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Three Essays on Local Labor Markets
No full textThis dissertation consists of three essays that employ applied econometric analysis to examine issues related to local labor markets. These analyses explore three distinct sources of structural change or policy interventions and evaluate their implications for regional labor markets. I examine the impact of occupational skill endowments on regional resilience to a recessionary shock, how exposure to increases in employer skill demand affects local labor markets, and whether grants extended by an existing federally chartered regional commission have a positive impact on distressed local labor markets within its service area.
The first chapter of this dissertation studies the impact that occupational skill endowments have on a local labor market’s resilience to negative economic shocks. Specifically, I examine whether a county’s pre-pandemic share of cognitive, motor, people, or digitally skilled workers was a determinant of employment resilience following the COVID-19 induced economic shock. Much of the literature on regional resilience to shocks emerged from the Great Recession and has primarily focused on the role that industrial diversity plays in explaining resilience to that shock. I contribute to the literature by 1) creating a novel measure of occupational skills at the county level, 2) providing the first evidence of how occupational skills impacted resilience to the COVID-19 shock, and 3) demonstrating that the impact of occupational skills is heterogeneous across the rural-urban continuum. I find that areas with higher endowments of cognitive skills were less vulnerable to employment losses at the onset of the pandemic, likely driven by patterns of remote work. However, these areas experienced weaker recoveries in the longer term. The opposite pattern is observed in regions with high endowments of people skills, which rely on face-to-face interactions that were significantly impacted at the beginning of the pandemic. These patterns were primarily driven by sparsely populated rural counties. I also find suggestive evidence that these patterns were influenced by migration patterns to rural areas, as rural areas with high endowments of people skills were associated with significant increases in net migration rates.
In my second chapter, I analyze how growth in employer skill demand following the Great Recession affected local labor markets after the recovery of the aggregate U.S. labor market. Using data on the near universe of online job postings from 2010 to 2015, I create occupation-level measures of changes in the demand for cognitive, software, people, organizational, and computer skills at the national level. These changes are then linked to commuting zone occupation employment to create measures of a commuting zone’s exposure to changes in the demand for these skills during the first half of the 2010s. Results from this chapter indicate that exposure to increased demand for software skills, which can be considered a proxy for exposure to technological change, was associated with lower labor force participation and declining employment-to-population ratios, particularly among young men. It is also linked to increased labor market polarization, suggesting that this demographic may struggle to find employment due to decreased opportunities to find work in the most exposed areas. Conversely, increasing demand for organizational skills was associated with higher labor market attachment but also led to increased unemployment. Changes in demand for cognitive and people skills exhibit mixed effects, while increases in demand for computer skills appear to have had a small, but positive, association with labor force attachment.
My third and final chapter assesses the impact of grants made by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) on distressed local labor markets within its service region in Appalachia. Recent legislation authorizing nearly $80 billion for place-based investments, along with the recent reauthorization and expansion of federally chartered regional commissions and authorities, has illustrated interest among U.S. policymakers in strategically targeting specific areas to stimulate economic development. Although the literature on place-based policies is mixed, there is evidence that the benefits of local job creation programs are most significant in the areas with the greatest economic distress. However, most place-based spending in the U.S. comes from state and local business tax incentives that generally do not target these areas, thus limiting research on existing customized business service and job training programs targeting distressed places. This paper aims to fill this gap in the literature by utilizing data on business and workforce grants given to counties and using matching methods to create a set of control counties. These are used to analyze the impact of grants administered and funded by the ARC on employment, wages, and establishment counts in distressed counties. Results from this study indicate that business and workforce grants distributed by the ARC have a modest but statistically significant impact on county annual average wages, with the effects being most pronounced in the region\u27s most economically distressed areas. While there are no significant impacts on employment, there is some indication of crowding out of establishments following the receipt of a grant, possibly due to grants being targeted at better performing, already established firms
International Students’ Perceptions and Experiences of Institutional Diversity Initiatives and Self-Authorship Attainment: A Mixed Methods Study
No full textHigher education institutions in the United States have responded to years of discrimination through several diversity initiatives. Although research has indicated the merits of such initiatives on student development, the outcomes are not uniform across all student populations. Moreover, student development discourses have often excluded the experiences of international students. Employing a convergent mixed methods approach, this study investigated the perceptions and experiences of international students at a flagship land-grant higher education institution in the Appalachian region of the United States regarding institutional diversity initiatives and their self-authorship based on some demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, age, marital status, religion, continent, and level of education). A purposive sampling strategy resulted in the analysis of 102 quantitative surveys and 13 qualitative interviews. While the descriptive statistics showed positive perceptions on all DEI scales, the crosstabulation analysis found differences in perceptions based on all the background characteristics. Furthermore, an independent samples T-test and a one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in international students’ self-authorship attainment scores based on marital status and religion, respectively. Despite positive perceptions of diversity initiatives, students reported concerns about racism, fear of reporting discrimination, and dissatisfaction with international students’ services. This study adds to the body of research on international students, particularly in the context of diversity initiatives and self-authorship, providing new insights into how these initiatives impact students’ personal and academic development. Future research should consider expanding the database by collecting data from multiple institutions and conducting a comparative study to gain a more comprehensive knowledge of the experiences of international students in the United States
INFLUENCE OF DECK AREA AND AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC ON THE DETERIORATION OF BRIDGE SUPERSTRUCTURES.
