Research & Projects
Working Papers
“Fracking Boom and Respiratory Health: Evidence from Texas” (Job Market Paper) (Completed, Slides available on request)
Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of fracking (shale oil and gas) on respiratory health conditions, using data from Texas and a continuous difference-in-difference design. I find that compared to a county with the 25th percentile of the reserves and comparing post to pre fracking periods, a county with the 75th percentile of the reserves has 0.76 (5.31) more asthma (general respiratory disease) hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, which is a 0.82% (0.55%) increase compared to the average. These impacts are the largest for children and teenage. By back-of-envelop calculation, the fracking boom brought approximately 15,000 extra asthma hospitalizations and 103,000 extra respi- ratory disease hospitalizations to fracking counties in Texas between 2005 and 2014. I explore three channels to explain the mechanisms of these findings: migration, air pollution, and water pollution. Air and water pollution channels are consistent with the health impact, while migration is not.
"Measuring the Co-benefits of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technology" (Joint with Andrew Waxman and Sheila Olmstead) (Completed, Draft/Slides available on request)
Abstract: This project uses a regression discontinuity design to measure the effects of carbon capture, utilization and storage technology on the local air quality. We find little evidence that the current 5 carbon capture facilities have brought positive impacts to air quality of the local communities.
"Effects of 'Tampon Tax' Repeal: Evidence from Illinois” (Completed, Draft/Slides available on request)
Abstract: This paper uses a difference-in-difference design with a synthetic control method and Nielsen Retailer Scanner Data to examine the effects of removing the "tampon tax" on women's purchase behaviors and grocery pricing responses in Illinois. The results show a 5.6% increase in sanitary napkin sales, but there is no significant effect on tampon sales. Furthermore, after this tax change, tampon prices also increase by around 1%. These results imply that removing the "tampon tax" benefits women in terms of satisfying the demand, but some of the tax benefits are shared on the market's supply side.
Working in Progress
"Pay Transparency and Firms' Job Posting Behaviors: Evidence from the U.S. Equal Pay Transparency Laws"
Abstract: Since 2021, a couple of states passed laws that request the disclosure of salary range on job postings. This project examines the casual impacts of these laws on firms’ job posting behaviors. I scraped a unique dataset from Indeed websites’ job postings. This dataset records job postings of the 25 most common jobs appeared on Indeed, including both blue-collar jobs and white-collar jobs. The preliminary results show that these laws increase the share of online job postings from about 40% to 98% and slightly increase the accuracy of salary information given in the job postings.
"Long-term Trends in Healthcare Cost and Utilization after Treatment of Major Depression Disorder: A Longitudinal Cohort Study" (Joint with Anton L.V. Avanceña and Hanwen Zhang)
"Racial and Geographical Inequality of Covid Disruption in HPV Vaccination" (Joint with Jennifer Spencer)
"The Impacts of Naloxone Access Laws on Self-reported Pain Reliever Overdose Behaviors" (Joint with Linqi Zhang)