Claudia Goldin

Claudia Goldin serves as the Samuel W. Morris University Professor, the Lee and Ezpeleta Professor of Arts and Sciences, and the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University in the Business & Economics faculty. She earned her B.A. from Cornell University in 1967 and her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago in 1972. Goldin joined the Harvard faculty in 1990 as the first woman to receive tenure in the Department of Economics and was appointed Samuel W. Morris University Professor, one of Harvard's highest distinctions, in 2025. Her career includes leadership positions such as President of the American Economic Association in 2013, President of the Economic History Association in 1999-2000, and co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research's Development of the American Economy program and Gender in the Economy group.

Goldin's research in labor economics and economic history examines women's labor market outcomes, including participation rates, earnings gaps, and career-family tradeoffs over centuries. She demonstrated that married women's labor force participation declined with the shift from agrarian to industrial economies in the 19th century but rose with service sector growth in the 20th century, influenced by structural changes and evolving social norms on family roles. For providing the first comprehensive account of these dynamics, she received the 2023 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Key publications include "Understanding the Gender Gap: An Economic History of American Women" (1990), "The Race between Education and Technology" (2008, with Lawrence F. Katz), "Women Working Longer: Increased Employment at Older Ages" (edited with Lawrence F. Katz, 2018), and "Career & Family: Women's Century-Long Journey toward Equity" (2021). Additional honors encompass the 2026 Talcott Parsons Prize for Social Scientists and selection as one of TIME magazine's Women of the Year. Goldin's scholarship has profoundly shaped understandings of gender in the economy, influencing academic fields and policy discussions on workforce equity.

Professional Email: cgoldin@harvard.edu