Highlighted Publications




 

Bendtsen (2026) examines whether reducing administrative burdens increases the take-up of social benefits. He analyzes data from 51 field experiments covering 187 treatment effect sizes across multiple countries and programs. Using a meta-analytic framework, he compares interventions that reduce learning demands (information) versus compliance demands (assistance), and distinguishes between application and actual receipt outcomes. He finds that interventions raise application

Weil (2026) asks how continued low fertility would affect the US standard of living, especially age-adjusted consumption per capita. He uses demographic models, stable population simulations, National Transfer Accounts data, and projections of fertility, age structure, and economic variables. He finds that lower fertility modestly reduces long-run living standards, mainly through higher old-age dependency, but this is partly offset by lower investment needs. Quantitatively, r

Nemati (2026) asks whether water-efficiency building codes actually reduce household water use once homes are occupied. He examines monthly residential water billing records from two large water districts in Riverside County, California, linked to property characteristics and weather data. The study compares homes built just before and just after the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) took effect. Nemati finds that homes built under CALGreen use about 11–12 p

Yim (2026) asks whether being assigned to early morning college classes changes students’ academic outcomes and long-term academic paths. He analyzes administrative data from Purdue University covering several thousand freshman course enrollments after the university introduced a system that effectively randomized class times across course sections. The study links course schedules to grades, later STEM course enrollment, major choice, and expected earnings by major. Yim find