Economics Research Seminar – Dr Demid Getik

Title: Business Cycles and the Gender Gap in Educational Investment

Date: 19 November 2025

Time: 13:30- 14:30

Venue: NUBS.4.25

If you would like to attend, please register using the following link:

Business Cycles and the Gender Gap in Educational Investment

Speaker:         Dr Demid Getik

Demid Getik is an Assistant Professor in the Economics Department. He was previously a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy in Uppsala, Sweden, after completing his PhD at Lund University in 2022. In his research, Demid combines empirical and experimental methods to examine a broad array of topics in applied economics. Among others, these topics include occupational segregation, migration, and mental health.

Dr Demid Getik- Durham University Business School

Abstract:

We examine the role of economic conditions in the differences between men’s and women’s occupational and educational choices. To that end, we utilise the variation in exposure to local unemployment rates between siblings. We find that men do not increase their overall university attendance during recessions but are more likely to enter STEM fields. In contrast, women respond to recessions by increasing both university attendance and completion rates.

However, they do not shift toward fields with lower unemployment risks or higher earnings in spite of being academically prepared for more demanding degrees. The findings suggest lesser sensitivity to prospective degree returns of female students.