Remote talks: changes to economics seminars during Covid-19

This paper analyzes the consequences of the change in the presentation mode of economics seminars triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The composition of seminar speakers changed significantly. The leading economists gained shares. The share of seminars held by women also increased. The geography of knowledge dis-semination shifted significantly as the distance between host and speaker institutions increased on average by 32 percent. The growing inequality in presentations among speakers is correlated with an increase in inequality in terms of citations. The results imply that virtual presentations instead of traveling can decrease gender-specific in-equality and increase inequality by productivity in the profession