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 share of seminars held by women increased. Several indicators of speaker productivity show that speakers at the top of the distribution also gained shares. The geography of knowledge dissemination shifted significantly as the distance between host and speaker institutions increased on average by 32 percent. The results imply that the opportunity to offer virtual presentations instead of traveling to deliver in-person presentations can decrease gender-specific inequality and increase inequality in favor of the “stars” within the profession.