Address for correspondence:

Age effects in scientific production are a consolidated stylised fact in the literature. At the level of scientist productivity declines with age following a predictable pattern. The problem of the impact of age structure on scientific productivity at the level of institutes is much less explored. The paper examines evidence from the Italian National Research Council. The path of hiring of junior researchers along the history of the institution is reconstructed. We find that age structure has a depressing effect on productivity and derive policy implications. The dynamics of growth of research institutes is introduced as a promising research field. Age effects in scientific production The existence of age effects in scientific production is one of the few consolidated stylised facts in the economics and sociology of science. The decline of scientific productivity with age may depend on a variety of factors. On one hand, as time goes by the initial differences among scientists in individual productivity get larger. Most theories of scientific productivity postulate a stochastic and cumulative mechanism1 or a Matthew effect,2 whereby those that gain recognition initially in their careers receive reward and resources, which will be used to carry ou