The Center for Poverty & Inequality Research hosts an annual
seminar series on poverty issues. We are pleased to welcome
faculty, researchers, and thought leaders to the UC Davis campus.
Most of our seminars are located in Andrews Conference Room, 2203
Social Sciences and Humanities Building, unless otherwise noted.
Directions to Andrews Conference Room:
Enter the Social
Sciences & Humanities Building through the Letters & Science
Dean’s Office entrance (arch and glass doors). Stairs and
elevator are located just inside; proceed to the second floor.
Andrews is on the right side of the hall, 2203 SS&H.
Lucie Schmidt is an empirical microeconomist working in the
fields of labor, health and the economics of the family. Specific
research areas include U.S. social safety net programs with a
particular focus on programs for individuals with disabilities;
retirement security; and the economics of marriage and fertility
decisions. She is also a research associate at the National
Bureau of Economic Research and a co-editor of the Review of
the Economics of the Household.
Community-engaged research is a powerful strategy for gaining a
deeper understanding of lived experiences of poverty and economic
hardship, assessing services and programs, and informing systemic
change (Bertram & Bullock, 2023). Focusing on the Center for
Economic Justice and Action’s (CEJA) research collaborations with
nonprofit organizations, this presentation illuminates the
transformative potential of community-engaged research to advance
anti-poverty initiatives.
How does unconditional income for families in poverty affect
parental investments for their young children? Mothers in four
U.S. metropolitan areas were randomized to receive a monthly
unconditional cash transfer of either $333/month (high) or
$20/month (low) for the first several years after child birth.
During the first three years, high-cash gift households spent
more money on child-specific goods and more time on
child-specific early learning activities than the low-cash gift
group.
Rene Crespin is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of
Economics at Michigan State University. His research focuses on
examining levers that lessen or exacerbate inequality,
specifically in terms of schools, housing, and neighborhoods.
Among his ongoing projects, he studies the economic and social
impacts of education and immigration policies.
Dr. Crespin will be joining us for a week through the Institute
for Research on Poverty Visiting Scholar Program.