Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies, and Acting Head
Department of Economics
University of Illinois at Chicago
Research Associate
National Bureau of Economic Research
Department of Economics
University of Illinois at Chicago
Research Associate
National Bureau of Economic Research
I study issues in immigration, health and health insurance, labor markets, and other topics. Below you can find my publications and work in progress, organized by topic. At the bottom are documents that contain some advice for graduate students in economics.
Immigration
"Immigration and Inequality in the Next Generation," with Mark Borgschulte, Heepyung Cho, and Jonathan Rothbaum
"Assimilation of Marriage Migrants: Evidence from South Korea," with So Yoon Ahn
"Employment Eligibility Verification Requirements and Local Labor Market Outcomes" with Shalise Ayromloo and Benjamin Feigenberg
"New Evidence on the Undocumented Population in the United States," with Ryan Bhandari, Benjamin Feigenberg, and Eduardo Medina-Cortina
"The Effect of Changes in the U.S. Wage Structure on Recent Immigrants' Earnings," Review of Economics and Statistics, Volume 93, No. 1 (February), 2011, Pages 59-71
"Chutes or Ladders? A Longitudinal Analysis of Immigrant Earnings," Journal of Political Economy, Volume 115, Number 5 (October), 2007, pp. 820-867.
"Mexican Immigration and Self-Selection: New Evidence from the 2000 Mexican Census," with Pablo Ibarraran, in Mexican Immigration to the United States, edited by George Borjas, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, 2007.
Health and health insurance
"Health Insurance and Income Inequality," with Robert Kaestner, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Volume 30, Number 2 (Spring), 2016, pp. 53-78.
"Premium Copayments and the Trade-off between Wages and Employer-Provided Health Insurance," with Craig Olson, Journal of Health Economics, Volume 44 (December), 2015, Pages 63-79.
"Mortality, Inequality, and Race in American Cities and States," with Angus Deaton, Social Science and Medicine, Volume 56, Number 6 (March), 2003, pp. 1139-1153. Addendum
"Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of the Gradient," with Anne Case and Christina Paxson, The American Economic Review, Volume 92, Number 5 (December), 2002, pp. 1308-1334.
Labor markets and employment
"Pensions and the Labor Market for Public Employees: Evidence from Illinois," with Chuanyi Guo, David Merriman, and Jason Ward, in progress.
"Assessing the Smooth Rise in Mothers’ Employment as Children Age," with Javaeria Qureshi, Journal of Human Capital, Volume 12, Number 4 (Winter), 2018, pp. 604-639.
"The Labor Market Effects of Welfare Reform," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Volume 57, Number 2 (January), 2004, p. 249-66
"The Economics of Employee Benefits," chapter in Employee Benefits: A Primer for Human Resource Professionals, 2nd edition, by Joseph Martocchio, McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Child development
"Do 'Skills Beget Skills'? Evidence on the Effect of Kindergarten Entrance Age on the Evolution of Cognitive and Non-cognitive Skill Gaps in Childhood," with Robert Kaestner, Economics of Education Review, Volume 53 (August), 2016, pp.194-206
"Kindergarten Entrance Age and Children’s Achievement: Impacts of State Policies, Family Background, and Peers," with Todd Elder, Journal of Human Resources, Volume 44, Number 3 (Summer), 2009, pp. 641-683.
Data and econometrics
"Partisanship and Survey Refusal," with Mark Borgschulte and Heepyung Cho, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Volume 200 (August), 2022, pp. 332-357.
"Interpretation of Regressions with Multiple Proxies," with Martin Wittenberg, Review of Economics and Statistics, Volume 88, Number 3 (August), 2006, pp. 549-562.
Policy papers
"The Affordable Care Act and the Labor Market," Chicago Fed Letter, Number 323, June 2014
“Illinois’ Pension Puzzle,” chapter in The Illinois Report 2012, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, 2012.
“School Vouchers and Charter Schools in Illinois,” chapter in The Illinois Report 2011, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, 2011.
“The Demography of the Immigrant Population in Illinois,” with Matthew Hall, Institute of Government and Public Affairs Policy Forum, Volume 23, Issue 3, March 2011.
“A Primer on Pensions and Options for Reform,” with David Merriman, in Public Pension Policy in Illinois: An Introduction to a Crucial Issue, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, 2011.
