About Me
I am an applied microeconomist interested in using quantitative methods to study how different forms of connectivity affect and interact with economic life. Connectivity can be physical, such as through physical infrastructure like electricity and aviation. It can also be non-tangible, such as through language, social networks, public health, and the environment. My work seeks to advance how different forms of connectivity impact regional and sustainable development.
I grew up in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and have lived in Los Angeles, London, Berlin, New York, and Washington D.C.. Prior to Babson, I was an Assistant Professor of Economics at Occidental College. In 2018, I served as an International Parliamentary Fellow at the German Parliament (Bundestag). I am fluent in German, Cantonese, and Mandarin and am currently learning French and Japanese.
I am a passionate educator and am glad to have won the 2020 London School of Economics Student Union Award for Masters Supervision and the 2017 Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching at Columbia University. I am also passionate about sustainable entrepreneurship and the circular economy. Since 2021, I co-direct the Global Circular Challenge at the LSE, a unique case competition that blends circular economy with design thinking.
Experience & Education
Listen to my remarks at the 2019 Columbia Ph.D. Convocation here!
2023 - Present
Assistant Professor of Economics
Babson College
2020 - Present
Visiting Fellow
Department of Geography and Environment
London School of Economics
2020-2023
Assistant Professor of Economics
Occidental College
2019-2020
LSE Fellow in Environmental Economics
Department of Geography and Environment
London School of Economics
2019
Ph.D. in Sustainable Development
2017
M.Phil. in Sustainable Development
2016
M.A. in Sustainable Development
Columbia University
2013
B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy (Environmental Economics)
2013
B.A. in Germanic Studies
University of Maryland, College Park
Economics in the real world
Teaching
At Babson, I teach ECN2002 Principle of Microeconomics, ECN3600 Urban and Land Use Economics, as well as ECN3601 Political Economy of Sustainable Development, a course that involves a 10-day long visit to Germany during Spring Break. I also love teaching environmental and sustainability economics and applied econometrics.
ECN2002 Microeconomics students hard at work, making toy cars to understand production economics!
ECN3600 Urban Economics students tour the Arsenal Yards site with Mark Deschenes MBA ‘97, President, Boylston Properties
ECN3601 Germany students discuss energy security and transition with Consul General Dr. Sonja Kreibich
Research
Inland Flooding:
Estimating Damages using the National Water Model
(with Varela Varela and Foreman)
How can we improve estimation of inland flood damage from different types of floods?
Blue-sky Thinking:
Connectivity Impacts on Regional Economies and Innovation in the U.S.
(with Allroggen and Malina)
How does aviation connectivity affect long-run regional economies and innovation?
Friends from Afar: Social Connectedness and Aviation
(with Piringer)
Do more flights bring about stronger social connectedness?
Lab Members
Niklas Piringer
LSE ‘22, HKS ‘26
Now: McKinsey Nairobi
Working on: Social Connectedness and Aviation
Jon Ekberg
Oxy ‘21
Now: MEM ‘24, Duke University
Working on: Sea Level Rise and Aviation
Ben Ventresca
Oxy ‘22
Now: Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Working on: Sea Level Rise and Aviation
Jarrett Gath
Babson ‘26
Working on: Sea Level Rise and Aviation
Mark Albarez
Babson ‘25
Working on: Honors Thesis
Jerry Gao
Babson ‘25
Working on: Cost-benefit analysis & the environment, inland flooding
Contact Me
I enjoy working on projects involving applied quantitative methods, especially on subjects related to connectivity, aviation, environment, infrastructure, development, and linguistics.
I am also available to consult or to speak on circular economy, aviation economics & sustainability, and German political economy.
