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Research
Female Officers and the Discovery of Domestic Violence (Job Market Paper)
Abstract: Domestic violence (DV) is a crime that usually has female victims and is often under
reported. This paper studies the effect of having a female officer dispatched in the primary unit
on the discovery of DV in physical abuse incidents in Milwaukee and Chicago. Using three-year
calls for service data and conditional random assignment of officers in the dispatch process, the
paper finds that the existence of a female officer in the primary unit scales up the likelihood of
discovering DV in physical abuse incidents by 10% in Milwaukee. Analysis of data from Chicago
indicates a similar effect. These results indicate that female officers play an important role in
discovering DV.
College Basketball Game Day and Sexual Assault (with Dingyue Liu, Working Paper)
Abstract: Basketball games are an important part of college identity and social activities. This
paper studies the effect of college basketball game days on the probability of having local sexual
assault reports. Using crime data from universities with top basketball programs and local law
enforcement agencies, this paper shows that home game days have little effect on the probability
of sexual assault reports, while away game days scale up the probability by 14%. This finding is
different from those found for football, which likely reflects differences in viewing and partying
behavior across the two sports.
School Lunch and Nutrition (Working Paper)
Abstract: School lunch is an important channel of students’ nutrition intake. This paper studies
the potential mechanisms for effects of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act using metabolic
analysis. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the paper
finds that this policy decreased the probability of having high total cholesterol by about 30% for
students who usually eat school lunches. This result is largely driven by the significant decrease
in the proportion of students with high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The results reported
in the paper show the powerful impact of this policy on adolescent health.
Weather Modification and Local Climate Management in the United States: A Review of Its Technological Evolution, Operations, Governance, and Local Imple mentation Challenges (with Haoying Wang, Working Paper, Submitted at Climate)
Abstract: Weather modification has gained significant and growing interest in the United States
(US) in recent years. The trend can be largely attributed to the changing climate, persistent
droughts, and other extreme weather events that have been experienced across various regions
of the US. This paper provides a critical review of weather modification program costs, benefits,
and governance to help shed light on policymaking and program management associated with
the growing interest in adopting weather modification as a local climate management strategy in
the US. Additionally, to deepen our understanding of the widely concerning issues, such as the
financial burden on taxpayers and potential environmental risks, the paper explored the local
implementation challenges and common environmental and health concerns related to weather
modification activities. A synthesis of literature and policy debates suggests three general conclusions: (1) The need for weather modification programs is expected to keep growing, though
regional variations may exist due to regulatory and other local factors; (2) state-level and local support, including financial resources, will be important for program development in the
foreseeable future; and (3) technological advancements will be critical for addressing many of
the project operation efficiency challenges and environmental and public health concerns related to weather modification programs. More specifically for program governance and local
implementation, aspects such as project planning (including resource pooling), risk and liability
management, communication and reporting, outcome measurability, and stakeholder engage
ment are indispensable for addressing issues related to program legality, public acceptance, and
sustainability.