Dr Leonora Risse is an economist with interest and expertise in gender equality, labour economics, economic psychology, demographic and population economics, education, disadvantage and wellbeing.
Her research focuses on understanding gender differences in economic opportunities and outcomes. This includes understanding the gender pay gap, women’s participation in the workforce, women’s under-representation in leadership, and the role of attitudes, personality traits and societal norms.
Leonora earned her PhD in Economics from the University of Queensland, and gained public policy experience working as a Senior Research Economist for the Australian Government Productivity Commission.
Leonora is a Research Fellow with the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia (WLIA) and spent time in residence at Harvard University as a Research Fellow with the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) in the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She formerly held a Vice-Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at RMIT University and is now appointed as a Lecturer in Economics at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
Leonora has been actively involved in establishing the Women in Economics Network (WEN) in Australia, and engages regularly with public audiences, government, industry and community groups on gender equality issues and applying a gender lens to policy design.
Leonora was named among Apolitical’s 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy globally in 2020.
RECENT contributions
Pursuing gender equality in the workforce – What does the research say? And what gets in the way?
In a ‘she-cession’, we can’t rely on ‘he-covery’ policy fixes
Women and leadership during a crisis
Undervalued and unseen: Australia’s COVID-19 frontline workforce
Leaning in: Is higher confidence the key to women’s career advancement?
Does confidence really advance women’s careers?
Do gender gaps in confidence explain gender gaps in pay?
Do women have to do more than men to prove themselves in the workplace?
Moderating the 2019 Australian Gender Economics Workshop Policy Symposium with Lisa Annese (Diversity Council Australia), Trish Bergin (Office for Women), Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP (Shadow Assistant Treasurer) and Professor Helen Hodgson (Curtin University; National Foundation for Australian Women)
Qualifications
PhD in Economics, University of Queensland (2008)
Bachelor of Economics (Honours Class I), University of Queensland (2002)
Bachelor of Arts (Majors in English and Journalism), University of Queensland (2001)
Current appointments & affiliations
Lecturer in Economics, RMIT University (2020-present)
Research Fellow, Women’s Leadership Institute Australia (WLIA) (2021)
Research Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP), Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (2019-2020)
Women in Economics Network (WEN)
Economic Society of Australia (ESA)
ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (LCC)
National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW)
Gender Equity Victoria (GenVic)
American Economic Association (AEA)
Pursuing gender equality in the workforce – What does the research say? And what gets in the way?