No full textState Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are responsible for maintaining approximately 623,000 bridges across the United States. Effective bridge management requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing structural deterioration. Numerous studies have explored the effects of average daily traffic (ADT) and deck area (DA) on bridge deck deterioration. Given the interdependence between bridge decks and superstructures, it is plausible that ADT and DA significantly influence superstructure condition ratings and deterioration trends. However, their impact on superstructures remains insufficiently studied. In addition, existing studies primarily focus on overall bridge deterioration without adequately differentiating between superstructure designs and materials and maintenance authorities. This gap in knowledge limits the ability to develop targeted maintenance strategies for bridge superstructures.
To address this gap, this study aims to systematically analyze the effects of ADT and DA on bridge superstructures, categorized by maintenance authority and structural design and material types. National Bridge Inventory (NBI) dataset for Ohio bridges was selected for its availability through an ODOT-funded research project, providing comprehensive and high-quality bridge data from 1980 to 2023. This research develops deterioration models to assess the degradation patterns of four primary superstructure types: Stringer, Slab, Frame, and Box Beam. For more granular insights, the Box Beam category is further divided into Box Beam with Concrete Wearing Surface and Box Beam with Asphalt Wearing Surface. The Stringer category is split into Stringer with Steel Beams and Stringer with Reinforced Concrete (RC) or Prestressed Concrete (PS) Beams. The dataset is further segmented based on primary maintenance authorities (County and State-owned) and grouped into three ADT and three DA categories for a comprehensive evaluation.
The research employs a multifaceted methodological approach. The age reset technique is implemented to generate pure deterioration curves by eliminating the influence of major repairs and rehabilitations, and outliers are removed to enhance model accuracy and reliability. Regression Nonlinear Optimization (RNO) modeling is applied to develop deterioration models, with Python used for plotting best-fit polynomial regression curves and MS Excel for optimizing Markovian transition probability matrices. Additionally, the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) method is utilized to analyze variations in deterioration patterns across different ADT and DA groups for each superstructure type.
The findings reveal distinct deterioration patterns across superstructure types for state- and county-owned bridges. In county bridges, RC or PS stringers and box beams with concrete wearing surfaces deteriorate faster under higher ADT, while asphalt-wearing box beams show greater deterioration under lower ADT, likely due to limited maintenance. Smaller deck areas also correlate with faster early deterioration, especially in RC/PS stringers and concrete box beams. Slab and frame types remain relatively stable across ADT and DA groups. In state bridges, higher ADT leads to faster deterioration in RC/PS stringers, frame structures, and box beams with both wearing surfaces, though high-ADT bridges often stabilize in later years. Slab and steel stringers show minimal sensitivity. Larger deck areas (DA \u3e 12000) contribute to faster early deterioration in RC/PS stringers, frames, and concrete box beams, while asphalt-wearing box beams show some DA-based variation in later years.
This research advances the knowledge of the influence of ADT and DA on superstructure deterioration, leading to reliable superstructure deterioration models. While Ohio’s bridge network serves as the focus of this study, this research motivates other state DOTs to conduct similar studies to better understand how ADT and DA influence deterioration trends in their specific contexts. These findings enable bridge maintenance authorities to recognize the significance of customizing maintenance strategies according to the ADT and DA, thereby aiding allocate resources effectively and improving the long-term longevity of bridge infrastructure
Revival of Industrial Policy Implications for International Trade Law
No full textIn recent years, the world’s major economies, such as the United States, China, and the European Union, have adopted policies that aim to promote domestic industries in strategic areas, such as semiconductors and electric vehicles, through substantial subsidization. These policies have been justified for the need to secure supply chains and protect national security interests, but they are also incompatible with the rules of international trade law, such as the WTO Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Agreement. There are considerable challenges to addressing this incompatibility as these economies have shared interests in promoting these policies for their own domestic industries. The increasing economic and political tensions between China and other powers, such as the United States, generate substantial political support for maintaining the current trajectory, which is justified by national security concerns, regardless of their incompatibility with WTO law. The current U.S. block of the appointment of Appellate Body members also creates an additional barrier to addressing this issue in the WTO dispute settlement body. This article discusses the revival of industrial policy and examines its implications for international trade law, including incompatibility with the WTO subsidies regime and regulation under GATT Article XXI. The article also explores pathways to bridge the present gap between the requirements of international trade law and industrial policies
Hiring Decisions under Productivity Uncertainty: Risk Preferences and Inaccurate Statistical Discrimination in NHL Entry Drafts
Full text linkThis paper analyzes firm hiring decisions under uncertainty about worker productivity. We exploit an exogenous September 15 cutoff date in the National Hockey League entry draft to estimate a sharp RDD and find evidence of risk aversion by teams when drafting players. Specifically, teams appear risk averse in early draft rounds, but risk neutral in later rounds, supporting model predictions by a prior study. Triple-differences results show inaccurate relative-age-based statistical discrimination in the draft, providing implications for team drafting strategies. We find suggestive evidence that experience drives this discrimination, and positive correlation be- tween accuracy of statistical discrimination and team success
How Do the Commitments Required to be an Agricultural Education Teacher Impact the Children of Female Agricultural Education Teachers as Perceived by Their Children?
