Two UPF Economics and Business Professors have been selected as finalists in Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia's 2016 Science Award contest. Research projects by Profs. Rosa Ferrer and Luigi Pascali were among the eight finalist studies, which this year included research from the fields of biomedicine, biology, economics, and physics.

La Vanguardia's annual science competition highlights advances by Spanish-based researchers, with readers of the newspaper able to vote online for their favorite research project of the year. Public voting will count towards choosing a winner, with the outcome of the 2016 award to be announced in early March 2017.

The two projects involving UPF Department of Economics and Business faculty are:

• Gender gaps in performance: Evidence from young lawyers (Por qué se mantiene la brecha entre sexos), Rosa Ferrer (UPF and Barcelona GSE, joint with Ghazala Azmat, Science Po)
• The wind of change: Maritime technology, trade and economic development (Vencedores y víctimas de la globalización), Luigi Pascali (UPF and Barcelona GSE)

Prof. Ferrer's study, conducted together with Ghazala Azmat of Science Po in Paris, investigated gender performance indicators to better understand why wage gaps and professional discrepancies exist between men and women. The study focused on the US Bar Association, which keeps data on annual performance, compensation, and promotion of lawyers. The results, which the researchers consider applicable to other professions and other countries, show that the differences between men and women persist even when there is no evidence of discrimination. Discrepancies can be mainly attributed to two factors: motherhood, as having small children tends to affect mothers' career more than fathers'; and differences between the professional aspirations of men and women. Click here to view La Vanguardia's page on "Gender gaps in performance: Evidence from young lawyers".

In Prof. Pascali's research, changes in global freight transport routes stemming from steamboats replacing sailboats after 1870 were analysed. The results allowed Prof. Pascali to examine the effects of trade on the economic development of the different countries around the first great era of globalisation. Contrary to expectations, he found that globalisation as a whole does not favour short-term economic development, but benefits some countries while harming others. The wealth of countries with mature democracies and efficient judicial systems was increased, while the economies of authoritarian regimes were harmed by globalisation. Find out more about "The wind of change: Maritime technology, trade and economic development".

To vote for your favorite research project, visit the official contest voting page. Voting is open until the end of February, and no registration is needed in order to vote. Public votes will be weighted as 50% of the award decision, with the remaining 50% determined by a scientific advisory panel. Results will be announced by the newspaper in March.

Click here to read more about the latest research from the UPF Department of Economics and Business.