Yilan Xu

Yilan Xu is an Associate Professor in Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with an affiliation to the Center for Social & Behavioral Science. Her research focuses on household finance, environmental policy, and risk perception, particularly in contexts of climate change, natural disasters, and energy markets. She explores how socioeconomic factors influence financial resilience, mortgage lending practices, and consumer decision-making under uncertainty.

Key research interests include the interplay between social networks and climate risk perception, the economic impacts of natural disasters on household finances, and the environmental consequences of energy extraction. Her work bridges environmental economics, behavioral science, and public policy, addressing pressing issues like carbon emissions, wastewater management, and pandemic-related financial vulnerability.

Recent publications highlight innovative approaches to quantifying global carbon monoxide emission drivers, analyzing non-damaging earthquake effects on mortgage markets, and assessing flood insurance impacts on property values. Xu's research has been widely cited in media outlets, including coverage of how social networks shape climate risk understanding.

Her collaborative projects involve interdisciplinary teams examining topics such as autonomous trucking's trade impacts, bikeshare systems' role in urban mobility, and genetic influences on financial distress. Xu's work emphasizes policy-relevant insights to enhance economic resilience and sustainable development.