معرفی
Kihwan Bae is a Research Fellow at the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation (CSOR) within the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University. His research bridges labor economics and consumer finance with empirical analysis of occupational licensing, migration, higher-education financing, and high-cost consumer loans.
Education:
- PhD in Economics from Rutgers University
- Bachelor's degree from Yonsei University
Research Interests: Dr. Bae's work centers on quantitative assessment of regulatory policies. His primary focus areas include:
- Occupational Licensing: Effects on earnings inequality, migrant labor mobility, and for-profit education sectors like cosmetology
- Healthcare Regulation: Scope-of-practice expansions for optometrists and pharmacists and their impact on care access
- Consumer Finance: Student loan debt dynamics and high-cost lending markets
Publication Trends: Dr. Bae's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate concentrated expertise in occupational regulation's labor market effects. Key patterns include analysis of universal licensing recognition, expedited migrant licensure, and healthcare professional scope expansions. His work consistently employs border analyses and natural experiments to isolate causal policy impacts across U.S. states.
Scientific Awards:
- National Monetary Policy Competition (South Korea) - Won during undergraduate studies
Advising and Grants: While no doctoral students are documented, his role at CSOR indicates involvement in center-funded regulatory research projects and policy briefs. His prior economist position at the Bank of Korea suggests experience with institutional research frameworks.
Labs and Teams: Dr. Bae operates within the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation (CSOR), a dedicated research unit analyzing occupational licensing's economic consequences through empirical policy evaluation.
