WOMEN HELPING WOMEN - ROLE-MODEL AND MENTORING EFFECTS ON FEMALE PHD STUDENTS IN ECONOMICS

One potential method to increase die success of female graduate studen ts in economics is to encourage mentoring relationships between these students and female faculty members, via increased hiring of female fa culty, or having female faculty serve as dissertation chairs for femal e students. This paper examines whether either of these strategies res ults in more successful outcomes for female graduate students, using s urvey information on female graduate students and faculties of Ph.D.-p roducing economics departments. The empirical evidence provides virtua lly no support for the hypothesis that initial job placements for fema le graduate students are improved by adding female faculty members, or by having a female dissertation chair. However, female facility membe rs appear to reduce time spent in graduate school by female students.