Zeyu Li (Peter)

I am Zeyu Li, you can pronounce it as "zay-YOO lee", or simply call me Peter. I am a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at the University of California, Irvine. My research primarily lies within the applied microeconomic fields of Labor Economics, Urban Economics, and Economics of Education. I am skilled in applying various techniques such as Instrumental Variables, Difference-in-Differences, Synthetic Control, and Regression Discontinuity Design to conduct causal inference.

Research

Global Roommates, Local Outcomes: How Foreign Peers Influence Domestic Students in Higher Education
Job Market Paper
Economics of Education Labor Economics

PDF (coming soon) Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of foreign roommates on the academic performance and major choices of domestic students in a U.S. public university. Utilizing the quasi-random assignment of roommates, I find that male students with foreign roommates are more likely to persist in and graduate with STEM degrees, while female students show a decreased likelihood of remaining in or completing STEM majors. The effect on GPA is minimal and does not persist. These findings highlight the complex influence of foreign roommates on domestic students' educational trajectories, shaped by gender and initial major choice.

Too Much of a Good Thing? How Narrow Targeting and Policy Interactions Influence Responses to California’s EITC
(with David Neumark)
[Working Paper (NBER)]
Labor Economics Public Economics

PDF Abstract: California has the highest Earned Income Tax (EITC) supplement to the federal EITC, with an 85% supplement rate. However, we find that despite the apparent generosity of the California EITC, there is no employment effect on less-skilled single mothers, in sharp contrast to the evidence of positive extensive margin effects of other state EITC supplements, and of the federal EITC. Our analysis points to two reasons why, unlike other EITCs, California’s EITC does not appear to have an extensive margin effect. First, most states simply supplement the federal EITC by a fixed percentage. In contrast, in California the maximum credit is reached at a much lower income level, the state EITC begins to phase out as soon as the maximum EITC payment is reached (i.e., there is no plateau), and the phase-out rate is as steep as the phase-in rate. The result is a much higher marginal tax rate that sets in at a much lower income level. Second, California has a very high (and rising) minimum wage. The interaction between a high minimum wage and the unique budget constraint created by the California EITC implies that workers who work more than a relatively low number of hours are unlikely to gain any extra income because of the EITC.

Building Up and Boosting Productivity: Evidence from the Daylight Spacing Regulation in China
[Working Paper (SSRN)]
Urban Economics Labor Economics

PDF Abstract: Estimating the productivity benefits of urban density is challenging due to the endogeneity of density. In this study, I exploit variations arising from a nationwide building spacing policy in China, which imposes restrictions on the distance between buildings. I construct a policy-implied spacing factor and use it as an instrument to estimate the causal effect of density. The results indicate that population density has a positive impact on wages, with an elasticity of approximately 40%. Additionally, the findings suggest that density benefits the economy by enhancing the output of the service sector as well as promoting innovation.

The Effect of Housing Prices on Private School Enrollment
Urban Economics Economics of Education

PDF Abstract: This paper examines the effect of housing wealth on private school enrollment. I use PUMA-average house value changes to identify the causal effect and find that a $10,000 increase in house value raises the probability of attending a private school by 2.18% for children from low-income households, while the effect is much smaller among other income groups. The findings contribute to the literature by suggesting that education inequality may be expanded by housing market fluctuations.

Resume

Education

2019 - 2025 (expected)

Ph.D. in Economics

University of California-Irvine

2017 - 2019

M.S. in Economics

University of Wisconsin-Madison

2013 - 2017

B.A. in Economics

Central University of Finance and Economics

Experience

Research Assistant (UC-Irvine, 2021 - Present)
Teaching Assistant (UC-Irvine, 2019 - 2023)
Intern Researcher (China Development Research Foundation, 2019 - 2020)

Peter Li 李泽宇