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Invisible Geniuses: Could the Knowledge Frontier Advance Faster?

Author

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  • Ruchir Agarwal
  • Patrick Gaulé

Abstract

The advancement of the knowledge frontier is crucial for technological innovation and human progress. Using novel data from the setting of mathematics, this paper establishes two results. First, we document that individuals who demonstrate exceptional talent in their teenage years have an irreplaceable ability to create new ideas over their lifetime, suggesting that talent is a central ingredient in the production of knowledge. Second, such talented individuals born in low- or middle-incomecountries are systematically less likely to become knowledge producers. Our findings suggest that policies to encourage exceptionally-talented youth to pursue scientific careers–especially those from lower income countries–could accelerate the advancement of the knowledge frontier.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruchir Agarwal & Patrick Gaulé, 2018. "Invisible Geniuses: Could the Knowledge Frontier Advance Faster?," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp634, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    • Handle: RePEc:cer:papers:wp634
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    Cited by:

    1. Ran Abramitzky & Lena Greska & Santiago Pérez & Joseph Price & Carlo Schwarz & Fabian Waldinger, 2024. "Climbing the Ivory Tower: How Socio-Economic Background Shapes Academia," NBER Working Papers 33289, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Fry, Caroline V. & Lynham, John & Tran, Shannon, 2023. "Ranking researchers: Evidence from Indonesia," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(5).
    3. Tolga Yuret, 2024. "Career paths of the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) medalists," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(6), pages 3469-3491, June.
    4. Baselgia, Enea & Foellmi, Reto, 2022. "Inequality and Growth: A Review on a Great Open Debate in Economics," CEPR Discussion Papers 17483, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Kyle R. Myers & Lauren Lanahan & Evan E. Johnson, 2025. "Small Business Innovation Applied to National Needs," NBER Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, volume 5, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Agarwal, Ruchir & Ganguli, Ina & Gaule, Patrick & Smith, Geoff, 2021. "Why U.S. Immigration Barriers Matter for the Global Advancement of Science," IZA Discussion Papers 14016, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Corsini, Alberto & Pezzoni, Michele & Visentin, Fabiana, 2022. "What makes a productive Ph.D. student?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(10).
    8. Elias Einio & Josh Feng & Xavier Jaravel, 2022. "Social push and the direction of innovation," CEP Discussion Papers dp1861, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    9. Ruchir Agarwal & Patrick Gaule & Yuyan Jiang, 2025. "Finding Young Einsteins: Olympiads and STEM Talent Discovery," GTF Working Papers 2501, Global Talent Fund.
    10. Fabio Bertolotti & Kyle R. Myers & Wei Yang Tham, 2025. "Productivity Beliefs and Efficiency in Science," NBER Working Papers 34000, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Agarwal, Ruchir & Ganguli, Ina & Gaulé, Patrick & Smith, Geoff, 2023. "Why U.S. immigration matters for the global advancement of science," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    12. Alexeev, Michael & Natkhov, Timur & Polishchuk, Leonid, 2024. "Institutions, abilities, and the allocation of talent: Evidence from Russian regions," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 271-296.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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