Professional Development
"A Few Tips for Being a More Successful Graduate Student." First version March 2004; Revised 2018.
"Tips on Giving a Presentation in Economics," October 2017
Immigration
"Immigration and Inequality in the Next Generation," with Mark Borgschulte, Heepyung Cho, and Jonathan Rothbaum
"Assimilation of Marriage Migrants: Evidence from South Korea," with So Yoon Ahn
"Employment Eligibility Verification Requirements and Local Labor Market Outcomes" with Shalise Ayromloo and Benjamin Feigenberg
"New Evidence on the Undocumented Population in the United States," with Ryan Bhandari, Benjamin Feigenberg, and Eduardo Medina-Cortina
"The Effect of Changes in the U.S. Wage Structure on Recent Immigrants' Earnings," Review of Economics and Statistics, Volume 93, No. 1 (February), 2011, Pages 59-71
"Chutes or Ladders? A Longitudinal Analysis of Immigrant Earnings," Journal of Political Economy, Volume 115, Number 5 (October), 2007, pp. 820-867.
"Mexican Immigration and Self-Selection: New Evidence from the 2000 Mexican Census," with Pablo Ibarraran, in Mexican Immigration to the United States, edited by George Borjas, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, 2007.
Health and health insurance
"Health Insurance and Income Inequality," with Robert Kaestner, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Volume 30, Number 2 (Spring), 2016, pp. 53-78.
"Premium Copayments and the Trade-off between Wages and Employer-Provided Health Insurance," with Craig Olson, Journal of Health Economics, Volume 44 (December), 2015, Pages 63-79.
"Mortality, Inequality, and Race in American Cities and States," with Angus Deaton, Social Science and Medicine, Volume 56, Number 6 (March), 2003, pp. 1139-1153. Addendum
"Economic Status and Health in Childhood: The Origins of the Gradient," with Anne Case and Christina Paxson, The American Economic Review, Volume 92, Number 5 (December), 2002, pp. 1308-1334.
Labor markets and employment
"Pensions and the Labor Market for Public Employees: Evidence from Illinois," with Chuanyi Guo, David Merriman, and Jason Ward, in progress.
"Assessing the Smooth Rise in Mothers’ Employment as Children Age," with Javaeria Qureshi, Journal of Human Capital, Volume 12, Number 4 (Winter), 2018, pp. 604-639.
"The Labor Market Effects of Welfare Reform," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Volume 57, Number 2 (January), 2004, p. 249-66
"The Economics of Employee Benefits," chapter in Employee Benefits: A Primer for Human Resource Professionals, 2nd edition, by Joseph Martocchio, McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Child development
"Do 'Skills Beget Skills'? Evidence on the Effect of Kindergarten Entrance Age on the Evolution of Cognitive and Non-cognitive Skill Gaps in Childhood," with Robert Kaestner, Economics of Education Review, Volume 53 (August), 2016, pp.194-206
"Kindergarten Entrance Age and Children’s Achievement: Impacts of State Policies, Family Background, and Peers," with Todd Elder, Journal of Human Resources, Volume 44, Number 3 (Summer), 2009, pp. 641-683.
Data and econometrics
"Partisanship and Survey Refusal," with Mark Borgschulte and Heepyung Cho, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Volume 200 (August), 2022, pp. 332-357.
"Interpretation of Regressions with Multiple Proxies," with Martin Wittenberg, Review of Economics and Statistics, Volume 88, Number 3 (August), 2006, pp. 549-562.
Policy papers
"The Affordable Care Act and the Labor Market," Chicago Fed Letter, Number 323, June 2014
“Illinois’ Pension Puzzle,” chapter in The Illinois Report 2012, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, 2012.
“School Vouchers and Charter Schools in Illinois,” chapter in The Illinois Report 2011, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois, 2011.
“The Demography of the Immigrant Population in Illinois,” with Matthew Hall, Institute of Government and Public Affairs Policy Forum, Volume 23, Issue 3, March 2011.
“A Primer on Pensions and Options for Reform,” with David Merriman, in Public Pension Policy in Illinois: An Introduction to a Crucial Issue, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, 2011.
Professional Development
"A Few Tips for Being a More Successful Graduate Student." First version March 2004; Revised 2018.
"Tips on Giving a Presentation in Economics," October 2017