaw Bell mentors, and the other junior mem- Award at the annual CSWEP business meeting held during the 2016 AEA/ASSA Meetings. She is pictured here with bers—Francine Blau, Martha Blaxall, her nominator and mentee Marianne Bitler (UC Davis) and CSWEP Chair Marjorie B. McElroy (Duke). and Collette Moser—become friends. And from my perspective more than economics profession, including serv- decided liberal arts weren’t for me and 40 years later, I am proud to have served. ing as Vice-President of the American that I would be a tech nerd instead. So I Although I eventually came to believe Economic Association, President of the took only math, statistics and comput- that CSWEP’s goals are too moderate, Society of Labor Economists, Editor of er science courses. I learned that it was that what economics needs is not sim- the Journal of Economic Literature and hard for me to maintain enthusiasm for ply more women economists but ma- on many other committees and edito- techniques if they were divorced from a jor reform in the discipline’s thinking, rial boards. practical problem. In my junior year, I I am gratified to have been part of the saw the light and decided to be an Econ What made you decide to study economics? vanguard effort to treat women econo- major, which was fortunate because I mists with fairness and respect. I tell people, only half in jest, that it was had run out of electives! The MIT Press is pleased to offer because I wasn’t good at anything else! I enjoyed economics as an under- CSWEP affiliates a special discount on My first year of college I took a range graduate but did not really begin to feel Myra Strober’s Sharing the Work . Until of liberal arts courses and found that like an economist until my second year 10/20/16, use discount code MCSWEP30 I was not good at analyzing sonnets, of graduate school when I began to ap- when prompted during checkout at writing elegant French or answering preciate the flexibility of the tools we use mitpress.mit.edu/sharingwork to receive classic philosophical questions in five and the vast scope of our discipline. 30% off the book’s list price . This code can pages or less. My Econ 100 Professor, What is your advice about how to make be used more than once, for multiple copies, Donald Dewees, was a brilliant lectur- one’s mark on the profession? and for both print and e-editions . Happy er. He came to class every day with a reading from The MIT Press! newspaper article that was relevant to People say that the key to happiness is the topic of the day and used it as a trying to live one’s life in a good way jumping off point for the day’s lesson. rather than focusing on the straight-on Thus, every single topic was made pol- pursuit of happiness per se. I think it is icy relevant and connected to the news much the same with the profession. Be- of the day. This made a deep impres- ing overly concerned with professional sion. Nevertheless, in my second year, I success or making a mark can at best be

2016 ISSUE II 17 Interview with Janet M. Currie a distraction from trying to do the best Any specific suggestions to would-be men- all.” When that ideal turns out to be un- work possible. At worst, it can make tors about how to do this important job? attainable, they conclude that they must people miserable. I don’t mean that peo- Any advice for would-be mentees or others be doing something wrong. When they ple should be naïve about doing what in the profession? have success at work, they feel guilty needs to be done to advance profession- I view these relationships as partner- about not spending enough time with ally. One should find out what the boxes ships in which we learn together. I have children or partners, and when they are are, check them and then try to forget learned an amazing amount from my spending time with children or partners about them as much as possible so as to students and other mentees, much of they are worried about work. Since so focus on questions that are intellectually which I would not otherwise not have many people feel this way, it seems to engaging. It is also a mistake to focus on had the bandwidth to learn. I chose the me that the concept of work-life bal- what’s “hot.” One will always be trying term “partnerships” rather than “friend- ance itself is part of the problem. We to catch up with that kind of research ships” intentionally. While many men- are economists; we know that life is full strategy. To be an intellectual leader, you tees have become dear friends in time, of choices, and that choices involve op- need to strike out in a new direction. a relationship where one party inher- portunity