Research Seminars @ Illinois

View Full Calendar

Tailored for undergraduate researchers, this calendar is a curated list of research seminars at the University of Illinois. Explore the diverse world of research and expand your knowledge through engaging sessions designed to inspire and enlighten.

To have your events added or removed from this calendar, please contact OUR at ugresearch@illinois.edu

Speaker Xinhui Sun - Air Pollution and Economic Activity: Evidence from Foot Traffic Patterns

Event Type: Seminar/Symposium
Sponsor: pERE (Program in Environmental and Resource Economics)
Location: 428 Mumford Hall
Virtual: Join online
Date: Sep 22, 2025 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Speaker: Xinhui Sun, PhD, Econ (Job Market Paper), University of Illinois
Views: 25
Originating Calendar: ACE Seminars; Abstract
I investigate how air pollution affects economic activity. Using over 37 billion phone-location-based foot traffic data points from SafeGraph, I conduct a large-scale analysis to examine the causal effect of air pollution on activity patterns across the United States. Using changes in local wind direction as an instrument for air pollution, I characterize the dynamic response to pollution exposure. I find that PM2.5 reduces economic activity in both the short and medium run, with effects persisting for up to two weeks before partially rebounding. The reductions are widespread across different economic sectors, with recreational activities experiencing the largest decline. The effect is more pronounced in higher-income counties and areas with larger shares of children, suggesting greater awareness among wealthier or more vulnerable populations.

link for robots only