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Since December 1st till March 31 you can apply to our programs:
Master in Economic Research and PhD in Economics

Entry requirements are:
- BA / MA degree or equivalent
- Proficiency in spoken and written English
- Solid background in mathematics
- Previous education in economics is recommended

Your online application must content following documents:
- Curriculum vitae
- Statement of motivation
- Copies of your diplomas and transcripts
- Proof of English proficiency level
- Contact details for two (or max. three) referees (optional for MA applicants)

For more information please see sections: How to apply to MER or How to apply to PhD
In case of any question, please do not hesitate to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or see the FAQ sections for Master´s or Phd program.

We invite CERGE-EI students to a career lunch with representatives from Business & Professional Women CR. This platform fosters collaboration by connecting active women, their interests, companies, and expertise.

Prof. Fabian Waldinger

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany

Join online
Meeting number: 2744 329 5517
Meeting password: 634587

Authors: Ran Abramitzky, Lena Greska, Santiago Perez, Joseph Price, Carlo Schwarz and Fabian Waldinger

Abstract: We explore how socio-economic background shapes academia, collecting the largest dataset of US academics’ backgrounds and research output ever assembled. We find that individuals from poorer backgrounds are severely underrepresented and that representation varies widely across disciplines: more math-intensive disciplines exhibit higher representation. Representation also varies across universities, with particularly low representation at elite universities. While we find no differences in the average number of publications, academics from poorer backgrounds are more likely to both not publish at all and to have outstanding publication records, making them riskier hires. Furthermore, academics from poorer backgrounds introduce more novel scientific concepts but are less likely to receive recognition, as measured by citations and Nobel Prize nominations and awards. Finally, the father’s occupation affects discipline choice and, thus, the direction of research. Academics working in disciplines related to their father’s occupation (e.g., children of therapists who become medicine professors) are more productive.

Keywords: Academics, socio-economic background, Science, US census

Full Text: Climbing the Ivory Tower: How Socio-Economic Background Shapes Academia