costs. I hope that increasing- ly people will celebrate the choices that What do you think is a mentor’s role? How ently has more power than the other is they have made rather than regretting do you end up connecting with the people best run on a professional basis. I try to the path not chosen. you mentor? keep my responsibility to the other per- son foremost in my mind, rather than I had an epiphany after being “guilt- It surprises me that I have ended up being guided by how I might happen to ed” into attending a conference on how mentoring so many people and being feel about something. to balance work and family when my relatively successful at it. I am a quiet In terms of logistics, the most im- children were young. The conference and not particularly gregarious person portant first step is to have regular was on a weekend and involved flying who doesn’t always have a lot of small meetings. I try to meet with my men- across the country. This of course meant talk. Perhaps that is actually an advan- tees once a week. You can’t really work that I sacrificed my own weekend with tage since a big part of a mentor’s role with someone you don’t know, and the my kids in order to talk about how im- is to listen to what people have to say best way to get to know someone is to portant it was for other people to be able about what they have learned, how the talk to them regularly. Once a relation- to spend the weekend with theirs. I real- work is going and about any personal is- ship is established, one can meet less ized that I should either have gone be- sues that might have an impact on their frequently, but regular meetings are still cause it was important to me to go, or work. I try to start from where the men- important. Would-be mentees should stayed home because it was important tee is, and work with them to see how ask if they can set up regular meetings for me to stay home. But I should not progress can be made. if that is not offered. Another important have been there wishing that I wasn’t How do you manage to find time to do all rule is to always do what you say you are because someone else thought that I the mentoring and service you do with all going to do. This rule applies to both ought to attend! the high-impact academic work you do? mentors and mentees. It helps establish Any final words? trust and just makes working together I am pretty efficient, but I have also In this discipline it often seems that so much easier! Finally, I have learned learned (of necessity) to delegate. I try people are rewarded solely on the basis that if there is some unpleasantness, it to find situations where it is both in my of what top publications they’ve had in is best to be straightforward about it and interest to have someone else do some- the last year or so. Winning the Caro- clear the air. It does not normally kill thing, and it is also in their interest to lyn Shaw Bell award is extremely grat- the relationship, and dealing with prob- do it. For example, having a graduate ifying because it offers a corrective to lems promptly allows the partnership to student work on developing a data set that view—I have been professional- move forward. that I will use in my research, with the ly rewarded for trying my best to be a understanding that they will be able In your acceptance speech, you said there good mentor and a good professional to use the same data set for their the- is no work-life balance so people should just and departmental citizen (as well as for sis research. Another example would feel okay about what they do. Can you elab- success in publication). That this is pos- be to ask a more junior person to be a orate on this? Has this changed across your sible makes me feel better about eco- coauthor or co-administrator on a proj- career? nomics. Despite the dominance of self- ect. That said, I sometimes wonder how For many people, the concept of work- ish rhetoric, we are, as a group, more people can have hobbies! There isn’t life balance has become just another public spirited than we let on or than much time left after work and family. thing to feel inadequate about. People our critics will allow. are told that they should be able to “do it

18 CSWEP News Calls & Announcements

