Beyond Nature and Nurture: Exploring early choices and genetic influences on school outcomes

In conversations about educational achievement, questions about what shapes our life outcomes persist. This event, with speakers Anusha Nath of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve and Aldo Rustichini of the University of Minnesota, attempts to identify whether genetics or life choices hold more weight in the direction of our lives. 

This event will explore educational achievement and outcomes using two new working papers that employ significantly different data sources in an attempt to answer the same questions: 

1. What affects differences in educational attainment and income? 

2. At what point does race and gender matter?

Anusha Nath:
Racial and Gender Differences in School-College-Career Paths

When - and why - do racial and gender wage gaps start? How do choices we make as teenagers and young adults impact our earning potential as we enter the labor market? Using Minnesota-specific longitudinal data, we can quantify how different choices made in our formative years may impact racial and gender wage gaps upon entering the labor force. Knowing what choices are being made, and when, allows us to better understand the policy options for addressing these gaps.

Aldo Rustichini: 
Nature versus nurture for education and income

What's the role of nature versus nurture for intergenerational mobility and inequality of social outcomes, such as education and income? If a polygenic score can tell us our genetic risk factors for diseases, could it tell us anything about our genetic risk factors for social outcomes? And what are the policy implications? 

This event is moderated by Michael C. Rodriguez, dean of the College of Education and Human Development and is hosted by the Heller-Hurwicz Economic Institute. 

A reception will follow the event with catering by Kafe 421 and beverage service by With a Twist.