Patricia Cortes

Patricia Cortes is a Professor in the Markets, Public Policy, and Law department at Boston University's Questrom School of Business, where she holds the position of Dean's Research Scholar. Her research focuses on labor economics with particular emphasis on gender disparities, immigration effects, and occupational segregation in labor markets.

Education:

• PhD, MIT, 2006
• MA, Universidad de los Andes – Bogota, Colombia, 2000
• BA, Universidad de los Andes – Bogota, Colombia, 1998

Professor Cortes' research examines the intersection of gender, labor markets, and economic policy. Her work investigates how social norms affect women's labor force participation, how automation impacts gender-based occupational segregation, and how immigration influences native women's labor supply through changes in household production. Through both theoretical and empirical approaches, including field and laboratory experiments, she has made significant contributions to understanding the persistent gender gaps in earnings and career progression, particularly for highly skilled women. Her research often employs innovative methodologies to isolate causal mechanisms behind observed labor market phenomena.

Her recent publications (2023-2024) demonstrate a continued focus on gender economics, with particular attention to maternal employment decisions, the impact of social norms on work attitudes, and the relationship between automation and occupational gender segregation. Cortes frequently collaborates with researchers like Jessica Pan, and her work appears in top economics journals including the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economics and Statistics, and Journal of Economic Literature. Her 2023 publication 'Children and the Remaining Gender Gaps in the Labor Market' in the Journal of Economic Literature provides a comprehensive survey of this critical area.

Professional Activities:

Professor Cortes actively presents her research at major academic institutions worldwide, with numerous speaking engagements in 2024 at institutions including Cornell University, the University of Tokyo, Columbia University, and the National Intelligence Committee Conference on Gender and National Security. Her Google Scholar profile indicates an h-index of 23 with over 3,860 citations, reflecting the significant impact of her scholarship in labor economics and gender studies.