Visit cswep.org for full details on each CSWEP Call for Nominations CSWEP Call for Panels and of the below opportunities, including 2016 Elaine Bennett Papers @ 2017 Eastern submission guidelines for paper and Research Prize Economic Association Meeting application calls as well as participant, February 23–26, 2017, Sheraton Times panelist and paper titles for currently The Elaine Bennett Research Prize is Square Hotel, New York City scheduled sessions. awarded every other year to recognize, support and encourage outstanding Deadline: Monday, October 17, 2016 CSWEP Call for Applications contributions by young women in the Organizer: Karen Conway, University Haworth Committee Mentoring economics profession. The 2016 award of New Hampshire Funding will be presented in January 2017 at the CSWEP will sponsor a number of ses- The Haworth Committee administers AEA Meeting in Chicago. Nominees sions at the annual meeting of the East- co-sponsorship of mentoring events and must have demonstrated exemplary re- ern Economic Association. Sessions are experiences through the Joan Haworth search contributions in their field and available for persons submitting an en- Mentoring Fund and CSWEP experi- have earned their PhD in 2009 or later. tire session (3 or 4 papers) or a complete mental funding. Most successful appli- Nominations should contain the candi- panel on a specific topic in any area in cations are for less than $1K and they date’s CV, relevant publications, a let- economics. The organizer should pre- must be consistent with the mission of ter of nomination and two supporting pare a proposal for a panel (including CSWEP. Successful applicants will be letters. As this prize is for fundamen- chair and participants) or session (in- asked to write a summary of what they tal intellectual contributions to econom- cluding chair, abstracts and discus- have gained from the mentoring effort. ics, the nomination letter should speak sants) and submit by e-mail. Deadline: Ongoing. to the significance of the candidate’s re- search with supporting letters from ex- One or two additional sessions will be CSWEP Call for Nominations perts in the field. Deadline: September organized by the CSWEP Eastern Rep- 2016 Carolyn Shaw Bell Award 21, 2016. resentative. Abstracts for papers in the topic areas of gender, health economics, The Carolyn Shaw Bell Award is given labor economics and innovation are par- annually to an individual (male or fe- CSWEP Call for Panels and ticularly solicited, but abstracts in oth- male) who has furthered the status of Papers @ 2017 Midwest er areas will also be accepted by e-mail. women in the economics profession, Economics Association Meeting Abstracts should be approximately one through example, achievements, in- March 31, 2017, Westin Hotel, Cincin- page in length and include paper title, creasing our understanding of how nati, Ohio names of authors, affiliation and rank, women can advance in the economics Deadline: October 23, 2016 and e-mail contact information as well profession and mentoring others. The Organizer: Anne Winkler, University as mailing address. 2016 award will be presented in Janu- of Missouri, St. Louis ary 2017 at the AEA Meeting in Chica- CSWEP will be sponsoring two panel All application information should be e- go. Nominations should include a nom- sessions on topics related to career de- mailed to [email protected] ination letter, updated CV and three or velopment at the Midwest Economics more supporting letters, with at least Association Meetings. There is also a CSWEP Sessions @ 2016 two from mentees. As this award cel- networking lunch that you are welcome Southern Economics ebrates mentoring, nomination letters to attend. Association Conference should document that activity, rather November 19–21, 2016, JW Marriott If you have specific suggestions regard- than just academic achievements. All Washington DC, Washington, D.C. ing the topics to be covered, potential nominations are automatically kept Organizer: Ragan Petrie, George Ma- panelists, or other aspects, please sub- alive for consideration by the Award son University mit your ideas to Anne E. Winkler, Committee for a period of three years. Join CSWEP on November 19th- 21st for CSWEP Midwest Rep, awinkler@umsl. Deadline: September 28, 2016. a networking lunch and two career de- edu velopment panels: “Advice for Job Seek- ers and Early Career” and “Advice for Navigating Academic Careers.” For more information please email: [email protected]

2016 ISSUE II 19 Directory of CSWEP Brag Box Board Members

