Air Pollution and Cognition in Children: Evidence from National Tests in Denmark (Joint with Timo Hener, Marianne Simonsen, and Lars Skipper) (Journal of Human Resources)
Abstract: This paper examines the effects of daily outdoor air pollution variation on student test scores. Using Danish register data for all elementary and lower secondary students, we link home addresses to a 1 km x 1 km pollution grid to measure test day and lifetime pollution exposure. An increase in fine particles (PM2.5) from a very clean to an average day reduces math scores by 1.8% and reading scores by 0.9% of a standard deviation. Even at low pollution levels, student performance is harmed, especially in math. We find no evidence of heterogeneity by health, socio-economic status, or lifetime exposure 

Toxic Air and Troubled Minds: The Effect of In-utero Exposure to Air Pollution on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Joint with Marius Opstrup Morthorst)

Abstract: We study the impact of in-utero exposure to air pollution on infant and mental health in a low-pollution setting. Identification relies on a sibling comparison to address concerns about endogenous exposure to pollution. We leverage high-resolution pollution data on PM2.5 linked to Danish administrative registers. In-utero exposure modestly reduces birth weight and length. It also increases the probability of an ADHD diagnosis in childhood, with effects concentrated in the third trimester and evident by age eight. We find evidence of an inflammatory response, as exposure increases the risk of pregnancy-related hypertension. Results highlight persistent impacts of early-life pollution exposure. 

Seasonal Temperatures and Tests Scores in Primary Schools: Evidence from Denmark (Joint with Timo Hener)