Research
Publications
Long-term Impacts of Early Adversity on Subjective Well-being: Evidence from the Chinese Great Famine. (with Liyan Wang and Maoliang Ye). 2025. [PDF]
Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 230: 106905.
Cleaner Waters and Urbanization. (with Jeremy West). 2023. [PDF]
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 122: 102874.
Donations make people happier: Evidence from the Wenchuan earthquake. (with Maoliang Ye). 2017. [SSRN version]
Social Indicators Research,132(1): 517-536. [Pre-doctoral Publication]. Cited by：
Helliwell, John F., Haifang Huang, and Shun Wang. “The Social Foundations of World Happiness.” World Happiness Report 2017: 8.
Losing children and mental well-being: evidence from China. (with Maoliang Ye). 2017. [SSRN version]
Applied Economics Letters, 24(12): 868-877. [Pre-doctoral Publication]
Automated ICD Coding Based on Word Embedding with Entry Embedding and Attention Mechanism. (with Hongke Zhang, Zhenxin Fu, Hui Xu, Dongyan Zhao, Rui Yan). 2020.
Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Pekinensis, 24(12): 868-877. [Non-econ Publication].
Working Papers
Permission to Build: Climate Risk and Property Tax Revenue. 2025. Job Market Paper. [PDF]
Abstract: This paper examines the effects of state-level building codes on housing development in wildfire-prone areas of California. Using a spatial regression discontinuity design around regulatory boundaries, I find a significant decrease in housing development and taxable property value in regulated areas. Next, I examine why state intervention is necessary, given that climate adaptation is typically implemented by local governments. I propose a conceptual model that illustrates how the perverse incentive to gain property tax revenue can lead to a distortion in the decision making of local governments. Empirically testing the model, I find that the effects of the state regulation are larger where local jurisdictions have a higher dependency on property tax revenue. The study results shed light more generally on the challenges of climate adaptation (e.g. managed retreat) when property tax incentives may create inefficient local government policies to correct housing market failures.
Presentations: University of Southern California (Lusk Center for Real Estate); 2025 CES North American Conference (Uni. of Michigan Ross School of Business) - Rising Star Session; UC Berkeley Public Finance Seminar, scheduled
Who Benefits from Surface Water Pollution Programs? (with Jeremy West). 2023. [PDF] [SSRN version]
Under revision for resubmission at Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
Smoking Behavior and Mental Health: Evidence from Longitudinal Data in China. (with Liyan Wang and Maoliang Ye). 2023.
Work In Progress
Climate risk, insurance and financial health. (with Jeremy West, Grace Gu, Gonzalo Respighi Grasso, Rongjin Zhang)
Wildfire, prevention behavior, and moral hazard. (with Jeremy West)
Advertising and elections in US. (with Jeremy West)
Water, climate change, and economy: evidence from India. (with Sanjana Gupta)