From the Ivory Tower to Capitol Hill: Which Academics Get a Voice in Congress?

Examining economic academics' engagement with public policymakers, this paper investigates the impact of technological changes on the composition of expert witnesses, in the context of testimony before the U.S. Congress. Utilizing a COVID-19 related policy change in Congress we show that technological tools reducing the opportunity costs for certain demographic groups changed the composition of witnesses significantly. We document that female economists have historically been underrepresented in this form of academic engagement but have seen an upward trend as their representation in the broader field increased. After the implementation of online hearings, women were significantly more likely to give testimony, compared to men. The results also show that while overall, the geography and institutional status of expert witnesses did not change, an increase in the probability of female economists from these groups is documented. Our results imply that digital tools promoting flexibility can alleviate disparities in high-impact dissemination by academics, which in turn can increase policymakers' access to high-quality researchers with a diverse pool of ideas, perspectives, and knowledge.