Shelly Lundberg, (312) 726-8000 and Environmental Affairs “We need every day to herald some woman’s Chair [email protected] Indiana University achievements . . . go ahead and boast!” —Carolyn Shaw Bell Broom Professor of Karen Conway, Room 359, 1315 East Tenth Street Demography Eastern Bloomington, IN 47405 Department of Economics Representative Leticia Arroyo Abad at We are pleased to report that (812) 856-3850 University of California, Professor of Economics Middlebury College, Jessica our statement in Issue I 2016 [email protected] Santa Barbara University of New North Hall 2127 Bean at Denison University, that Erica Groshen was the first Hampshire Petra Todd, at-large Sarah Jacobson at Williams female BLS Commissioner was Santa Barbara, CA 93106- 10 Garrison Avenue Professor of Economics 9210 Durham, NH 03824 University of Pennsylvania College and Diana Thomas in error. She was preceded by: (805) 893-8619 (603) 862-3386 3718 Locust Walk, at Creighton University were Janet L. Norwood (May 1979– [email protected] [email protected] McNeil 160 awarded tenure and promoted December 1991), Katherine Margaret Levenstein, Philadelphia, PA 19104 to associate professor. G. Abraham (October 1993– Elizabeth Klee, (215) 898-4084 Associate Chair, at-large October 2001) and Kathleen Survey [email protected] Assistant Director of Dora Gicheva received the Utgoff (July 2002–July 2006). Research Professor Program Direction Anne Winkler, award for excellence in teach- University of Michigan Division of Monetary Midwestern ing by tenure-track faculty at Institute for Social Affairs Representative Research Board of Governors of the Professor of Economics the Bryan School, University of Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248 Federal Reserve University of Missouri– North Carolina at Greensboro. (734) 615-9088 20th Street and St. Louis [email protected] One University Boulevard Constitution Avenue N.W. We want to hear from you! Terra McKinnish, Washington, DC 20551 St. Louis, MO 63121 Associate Chair, (202) 721-4501 (314) 516-5563 Send announcements of honors, awards, grants received, promo- Mentoring [email protected] [email protected] tions, tenure decisions and new appointments to cswep@econ. Associate Professor of Amalia Miller, Eastern Justin Wolfers, ucsb.edu . It will be our pleasure to share your good news with Economics Representative at-large the CSWEP Community . University of Colorado Associate Professor of Professor of Economics, Boulder, CO 80309-0256 Economics College of Literature, (303) 492-6770 P.O. Box 400182 Science and the Arts, and terra.mckinnish@colo- Charlottesville, Professor of Public Policy, rado.edu VA 22904-4182 Gerald R. Ford School of Upcoming Regional Meetings Catalina Amuedo- (434) 924-6750 Public Policy Dorantes, Western [email protected] University of Michigan CSWEP sponsors paper sessions, professional development Room 319 Lorch Hall, 611 Representative Ragan Petrie, panels and networking events at the meetings of the four re- Professor and Chair of Tappan Street Southern Ann Arbor, MI 48104 gional economics associations. Visit CSWEP.org for more info. Economics Representative San Diego State University (734) 764-2447 Associate Professor of [email protected] 5500 Campanile Drive Economics Southern Economic Association San Diego, CA 92182-4485 Madeline Zavodny, George Mason University http://www.southerneconomic.org Phone: (619) 594-1663 4400 University Drive, Newsletter Oversight [email protected] MSN 1B2 Editor 86th Annual Meeting, November 19–21, 2016 Cecilia Conrad, Fairfax, VA 22030 Professor of Economics Washington, DC: J.W. Marriott at-large (703) 993-4842 Agnes Scott College Vice President, MacArthur [email protected] 141 E. College Avenue Fellows Program Decatur, GA 30030 Eastern Economic Association Kosali Simon, (404) 471-6377 140 S. Dearborn Street CeMENT Director http://www.quinnipiac.edu/eea/ Chicago, IL 60603-5285 mzavodny@agnesscott. Professor, School of Public edu 2017 Annual Conference, February 23–26, 2017 New York City: Sheraton New York Join the CSWEP Liaison Network! Times Square Hotel Three cheers for the 250+ economists who have agreed to serve as CSWEP Liaisons! We are already seeing the positive effects of your Midwest Economics Association hard work with increased demand for CSWEP paper sessions, fel- http://mea.grinnell.edu lowships and other opportunities. Thank you! Dissemination of Annual Conference, March 31–April 2, 2017 information—including notice of mentoring events, new editions Cincinnati, Ohio: The Westin of the CSWEP News and reporting requests for our Annual Sur- vey and Questionnaire—is an important service to CSWEP. For this key task, we need your help. Visit CSWEP.org to see the list of current liaisons and departments for which we’d like to iden- tify a liaison. We are also seeking liaisons for organizations out- side the academy. To indicate your willingness to serve, send an Newsletter Staff e-mail with your contact information to [email protected]. Shelly Lundberg, Editor Amber Pipa, Assistant Editor Madeline Zavodny, Oversight Editor Leda Black, Graphic Designer