When Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Ph.D. student Yifan Wang arrived in Mexico City for the Summer School on the Economics of Migration, she looked forward to sharing her research, learning from leading scholars, and engaging with others who share her interest in understanding immigration and its impacts. The experience offered an opportunity to exchange ideas with researchers from around the world and deepen her understanding of the field.

The four-day program, hosted by the UC Davis Global Migration Center and Alianza UCMX, brought together a small group of Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scholars from across the world. Held at Casa de California, the home of the University of California in Mexico City, the summer school created an environment for participants to engage with migration research while building relationships with scholars and peers.

For Wang, the experience offered something beyond a traditional academic conference. Each morning, she attended lectures from leading researchers in immigration economics, learning about new approaches and findings in the field. In the afternoons, participants shared their own research and received feedback through presentations and small-group discussions.

Wang presented her ongoing research, “Immigration Enforcement and Deaths of Despair: Evidence from Secure Communities,” which examines the relationship between immigration enforcement and health outcomes. The project is advised by department faculty members Chanit’a Holmes and Chunbei Wang.

Sharing her work with scholars who specialize in immigration economics gave Wang new ideas for strengthening her research.

“During the summer school, I attended lectures by leading scholars in the field of immigration each morning and presented my ongoing research to receive feedback,” said Wang. “The comments and suggestions I received were incredibly helpful in strengthening my research.”

A particularly impactful part of the experience was the opportunity to speak individually with Drs. Giovanni Peri and Chloe East, whose research has played an important role in shaping her own work.

“I cite their research extensively in my paper, so having the chance to discuss my work with them directly was incredibly valuable,” said Wang. “Their feedback offered new perspectives that will help me continue improving the paper.”

The experience was also a personal milestone for her. As a University of California, Davis economics undergraduate alumna, returning to a program affiliated with her alma mater gave her the opportunity to engage with professors who helped inspire her interest in immigration economics and reflect on how far her research has progressed since those early experiences.

“The summer school was a wonderful opportunity to connect with scholars working in my field and build relationships with researchers from around the world,” she said. “I’m excited to bring these insights back to Virginia Tech and continue advancing my research.”

Professional profile

Group photo
Group photo of participants. Photo courtesy of Yifan Wang.

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