Research

PUBLICATIONS

1. Ozier, A., Charron, D., Chung, S., …& Olopade, C. O. (2018). Building a consumer market for ethanol-methanol cooking fuel in Lagos, Nigeria. Energy for Sustainable Development, 46, 65-70.

2. Wright, K. O., Wright, E., Ottun, T. A., Oyebode, M. O., Sarma, V., & Chung, S. (2018). Economic recession and family planning uptake: Review of a Nigerian health institution. Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 35(2), 147-152.

WORKS IN PROGRESS

1. Chung, S., Liu, J., & Persico, C. The effects of air pollution on students and teachers (draft completed)

   • Abstract: Recent empirical research shows that air pollution harms student test scores and attendance and increases office discipline referrals. However, the mechanism by which air pollution operates within schools to negatively affect student and teacher outcomes remains largely opaque. The existing literature has primarily focused on the effects of prolonged exposure to pollution on end-of-year test scores or total absence counts. We examine how ambient air pollution influences student-by-day and teacher-by-day outcomes, including absences and office discipline referrals, using daily administrative data from a large urban school district in California between 2003 and 2020. Using wind direction as an instrument for daily pollution exposure, we find that a 1 μg/m3 increase in daily PM2.5 causes a 0.56% increase in full-day student absences and a 2.76% increase in office referrals in a three-day window. In addition, over three days, a 1 μg/m3 increase in daily causes a 1.24% increase in teacher absences due to illness. Importantly, the effects are driven by low-income, Black, Hispanic, and younger students. Our research indicates that decreasing air pollution in urban areas could notably enhance both student and teacher attendance, minimize disruptive behavior in educational settings, and consequently, contribute to an improvement in students’ academic performance.

2. Chung, S. The effects of air pollution on arrest: Evidence from violent crime, minor crime, and property crime (draft completed)

   • This study examines whether short-term exposure to elevated levels of ambient air pollution impacts police arrests, using daily individual-level arrest data collected by the New York Police Department from 2006 to 2019. Estimating the causal effects of social and environmental factors on crime is crucial for policymakers aiming to prevent violence and reduce the socioeconomic costs associated with crime. Air pollution is an understudied factor that may increase criminal opportunity and warrants exploration as an extension of crime prevention through environmental design. While most prior studies focus on criminal behavior, my research shifts the focus to arrests—a critical measure of police performance—due to offenses such as petty crimes, low-level drug dealing, public intoxication, and loitering, in addition to violent and property crimes.

3. Chung, S. & Ki, N. The effects of air pollution on hospitalization among the homeless (preliminary findings gathered)

   • This study examines how air pollution affects the homeless population using neighboring counties’ pollution levels as an instrument for pollution exposure. Additionally, we explore the “marginalization of the marginalized” by interacting PM2.5 air pollution variable with characteristics such as marital status, age, gender, ethnicity, race, and urban-rural residence. This approach allows me to assess whether certain subgroups within the homeless population are more adversely affected by air pollution.

4. Xu, X. & Chung, S. Transferring Burden? A Survey Experiment of Public’s Perception of Coproduction and Administrative Burden in Sustainability Policy

• While environmental policy research has examined factors affecting public support for sustainability initiatives like recycling, few studies investigate how the public evaluates local government efforts in bulky-item recycling. This study employs a survey experiment to assess how policy design elements—motivations for policy changes and administrative burden—shape public perceptions of local governments regarding sustainability. Additionally, it incorporates organizational performance to further understand this relationship. The study contributes to sustainability policy and behavioral public administration literature by (1) utilizing survey experiments to explore public support for various recycling policy formats, and (2) linking administrative burden theory with sustainability to determine when the public is more willing to assume administrative responsibilities, particularly when local government performance is lacking.

5. Chung, S. & Lee, J. Scaling up or spreading thin? The role of water utility numbers in ensuring safe drinking water

   • This study examines how the size and number of water utilities in the United States affect drinking water quality and, consequently, child health outcomes. The U.S. water utility sector is highly fragmented, with over 51,535 utilities serving diverse population sizes, where smaller utilities serving 100 or fewer people experience a disproportionate number of Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) violations. Utilizing the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) dataset and EPA water quality data, this research employs a regression discontinuity design (RDD) to exploit EPA-defined population thresholds that determine different regulatory treatments for water utilities. By comparing utilities just below and above these thresholds, the study aims to establish a causal relationship between utility size, water quality, and child neurodevelopmental and physical health outcomes. The primary hypothesis is that children in areas served by smaller utilities will exhibit worse health outcomes due to poorer water quality, with water quality acting as a mediating factor. The findings are expected to provide robust evidence on the implications of water utility fragmentation, informing policymakers about the benefits of utility consolidation or targeted interventions to improve water quality and enhance public health and sustainability.

6. Gao, X., Curley, C., & Chung, S. Understanding Energy Poverty: Exploring patterns and profiles of energy behaviors and consequences to refine energy poverty measures

   • In collaboration with colleagues, we are investigating patterns of energy behaviors to refine measures of energy poverty. By analyzing household energy consumption and behaviors, we aim to inform policies that address energy insecurity and promote equitable access to energy resources.

7. Ki, N. & Chung, S. How does hospital sector conversion affect publicness?