Gender (Still) Matters

Prof. Yeşim Orhun will first present findings that document systematic gender performance differences (GPD) at a top business school using a unique administrative data set and survey of students and discuss possible reasons driving these differences. Results indicate that a female instructor significantly cuts down GPD for quantitative courses by raising the relative grades of female students. In addition, female instructors increase women’s interest and performance expectations in these courses and are perceived as role models by their female students. These results provide support for a gender stereotype process for GPD and show that faculty can serve as powerful exemplars to challenge gender stereotypes and increase student achievement. Prof. Orhun will then briefly overview her current work exploring gender inequities in higher education, health, and labor contexts.