FBK-IRVAPP Award named after Beniamino Andreatta – Federica Meluzzi wins 2026 Edition
The winner of the 2026 edition, Federica Meluzzi, carried out the study titled “The College Melting Pot: Peers, Culture and Women’s Job Search” which examines gender inequalities at the beginning of professional careers. The research focuses in particular on how interaction during university studies with classmates from areas characterized by greater gender equality can positively influence female students’ expectations and job choices.
“This year,” said FBK-IRVAPP Director Mirco Tonin, “we received more than fifty submissions from researchers at universities across the United States, Europe, and Italy. The winning study uses AlmaLaurea data in a scientifically rigorous way to analyze women’s lower participation in the labor market — a pressing issue in Italy — and highlights the role of cultural factors. The award aims to promote a stronger culture of public policy evaluation in order to make policies increasingly effective, and this year’s winning study is an excellent example of the knowledge and insight from which society can greatly benefit.”
Federica Meluzzi will present her research during “Panel Data for Causal Research Designs”, an advanced summer school on public policy evaluation for PhD students, researchers, and professionals organized by FBK-IRVAPP in collaboration with the Italian Econometric Association (SIdE-IEA). The program will take place from June 29 to July 3, 2026, at the University Residential Center of Bertinoro (FC).