Welcome to my homepage!

I’m an incoming Econ PhD student at PKU-iGHD.

Prior to this, I earned my Bachelor Degree at China Academy of Finance and Development, Central University of Finance and Economics. My pre-PhD research interest includes labor, health and politics. And I’m gonna cultivate in these fields for years. Moreover, I’m also familiar with banking and corporate finance.

I’m seeking opportunities for collaboration. If possible, feel free to contact me at mdwang25@stu.pku.edu.cn or wmdplato@163.com.

兄弟登山 各自努力

📝 Publications

1. Pollution, Information and Migration Asian Development Review, Vol. 42, No. 01, pp. 31-56 (2025). First Author & Corresponding Author. (With my research assistant Zikun Ding.)
   • Abstract: This study exploits the staggered roll-out of a landmark air quality monitoring program in China to study the migration response to pollution information disclosure and labor market outcomes. Using two nationally representative individual-level datasets, we show that information mitigates the negative pollution-settlement relationship, contrary to intuition. These results are attributable to information effects—increased life satisfaction from information accessibility and environmental governance—and health effects, including improved health conditions and reduced hospital costs. Further evidence suggests income growth is more pronounced for individuals with better Internet or mobile device access and in regions with stronger economic development and healthcare resources. We also rule out alternative explanations related to labor supply and selection issues. Our findings highlight the benefits of improving public access to pollution information in developing economies where information blockades are widespread.

📝 Pre-PhD Working Papers

1. A Tale for Blue Sky Submitted. Single Author.

2. How Does Capital Market Respond to Justice? Submitted. Single Author.

3. Why Firms Reduce Cash Holdings When Spontaneous Protectionism Faded Away Single Author.

4. The Environmental Costs of Stimulus Policy With Yu Luo, Ming-ang Zhang & Hui Zhou.

5. Conservatism Single Author.

📝 Works in Progress

1. Assassination and the Crisis of Political Legitimacy in Ancient China (with Mingyu Shu)

2. Health and Politics

3. A Model for Soft Porn (with Mingyu Shu & Haicheng Wang)

4. Safety (with Mingyu Shu)

5. Elites (with Sicheng Xu)

6. Banks (with Mingyu Shu & Shun Wang)

7. Intergenerational Mobility

8. Cultural Transformation (with Fengming Liu & Mingyu Shu)

🎖 Honors and Awards

• 2024 Travel Grant, Asian Development Bank ($ 1,800)
• 2024 Travel Grant for “One Health” Econ Summer Program, PKU & Yale (RMB 1,000)
• 2024 Outstanding Winner (特等奖), Challenge Cup Academic Competition.
• 2024 Outstanding Winner, Alumni Cup Academic Competition (RMB 20,000)
• 2024 First Prize, Finance and Economics China Academic Summit
• 2024 Second Prize, 14th Chinese Undergraduate Economics Annual Conference
• 2023 College Students’ Innovative Entrepreneurial Training Plan Program (RMB 5,000)
• 2023 Third Prize, 6th Future Economist Forum
• 2023 CAFD Best Singer
• 2022 Outstanding Student, Central University of Finance and Economics

📖 Educations

• 2025.09 - , Ph.D., Economics, Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University.
• 2021.09 - 2025.06, B.A. Finance, China Academy of Finance and Development, Central University of Finance and Economics.

💬 Invited Talks

• 2023 47th Xiangzhang (Beijing) Seminar; 6th Future Economist Forum
• 2024 China’s Economic Transition Workshop (Renmin University of China); She Shi You Sheng Social Science Forum; Finance and Economics China Academic Summit; Undergraduate Economics Annual Conference; 7th International Conference of China and Development Studies (2 papers); 2024 Conference of the International Association for Applied Econometrics; 3rd Asian Economic Development Conference; Anhui University.
• 2025