Although there has been notable advancement in gender equality and especially in earnings in recent decades, referred to as the "Grand Gender Convergence" (Goldin, C., 2014), progress has slowed down in recent years, particularly since the 1990s (England, P., Livine, A., Mishel, E., 2020). Recent economic research has identified potential areas of inquiry to determine the cause of this concerning slowdown, such as gendered educational choices and the "motherhood penalty" (Bertrand, 2020). Examining these two avenues is vital in order to comprehend the next steps needed to close the gender gap and attain equality, as well as to advocate for the appropriate institutional changes and cultivate an egalitarian society (England, P., Livine, A., Mishel, E., 2020).
Our team has been actively addressing the issue by examining these two "pain points" (Bertrand, 2020). Research conducted by our members on programs aimed at closing the gender gap in STEM fields suggests that well-designed interventions can encourage women to pursue careers in these traditionally male-dominated fields, ultimately reducing the long-term gender gap (Contreras, V., 2022, Suteau, M., Draft forthcoming). Other studies have concentrated on the state of the labor market, specifically in the field of economics (Sevilla, A., Smith, S., 2020; Hengel, E. Bateman, V., 2022). In addition, our members have established a comprehensive research agenda to examine the division of labor within households and the impact on mothers' careers, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic (Amuedo-Dorantes, C., Marcén, M., Morales, M., Sevilla, A., 2020; Andrews et al., 2020).