Life expectancy in the United States varies widely by geography: The gap between the top and bottom-ranking counties is over twenty years. These disparities, however, are based on where people die. This paper provides the first sub-state estimates of life expectancy based on where the deceased were born.
I'm an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston with a joint appointment between the Department of Economics and the Hobby School of Public Affairs. I conduct research in the fields of health, public, and environmental economics. Here are a few things I’m working on.
Latest Research
Ashes to Ashes: The Lifelong Consequences of Early-life Exposure to Wildfires
with Seth Neller
This paper assesses the impact of in utero and early childhood wildfire exposure on lifelong outcomes, including longevity, disability, human capital accumulation, and economic achievement in mid-to-late adulthood.
From Classroom to Labor Market: The Divergent Paths of Black and White Americans
with Seth Neller and Anjali Verma
This paper documents several features of the achievement and income gaps between Black and White Americans using linked administrative education and earnings data from the state of the Texas. Among those features: Black students at the 80th percentile of test scores have earnings similar to White students at the 20th percentile of test scores.