Jiayuan Wang

I am a PhD candidate at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington. My advisor is Dr. Isabelle Cohen.

I currently work in two research areas, primarily using causal inference methods:

Social demography. I study how public policies and investments shape fertility behavior across different contexts, including how property taxation affects fertility differently across socioeconomic groups in the United States, and how education and contraceptives expansion can change fertility patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Behavioral foundations of empowerment. I am interested in change that can transform the categories through which we understand ourselves and others. I have explored this on projects relating to identity, counter-stereotyping and gendered language.

Prior to starting my doctorate, I worked at UN Women in Beijing as a research consultant. I completed a master's degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor's degree in philosophy and politics at the University of Edinburgh.

I am happy to connect over email.