Program Results

Introduction to the event

The Fellow has produced a series of impactful and methodologically rigorous studies at the intersection of labor economics, health, and family well-being, culminating in multiple research papers.

One key contribution, “Reservation Wages and Workers' Valuation of Job Flexibility” (forthcoming, Journal of the European Economic Association), uses a large-scale natural field experiment with Uber to quantify workers’ preferences over job flexibility. The study provides causal estimates of labor supply elasticities and reservation wages, revealing significant fixed costs to starting work and heterogeneity in how drivers respond to wage incentives. These findings enrich our understanding of the economics of gig work and challenge assumptions made in static labor models.

In “Breaking Silence: How Intimate Partner Violence and Reporting Shape Later Life Outcomes” (forthcoming, Journal of Labor Economics), the Fellow uses comprehensive administrative data from Taiwan to disentangle the effects of IPV and reporting behavior. The paper shows that while violence reduces women's labor market attachment and increases depression, official reporting leads to improved outcomes, including higher employment and reduced fertility, underscoring the role of institutional support.

Two revise-and-resubmit papers extend this agenda into public and health economics. “School Milestones Impact Child Mental Health in Taiwan” (R&R, Economic Journal) identifies sharp increases in psychiatric medication use—especially antidepressants and antipsychotics—around school entry points, driven by educational stress. Meanwhile, “Impacts of Childhood Disability on Family” (R&R, Journal of Public Economics) quantifies the long-term economic and emotional toll of raising a child with cerebral palsy, especially for low-income families and those with daughters.

Collectively, the Fellow’s work demonstrates strong empirical skills, innovative use of administrative and experimental data, and an ability to generate policy-relevant insights on complex social issues.