No full textThe purpose of this study is to explore how adult children of women agricultural education teachers articulate their experiences growing up with their mother working in the agricultural education field. This will be examined through the following research. The phenomenological study focused on the perceptions of five adult children of female agricultural education teachers in a single state. The research was conducted through recorded virtual interviews with a targeted list of pre-determined questions. Five themes emerged after utilizing Colaizzi’s phenomenological method of analysis: 1) Mother’s Commitment to Implementing the Three Circle Model, 2) The Need for Outside “Maternal” Role Assistance, 3) The Blurred Lines Between Career and Family, 4) The Demand for Female Agricultural Education Teachers to Fulfill the Maternal Role in the Classroom, and 5) Mom Tried. As children of female agricultural education teachers, the participants in this study identified sacrifices were often required. The participants indicated their mother often had to prioritize and make decisions to achieve her self-determined definition of success in both her career and motherhood. Female agricultural education teachers often blur the lines between their career and family. Although some participants expressed resentment toward their mother’s career choices, all participants recognized the impact their mothers were making both in completing career responsibilities and fulfilling a maternal role within her classroom and spoke about their mothers with pride, admiration, and respect
Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life
Full text linkThis section explores using AI in everyday life including decision making
THREE ESSAYS ON ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION IN ENERGY RICH REGIONS
Full text linkThis dissertation consists of three essays that investigate the environmental and regulatory dimensions of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development and place-based policy in the United States. The research examines how energy production activities interact with water resource management, regulatory compliance behavior, and regional economic resilience. By integrating empirical modeling, quasi-experimental methods, and policy evaluation, the dissertation provides new insights into how environmental risks and economic tradeoffs are shaped by regulatory constraints, strategic behavior of regulated entities, and government interventions in extractive regions. Managing produced water from unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production is a growing environmental challenge, particularly as shale development expands globally. The first essay evaluates the operational and economic impacts of restricting produced water disposal in southwestern Pennsylvania, where concerns over injection wells and evaporation ponds are rising. I develop a regional mixed-integer programming model calibrated with data from 11,217 wells between 2015 and 2022. The model simulates industry response to three policy scenarios: banning evaporation ponds, banning injection wells, and banning both. Results show that these restrictions lead to some adjustments in operational strategies but do not significantly reduce gas production. Producers respond by adjusting completion timing and choice of wells to be completed based on wastewater production amount. Across scenarios, cumulative shale gas production declines by at most 3.22%, and net revenues fall by up to 5.61%. The produced water recycling rises by up to 6.43%, while freshwater use decreases by up to 0.27%. These findings suggest that targeted wastewater management regulations can promote environmental protection by increasing produced water recycling without severely compromising shale gas production or regional profitability. In the second essay, the dissertation investigates strategic noncompliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) by community water systems (CWSs) in response to industrial pollution from unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production. Using staggered difference-in-differences models, I exploit spatial and temporal variation in exposure to UOG development across the Marcellus shale region from 2000 to 2022. I document a significant increase in monitoring, reporting, and other (MRO) violations–particularly those related to UOG pollutants (UMRO)–following initial exposure to UOG production, while health-related (HR) violations remain unaffected. In the early phase of the fracking boom (2008–2014), UMRO violations rose by 52% (0.127 violations) per CWS per year, resulting in a cumulative increase of 930 violations across the region by 2022. The disproportionate rise in UMRO violations suggests that CWSs may have either reallocated limited resources toward meeting health standards or strategically violated less heavily penalized MRO requirements to avoid harsher sanctions for HR noncompliance. This pattern intensified following the EPA’s 2010 implementation of a point-based enforcement penalty system. My findings demonstrate how regulatory asymmetries can shape compliance behavior and underscore the need for enforcement designs that deter strategic underreporting of risks critical to public health. The third essay evaluates the socioeconomic impacts of the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) initiative, a federal place-based program aimed at revitalizing communities in the Appalachian region impacted by the decline of coal industry. Using matched difference-in-differences (DiD) estimators and a continuous treatment framework, I assess how POWER grants influenced local labor market and income dynamics between 2016 and 2023. My results show that POWER initiatives led to significant reductions in unemployment. Across various model specifications, the annual unemployed population declined by 4.19–11.21% per county. Aggregated over the treatment period, I estimate that POWER grants generate approximately 50,175 to 203,748 jobs, depending on matching models. While modest increases in labor force participation were observed, per capita income declined by 0.83–2.55%, likely because newly created jobs were relatively low-paying and did not fully offset the reduction in public assistance. Additionally, investment-oriented grants may have delayed effects on household income. These findings offer empirical insights into place-based economic interventions. My findings highlight that while job creation can be achieved in distressed regions, income gains may require more comprehensive or longer-term strategies, such as investments in higher-wage industries and human capital development
