Claudia Goldin

Claudia Goldin is Claudia Goldin is the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University and holds the Lee and Ezpeleta Professorship of Arts & Sciences. She is a Nobel Prize–winning economist recognized for her pioneering research in labor economics and economic history. Her book “Understanding the Gender Gap” examines the structural and social factors influencing women’s participation in the workforce, identifying a U-shaped pattern in female labor market involvement linked to economic transitions and evolving societal norms. Drawing on extensive historical data, her work has fundamentally advanced the understanding of gender disparities in labor markets.

Goldin was awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for her groundbreaking research on women’s labor market outcomes, becoming the first woman to receive the prize solo and only the third woman ever honored in economics. She has served as president of both the American Economic Association and the Economic History Association, and as director of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s Development of the American Economy program, as well as co-director of its Gender in the Economy working group. Her honors also include the Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics and the Society for Progress Medal, along with multiple Richard A. Lester Prizes.

Goldin’s research explores persistent gender gaps in earnings and employment, particularly following childbirth within the same occupations, challenging longstanding assumptions and informing policy discussions in labor economics. Through initiatives such as the Undergraduate Women in Economics Challenge and frequent public engagement, she continues to shape conversations around gender, work, and economic policy.