Shelley’s research seeks to uncover the social psychological processes that reproduce gender inequality. In particular, she studies how gendered expectations shape the everyday experiences of women and men in work and educational settings, thereby reproducing existing patterns of gender inequality, such as the gender segregation of paid work or the wage penalty experienced by mothers. Throughout her work, she illuminates how gender inequality persists in the face of larger societal changes and suggests how organizations might intervene to reduce gender inequalities.