Recently, Chen Feng, an Assistant Professor at the Li Anmin Institute of Economics of Liaoning University (LNU), has had his co-authored paper Gone with the Wind? Impacts of Hurricanes on College Enrollment and Completion accepted by the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (JEEM), a top-tier journal in the field of environmental economics. This publication marks the 12th paper by faculty members of the Economics Division of LNU in recent years to be published in international top-tier journals in economics, including the Review of Economics and Statistics (one paper by Yu Miaojie), Journal of Development Economics (one paper each by Yu Miaojie and Yin Lijuan), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (one paper by Qiu Huanguang), Journal of Public Economics (one paper by Chen Feng), Journal of Economics & Management Strategy (one paper by Gao Ming), Journal of Labor Economics (one paper by Yang Zhe), Journal of Economic Theory (one paper by He Chao), Journal of Human Resources (one paper by Zhou Yu), Journal of Monetary Economics (one paper by Wang Xiaowen), and Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (one paper by Yang Zhe). It represents another landmark achievement in the Double First-Class construction and the second top-tier journal publication in economics by Dr. Chen Feng since joining LNU. This milestone signifies significant progress in the output of high-level scientific research achievements for the Double First-Class construction of Applied Economics at the university.
Introduction to the Paper
The economic impacts of hurricanes have become increasingly significant. While their physical damage is visually apparent, the disruption to education systems and long-term effects on human capital accumulation are often overlooked. Based on data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) in the United States, this paper uses a difference-in-differences event study approach to systematically evaluate the impact of hurricanes on college enrollment and completion in the U.S. The study finds that within a decade after a hurricane, enrollment and the number of degrees and certificates awarded at two-year colleges decreased by an average of approximately 10%, while four-year colleges were not significantly affected. Institutions more significantly impacted were typically located in areas with higher hurricane intensity and frequency, especially public community colleges, those relying heavily on local student sources, and those with lower admission thresholds. Mechanistic analysis shows that these impacts primarily stem from population migration, a decline in the number of high school graduates, and disturbances in the local labor market. The findings suggest that targeted government assistance to community colleges in areas prone to natural disasters may enhance the resilience and equity of post-disaster education systems.
Introduction to the Journal
Founded in 1974 and published by Elsevier, a globally renowned publishing house, the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management is a recognized top-tier international academic journal in the field of environmental economics, enjoying extensive academic influence.
Introduction to the Author
Chen Feng is an Assistant Professor at the Li Anmin Institute of Economics, Liaoning University. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Tulane University, USA. His research focuses on labor economics, public economics, and applied microeconomics. His research achievements have been published in international authoritative journals such as the Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Population Economics, Contemporary Economic Policy, and Economics of Education Review.
Co-authors:
Liu Fanyu, a postdoctoral researcher at Peking University.
Geng Kerui, an economist at Comerica Bank.
