As a woman in academia, I’ve always found it interesting that much of what I’ve learned stems from men. From the great scientific findings of Albert Einstein and classical economic observations of Adam Smith to the awakening of societal implications from exploitative systems by Marx. Not to say that their work wasn’t remarkable and effective, but I’ve always pondered on why women like Deirdre McCloskey and Hannah Arendt weren’t highlighted to a similar extent.
During my time at UCLA, I never once thought about how many female professors I had taken courses with. That was until I was reflecting in my final quarter on which courses would stick with me for years to come and which would remain on the natural backburner of my mind. Only having four female professors in my entire four years of undergraduate education, it’s funny that the teachings of two of them would constantly live in my mind. In my final quarter at UCLA, I had the honor of interviewing these two amazing professors about their experiences in the realm of academics.
Professor Adriana Lleras-Muney
Initially, when I enrolled in an economics upper division course titled “Intergenerational Poverty in America,” I was prepared to look at graphs and numbers with minimal connections to real-world examples. This preconceived notion was derived from the fact that this has been a common trend in many interesting-sounding economics classes, so I didn’t want to get my hopes up once again. But after taking this course with Professor Lleras-Muney, I was pleasantly surprised that I could actually apply data and graphs to news articles about the mobility of underprivileged populations around the world. Even when going back to interview Professor Lleras-Muney, her ability to pull data to support her own experience as a woman in academia was inspiring, especially as a woman in economics myself.
When discussing what led Professor Lleras-Muney to become a professor at UCLA, she emphasized that it has always been important to her to be able to support herself and not be dependent on others. She was always interested in different subjects in school, but ultimately her experience with seeing her mom and grandmother in difficult financial positions inspired an interest in why some countries are poor and others are rich, much like her home country of Colombia. Still curious about a multitude of academic topics, she found that economics was a great interdisciplinary area, as she would be able to utilize a variety of skills from math to history and psychology.
As I asked Professor Lleras-Muney if she has an inspiring female figure in her life, she pointed to her graduate school advisor. Her advisor wasn’t solely inspiring based on the fact that she was a woman, but more so because of her ability to simultaneously be tough, caring, and hopeful. Professor Lleras-Muney mentioned that when she initially started graduate school, she had moments where she wanted to give up and felt unprepared. It was a matter of chance that she ran into her advisor and was persuaded to change dissertation topics. Although there have been many men who have been influential in her career, this particular advisory was critical with difficult feedback and devoted a lot of time to assist Professor Lleras-Muney during that period of her education. Even after graduating 25 years ago, their friendship continues to grow. In a way, Professor Lleras-Muney feels that desire to pass forward the same goodness to her own students that her advisor showed her (and I definitely received this essence from taking Econ 133 with her).
“Saying words are one thing, but devoting time is another level of dedication.”
-Professor Adriana Lleras-Muney
Finally, when asked about progress she’s seen for women in academia over time, Professor Lleras-Muney says that in economics, growth has occurred, but it has not been significant at all. She explained that data from the American Economics Association reveals a “leaky pipeline” for women in economics. Although women now graduate from higher education at overall higher rates, progress specifically within economics has been much slower. Even by 2024, women only made up about 18% of full-time senior professors like Professor Lleras-Muney herself, which reflects how the field continues to be male-dominated. Throughout her four years as an elected member of the American Economics Association, she saw that efforts were actively being made to strengthen the pipeline through high school economics education, mentorship programs, and initiatives addressing discrimination. However, while there has been meaningful progress in the recognition of these disparities, the improvements have not yet been reflected in the numbers.
“This report is disappointing. Despite occasional signs of progress in women’s representation in economics, the pattern in recent years – and most of the twenty-first century to date – has been stagnation.”
– American Economics Association 2024 Report
Professor Natasha Piano
I’ve had the opportunity to take not only one prerequisite political science course with Professor Piano, but also an upper division course. Her complex and detailed analysis of political philosophy often intimidates her students, but I personally have a great appreciation for a challenge. Professor Piano brought life to an array of philosophers from Hobbes and Rousseau to Nietzsche and DuBois. From taking her courses, I not only felt empowered as a woman in academia but also well-versed in political theory to a point where I can apply complex notions from the past to political and ethical disputes of today. Not to mention, I aspire to have Professor Piano’s sense of fashion, as she never failed to dress in the most chic outfits for class!
When I asked Professor Piano about what led her to become a professor at UCLA, she began by explaining how she initially thought studying political theory was simply a passion and not a part of her career path. However, as she continued to immerse herself in the realm of political theory for around 20 years, she realized that it was not only a passion but also a vocation. Professor Piano was specifically interested in theory, because many people don’t truly know what political theory is, especially in California. She took it upon herself to spread knowledge on such an underutilized topic and aspires to make it accessible, as it speaks to so many different individuals. As someone who was not familiar with political theory prior to my time at UCLA, I can assure you that Professor Piano’s teachings on political theory provided me with the key to unlock an entirely new perspective of politics and society in general today.
Moreover, when asked what progress she’s seen for women in academia over time, Professor Piano believed that, “although there’s been incredible progress, we’ve barely scratched the surface.” She spoke about her personal experience as a woman in academia, where she’s had to overcome obstacles and make difficult decisions in the process. As a mother, Professor Piano explained how progress for women in academia is increasingly difficult because it can feel as if they have to choose between family and pursuing their passion. But Professor Piano revealed that progress even in that matter exists, as she is both a mom and professional. So although there has been great progress for this group, it’s more implicit than explicit in the sense that as individual women there has been great movement away from the “traditional” role in society, but as a group, mobilization toward a greater presence in academia is still limited.
As we spoke about women who have inspired her career path and life in general, Professor Piano was quick to name a few influential figures. Of course, her mom and grandmother have been a huge inspirations in her life, as she learned everything from them. She described this relationship as “a continual chain that puts in another bead in feminist thinking.” As a mom herself, Professor Piano hopes to be this bead for her own daughter and build on this chain for generations to come. Another great inspiration to her is Hana Arednt. Although Arednt never explicitly utilized the word “feminist” in her work or identified with an “ism” because of identity politics, she implicitly modeled herself in that aspect within her approach. As a female political scientist, Arendt made it a priority to practice the method that feminism engenders, which has been inspiring to Professor Piano.
“You’ll have times in life where you need to transport yourself to another time or place with other people, interpreting great texts is a way to embody this experience.”
-Professor Natasha Piano
Lastly, I was interested in what Professor Piano hopes that students take away from her classes beyond the academic content. She began by stating, “I believe that we are all political theorists.” She believes that her job is to use classic texts to tune out noise of everyday life and help students read the message inscribed in their hearts. Most importantly, she wants students to take away the value of community, as human relations lead to a greater understanding of the world around oneself. Taking classes with Professor Piano have definitely inspired me to expand my horizons and keep an open mind when interpreting classic texts and applying them to the world around me. Her teachings were not only inspiring to me, but also among the most transformative experiences in my time at UCLA.
Overall, Professor Lleras-Muney and Professor Piano are just two of the many amazing female professors in the world. As the years go on, I have hope that society will be able to lean into the implicit matriarchal aspects of society. Women in academia, such as Professor Lleras-Muney and Professor Piano, are the glimmering stars that so many female students, such as myself, reach for as they work through their education. I am honored to have had the opportunity to receive the fruits of their labor as women in academia by sitting in their classrooms. Just as both professors named women who influenced their lives and career paths, I can assure you that both of these names will live on in my own list of inspiring individuals.