Episode 20: Amitabh Chandra and the productivity of scientists
Description
We had the pleasure to record an episode with Amitabh Chandra. We discuss his working paper "Productivity Differences in Fundamental Life-Sciences Discovery" co-authored with Connie Xu. The aim of the paper is to research whether a life scientist's university has an effect on their productivity. To answer this question, they first attempt to measure a scientist's productivity, and then use a movers design to estimate the causal effect of the university on productivity. We end the episode with a conversation about what makes a research idea worth pursuing as well as the purpose and art of presentations.
Guest: Amitabh Chandra (Professor at Harvard)
Hosts: Prithviraj Basumallik and Fanny Tallgren
Timestamps:
(4:45 ) Beginning of the discussion of working paper
(14:38 ) The results of the paper
(19:17 ) Movers design used to estimate the causal effect
(28:00 ) What makes a research idea worth pursuing?
(36:36 ) The purpose and art of presentations
United States
