Degrees & Credentials:
PhD, Economics, Syracuse University
BA, Economics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law
Research Area(s):
Urban and Regional Economics
Development Economics
Economic Geography
Place-based Policies
Biography:
Yao joined the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics at Ohio State University as an Assistant Professor after she received her PhD in Economics at Syracuse University in 2022. Prior to studying at Syracuse, Yao completed her BA at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in China.
Yao's research broadly lies at the intersection of urban economics, development economics, and international trade. Her work combines quantitative spatial models with reduced-form techniques to understand the challenges countries encounter in the development process, which can be predetermined or created by unplanned policy designs. She examines how and why cultural or historical factors have profound and persistent impacts on aggregate welfare and equity. Additionally, she attempts to evaluate the impacts of urban and regional policy interventions on economic outcomes and learn why they sometimes fail to achieve intended goals. Her ongoing research evaluates the welfare and distributional implications of internal migration frictions, place-based policies, and urban transportation in developing countries. You can find more details about her research on her personal website (https://www.yaowang.info/).