I'm an applied microeconomist interested in how institutions and public policies shape people's lives, particularly when their effects extend beyond what policymakers intended. Much of my work examines how major policy and institutional changes interact with existing inequalities, cultural norms, and political structures. My work has appeared or is forthcoming in Labour Economics, Economic Inquiry, and China Economic Journal.
Before pursuing my Ph.D. in economics, I spent eight years teaching and advising university students. I came to economics with earlier training in engineering, management, and finance, as well as experience in the business world. Long before that, I wanted to be an architect, while my Chinese teachers thought I should become a writer. Economics turned out to leave room for both instincts: I spend much of my time building arguments, telling stories with evidence, and making sure the structure holds.
Outside economics, I enjoy working out, visiting museums, admiring architecture, and reading zhiguai, classical Chinese tales of the strange and supernatural. I have a surprisingly good tennis backhand, although the forehand is another story, and a suspiciously strong record in spicy-food challenges.