https://9p7pzq3jbl.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/ProdStage Skip to main content
Publications
Advanced Search

View metadata

dc.titleThe Gender Gap in Public S&T Funding: The Matilda Effect in STEM Disciplines in Argentina
dc.contributor.authorFiorentin, Florencia
dc.contributor.authorPereira, Mariano
dc.contributor.authorSuárez, Diana
dc.contributor.orgunitCompetitiveness, Technology and Innovation Division
dc.coverageArgentina
dc.coverageSouth America
dc.coverageLatin America and the Caribbean
dc.coverageLatin America
dc.date.available2022-01-11T00:01:00
dc.date.issue2022-01-11T00:01:00
dc.description.abstractThis study explores the presence of gender bias in public grants for science and technology (S&T) activities known as the Matilda effect in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in Argentina. The empirical analysis is based on the Scientific and Technological Research Projects program (PICT in Spanish) for the period 20032015 and found that female researchers are less likely to be awarded the first time they apply for a research grant than their male counterparts (-6.2 percentage points, or p.p.). Even for follow-on applications after the first one, without having been awarded before, female researchers remain less likely to be awarded (-3.8 p.p.). However, the probability of being recurrently awarded known as the Matthew effect is the same for both male and female researchers. This paper concludes that female researchers in STEM suffer disadvantages in the allocation of public funds to finance their research projects. Only those female researchers that overcome the initial barriers and obtain their first grant can take advantage, as their male counterparts do, of the Matthew effect that makes them more likely to obtain further awards. These results suggest the need for policies aiming at reducing the initial gender gap in accessing public grants for female researchers in STEM.
dc.format.extent41
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0004017
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/The-Gender-Gap-in-Public-ST-Funding-The-Matilda-Effect-in-STEM-Disciplines-in-Argentina.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectWomen
dc.subjectGender Bias
dc.subjectWomen in Science
dc.subjectSTEM Education
dc.subjectGender
dc.subjectGender Gap
dc.subjectGender Discrimination
dc.subjectProductivity
dc.subject.jelcodeN46 - Latin America • Caribbean
dc.subject.jelcodeO31 - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
dc.subject.keywordsMatthew effect;Matilda effect;gender bias;STEM;S&T grants;Argentina
dc.typeWorking Papers
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-WP-01267
idb.operationRG-E1644
Return to Publication