Tania Hutt Cabello, a researcher at the Millennium Nucleus for the Study of Labor Market Mismatches (LM²C²), has been awarded the Kathleen Christensen Dissertation Award, one of the most prestigious work and family studies honors. The award is presented annually by the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN), based in the United States.

This distinction is given to the best doctoral dissertation that makes a substantial interdisciplinary contribution to understanding the relationship between work and family life. Named after pioneering American sociologist Kathleen Christensen, the award recognizes outstanding research in telework, work-family balance, and workplace flexibility. WFRN is a globally respected academic network that gathers researchers from multiple disciplines to explore how labor dynamics affect personal and family well-being.

A New Dimension of the Motherhood Penalty
Hutt's award-winning dissertation, completed at the Department of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is titled "A New Dimension of the Motherhood Penalty: Perceptions of Future Childbearing Risk" and is available in the university's digital repository (view thesis here).

Combining experimental studies and qualitative analysis, the research introduces a new perspective on workplace discrimination against women—not only based on their status as mothers but on the mere expectation that they might become mothers. The study finds that employers tend to perceive certain women—based on age, marital status, or race/ethnicity—as carrying a "future childbearing risk," associating them with higher costs and lower commitment. These perceptions result in reduced employment opportunities.

One of the most striking findings is that this penalty is even more pronounced for women who are already mothers and are seen as likely to have another child. The effect is most potent in organizations where parental leave imposes higher economic or operational costs—highlighting how public policies promoting work-life balance, if not accompanied by cultural change in the workplace, may unintentionally reinforce gender inequities.

Recognition of Research with Social Impact
This international recognition affirms Hutt's research's methodological rigor and conceptual innovation. It highlights the broader mission of LM²C² in Chile: to understand the structural mismatches in labor markets, address gender gaps, and inform evidence-based public policy design.