Beyond the Scale: CT Reveals Body Composition Changes in Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer
No full textEarly-stage breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women, and despite successful advancements in early diagnosis and treatment, cancer related fatigue remains a substantial challenge that persists long into survivorship. This dissertation focuses on the clinical measurement of body composition dynamics in early-stage BC, with emphasis on alterations that may reflect underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that manifest as symptomatic fatigue and functional decline. Traditional techniques used in the clinic to assess body composition and function have been unsuccessful in translating the applications proposed by existing pre-clinical findings. Using computed tomography (CT) imaging, we reveal previously unidentified changes in body composition and tissue morphology throughout neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with non- metastatic BC. Despite stability in body weight exhibited by most patients, non-metastatic BC was characterized by consistent declines to muscle quality alongside indicators of remodeling in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Mechanistically, these findings reflect the clinical implications of inflammation, hormonal dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction that drive persistent fatigue and functional impairments experienced by patients and survivors of early-stage BC. This work highlights the value afforded by advanced imaging techniques that are able to capture subtle, though clinically relevant, changes that shape the patient experience. Understanding these underlying morphologic changes in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue depots is fundamental for personalizing patient care aimed at preserving functional independence that is underscored by existing risk stratification criteria regarding cachexia
MODELING AND SIMULATION OF CARBON-NEUTRAL STRATEGIES FOR METHANOL PRODUCTION
No full textMethanol is a versatile chemical that can be used as a fuel, a solvent, a feedstock for other chemicals, and a hydrogen carrier. Methanol production from natural gas, which is mainly composed of methane, is a well-established process that involves steam reforming, methanol synthesis, and methanol purification. However, this process is energy-intensive and emits large amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming and climate change. Therefore, there is a need for alternative methods of methanol production that are more efficient and environmentally friendly. The overall objective of this research is to develop simulation models of two novel methanol production processes and compare their performance with the conventional process of producing methanol via steam reforming. In the first method, a novel process is developed to produce industrial quantity of methanol in a centralized location by combining a chemical looping scheme with dry reforming of natural gas in a novel microwave reactor. A heat exchanger network is developed to substantially reduce the hot and cold utility usage. The effect of changing the operating cost of carbon dioxide feed, the capital cost of the microwave reactor, and the cost of electricity on the net present value is analyzed. Technoeconomic comparison with the conventional industrial process to produce methanol via steam reforming of methane indicates that the chemical looping generates a significant positive net present value along with a substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. In the second method, a novel green methanol process is developed to produce smaller quantities of methanol in decentralized locations by integrating a novel building-based DAC process, functionalized solid sorbents, and low-energy SOEC technology, aiming to minimize operational and capital costs. The green methanol system emphasizes modularity, employing building-integrated DAC to eliminate air-handling infrastructure and coupling it with high-temperature electrolysis for efficient hydrogen production. A systemic analysis examines the interplay between natural gas markets, electricity pricing, and methanol production costs, establishing a comprehensive framework to quantify energy market volatility on process economics. By linking fuel price fluctuations to electrified process viability, this work highlights the need for adaptive designs in transitioning to low-carbon systems. This work advances process systems engineering by bridging gaps between conceptual innovation, energy economics, and industrial decarbonization. It establishes foundational methodologies for integrating emerging technologies into existing chemical infrastructures, emphasizing catalytic efficiency, reactor modularity, and renewable energy collaboration. The findings advocate for cross-sector collaboration, adaptive policy frameworks, and scalable process designs to align methanol production with global sustainability targets, offering a roadmap for transitioning from fossil-dependent systems to resilient, carbon-neutral value chains