Electric cars are fast, efficient and produce no local emissions. But they're also expensive, with issues around the metals for their batteries. David Rapson, Chancellor’s Leadership Professor of Economics in the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis, joins a discussion on the pros and cons of electric cars for two episodes of the PBS talk show “Energy Switch.”
An economics doctoral candidate in the College of Letters & Science at UC Davis has been studying how 25 corporate mega-projects have affected local markets. Among the findings so far are that tax breaks and other incentives often don’t pay off by creating jobs as they were meant to.
A prevailing narrative about immigration is that migrants displace U.S.-born residents in the workforce, but new research from UC Davis economists shows that’s not the case. The study published in the Journal of Population Economics details how the COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in immigration to the U.S. and how jobs often filled by migrants were not filled by U.S.-born residents.
Anyone who traces their family history knows the challenges and triumphs of documenting the lives of their ancestors. Multiply that effort by thousands and you’ll glimpse the daunting scope of Santiago Pérez’s economic history research, which he recently spoke about at the International Book Fair in Buenos Aires.
Is it possible to predict earthquakes?
For decades, earthquake researchers like Distinguished Professor John Rundle have explored various methods attempting to tackle this question. Rundle and his colleagues are exploring “nowcasting,” which uses methods inspired from the fields of finance, economics and meteorology to determine the earthquake potential of a region through time. In this video, Rundle discusses his interest in earthquake nowcasting and why this field of research is more important than ever.
From addressing racial disparities to restoring forests, five newly funded public engagement projects in the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis will help communities in California and around the world shape their future.
Marianne Page can count numerous accomplishments during her career as an economics professor in the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis, but none like an honor recently bestowed by a Napa Valley winemaker. Page appears on the label of The Sage, an organic red blend wine created by Kira Ballotta for her Cantadora brand that celebrates Page and two other women “doing extraordinary things in support of their communities.”
An app founded by a UC Davis graduate student is poised to revolutionize financial investing for the socially conscious. Fennel, a mobile investing app that gives users insights into a company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics, was recently named one of Fast Company’s “10 most innovative companies in personal finance of 2023.” What’s more, the company has raised roughly $8.5 million in seed funding to support its growth during its beta stages.
Three alumni of the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis — an international economist, a racial justice advocate, and an assets manager dedicated to supporting research and educational excellence — are recipients of Cal Aggie Alumni Association’s 2023 Alumni Awards.
Twenty years after then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld made a now-famous statement distinguishing "known knowns," "known unknowns" and "unknown unknowns, a UC Davis economist is developing a logic for analyzing the most unpredictable category — the “unknown unknowns.”
