She is currently on leave from Bocconi University, where she holds a position as Assistant Professor. Katja received her Ph.D. from Stanford University in 2008 and has held visiting positions at the Harvard Kennedy School, NBER, Princeton University, Stanford University and Yale University since then. In 2009, she received the Bocconi University Research Prize (€7500) and in 2010 she was awarded the CESifo Distinguished Affiliate Award for the Economics of Education.