We examine how to interpret estimates from a commonly used migration regression relating
changes in local population to exogenous local labor demand shocks. Using a simple model …

This paper examines a new mechanism through which transportation infrastructure,
designed exclusively to enhance geographic integration of domestic markets, affects a …

This paper examines the importance of domestic economic geography for a country's export
performance. We first develop a simple model in which the geographic integration of …

This paper studies how cities' industrial structure shapes their life and death. Our analysis
exploits the large heterogeneity in the early composition of English and Welsh cities. We …

Why do US states specialize in different sectors? We document that employment
specialization is highly persistent, which suggests that specialization may deviate from …

This dissertation consists of three independent essays on international economics. First, I
examine how the geographic distribution of innovation determines aggregate productivity …

Abstract Essays on Growth and Inequality Trevor Williams 2023 I present three essays in
growth and inequality. The first chapter considers the geographic distribution of research …

A few cities perform a high share of research and development (R&D) in the United States. If
R&D generates local knowledge spillovers, then the social returns to R&D may vary across …

I causally estimate spatial knowledge spillovers in Research and Development (R&D) and
quantify their importance for R&D policies. Using a new administrative panel on German …