Summary of March 15, 2023 Speaker Series

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

The "March 15, 2023 Speaker Series" focused on interventions to increase the pipeline of women into economics at the post-secondary level and beyond. The speakers discussed the underrepresentation of women in economics and presented hypotheses as to why this is the case, including the lack of female role models and mentors, an unwelcoming climate, and greater grade sensitivity among women. Potential solutions to the underrepresentation of females in economics were also discussed, including information and encouragement interventions, curricular reform, adoption of active learning pedagogies, and role models and mentors. The speakers emphasized the importance of diversity in the economics profession and the need for greater representation of women in the field, and shared their personal experiences and insights. Lastly, they encouraged students to join economic clubs, seek out professors as mentors, and engage with the material through experiments and hands-on learning experiences.

00:00:00 In this section, the executive director of the Minnesota Council on economic education, Julie Bunn, introduces the MC Speaker Series, aimed at enhancing economic literacy and holding conversations throughout the state about using economics to better understand the world and address its challenges. The topic for this event addresses interventions to increase the pipeline of women into economics at the post-secondary level and beyond. Dr. Christine West, an endowed professor in the sciences and associate professor of economics at St. Catherine University, and the founder and director of the Minnesota Center for diversity and economics, is the event moderator. The event format will consist of a presentation followed by a Q&A session.
00:05:00 In this section, Dr. Tisha Emerson, a professor of Economics at Baylor University, discusses the importance of diversity in the economics profession and the need for greater representation of women in the field. She explains how diversity leads to better problem-solving and more innovative solutions, and why it is important to acknowledge and learn from differences. Dr. Emerson emphasizes that undergraduate economics programs need to do a better job of attracting and retaining female students, especially since women make up roughly 50% of the population and have concerns and values that should be reflected in research and policy work.
00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the underrepresentation of women in economics, despite the fact that they comprise almost 60% of all undergraduates in the United States. She notes that only about 40% of undergraduates take an economics course, and women are less likely than men to enroll in economics courses, persist in them, and major in economics. The speaker explores several hypotheses as to why women may not choose to study economics, including the idea that they do not like math, are not interested in the topics addressed by economics, or perform worse than men in the subject. The rest of her talk focuses on interventions that could make economics more appealing to women and other underrepresented groups.
00:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses hypotheses for the underrepresentation of women in economics and the evidence supporting them. The first hypothesis that women are put off by math does not hold up, as females are actually represented in larger proportions in economics programs with higher quantitative requirements. However, the lack of female role models and mentors, the unwelcoming climate in the discipline, and the greater grade sensitivity of females may contribute to the underrepresentation of women in economics. The speaker suggests that an interdisciplinary and applied approach to the study of economics may be helpful in drawing women to the field.
00:20:00 In this section, the speaker discusses potential solutions to the underrepresentation of females in economics. Educational psychology research suggests that student persistence and success is positively impacted by experiences that promote feelings of relevance, belonging, and a growth mindset (RBG). Female economics principle students surveyed in a study reported lower levels of RBG than their male counterparts, which impacted their grades and likelihood to major in economics. The speaker suggests three categories of solutions to address this issue: information and encouragement interventions, curricular reform and adoption of active learning pedagogies, and role models and mentors. Although studies on information and encouragement interventions have provided mixed evidence, the speaker believes that a higher touch intervention may be needed to effectively move the diversity needle. Additionally, the principles courses may need curricular reform to accurately reflect the variety of issues and topics addressed in economics.
00:25:00 In this section, the speaker discusses potential pedagogical and curricular changes that could help promote diversity in economics education. For example, using disaggregated data that includes gender and race/ethnicity can help students see themselves in the course material, and active learning pedagogies like economic experiments and cooperative learning exercises have shown promise in narrowing the gender performance gap and increasing student interest. While these changes may require more effort and instructor time, they have the potential to be more effective at promoting diversity than simpler interventions. Additionally, mentors and role models can play an important role in achieving diversity, with studies suggesting that exposure to diverse role models can have a significant impact on student outcomes.
00:30:00 In this section, research is presented on the impact of role models on encouraging female participation and persistence in the economics discipline. Female alumni were recruited to give 15-minute presentations in randomly selected principles courses in an attempt to increase enrollment in additional economics courses and major in economics. Results show that females in the treated group were significantly more likely to enroll in additional economics courses and major in economics, while there was no effect on the males. It is suggested that educators review their curriculum to include examples and applications, considering possible reform in the curricular approach, whilst active learning techniques would encourage better engagement with course material. Economic students are also advised to encourage friends to take economic courses and to get involved outside the classroom by participating in research or assisting with teaching.
00:35:00 In this section, the speaker encourages students to join their institution's economic club, found one if it doesn't exist, and seek out professors as mentors. She shares her personal journey of becoming an economist, starting with attending public schools in a rural area of Hawaii, where she developed a passion for math but did not take economics in high school. Her interest in economics was piqued when she took a principles of microeconomics class at the University of Hawaii taught by Dr. Jim Mack. She pursued a graduate degree in economics and became a professor. She was fortunate to have supportive mentors who provided her with opportunities, but she also faced challenges, such as not having a female economics professor or mentor.
00:40:00 In this section, Dr. Emerson, the speaker, discusses her experiences as a female person of color in the economics field, including the challenges she faced as a pregnant professor with no parental leave policy. She reflects on how her diverse background and supportive role models encouraged her to pursue her dreams, and encourages students to do the same. The moderator asks Dr. Emerson about her favorite experiments for teaching economics, including the demand and supply experiment that can be modified to explore topics such as price controls, minimum wage, and taxes. Dr. Emerson emphasizes the importance of active learning and encourages educators to provide opportunities for students to engage with the material.
00:45:00 In this section, the speakers discuss three classroom experiments that demonstrate the value of trade, the concept of diminishing returns, and the importance of collecting data. The experiments aim to engage students and make economics more tangible by providing hands-on learning experiences. The speakers also address questions about the differences between BA and BS degrees in economics, and how to make economics more accessible to rural and low-income students who may not envision themselves as college students. The speakers highlight the importance of offering different types of economics programs and courses to cater to different student needs and interests.
00:50:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the potential impact of interventions, such as Active Learning and using data in classrooms, on underrepresented groups, such as bipod students and those from low-income backgrounds. The speaker acknowledges that the research is limited by the predominantly white institutions where it is conducted and the lack of diversity in student samples. However, the speaker cites a new paper that examines black students' experiences at historically black colleges or universities and predominantly white institutions, finding that black students at HBCUs are more likely to major in economics and that female black students are just as likely as male counterparts to persist in the major. The speaker suggests that interventions like visits to post-secondary schools and programs and mentorship opportunities can be helpful in exposing students to the college experience and encouraging them to pursue economics.
00:55:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of having diverse faculty members and encouraging them to share their stories with students. By doing so, students are able to identify with someone who they can relate to, regardless of their background. She also emphasizes the significance of reaching out to professors and attending seminars and talks. In addition, the speaker encourages students to tell their professors what they want to do and helps formulate a plan to achieve their goals. Lastly, the speaker shares the advice she gives to her daughter and her friends, which is to get to know their professors and understand that there are constraints in class that limit what can be discussed, but professors can offer valuable insights outside of the classroom.

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The speaker in the March 15, 2023 Speaker Series encourages everyone to play a role in empowering students to be the best they can be, regardless of their background. While acknowledging the value of mentors and advocates, she emphasizes that anyone can contribute to this effort. She also highlights the importance of improving financial literacy for Minnesotans and encourages others to find ways to help their students, reminding the audience of upcoming events, including a joint program on financial literacy legislation next month.