Benjamin Elsner

University College Dublin

Hello! I am a Professor of Economics at University College Dublin and the Head of the UCD School of Economics. My research is in applied microeconomics, with a strong focus on human capital. I address three main research questions:

Migration: How does international migration affect the lives of migrants and natives?
Environment: How does the environment, especially pollution, affect skill formation and decision making?
Education: How do peers affect a person's decisions and outcomes?

I answer these questions with causal inference techniques and a combination of survey, regional, and administrative data.

I am passionate about teaching econometrics and data analytics. I run a YouTube channel with over 70 videos on causal inference and public economics. At the moment, I am piloting intuitivemetrix.com, a platform that teaches econometrics through animations, videos, and simple explanations. Stay tuned for that!. I am also in the process of creating a new MSc Course Causal Inference and Policy Evaluation, which will be offered for the first time in spring 2024. For my contribution to teaching and learning, I have recently received the Teaching Excellence Award by the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law.

Since joining UCD in 2018, I have built the structured MLitt/PhD Programme in Economics -- the only structured PhD programme in economics in Ireland -- and the M.Sc Economics and Data Analytics, which launches in 2023. Before joining UCD, I spent five wonderful years at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) in Bonn/Germany, where I remain involved as a Research Fellow.

I am a co-editor of the journal Research in Labor Economics.

Publications

Benjamin Elsner, Manvi Jindal, Massimiliano Mascherini, Sanna Nivakoski (2024). Gender Gaps in Time Use: Pan-European Evidence from School Closures during COVID-19. Economic and Social Review, forthcoming.

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Luna Bellani, Stefano Ceolotto, Benjamin Elsner, Nico Pestel (2024). The Political Fallout of Air Pollution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Accepted for publication).

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Arnaud Chevalier, Benjamin Elsner, Andreas Lichter, Nico Pestel (2023). Forced Migration and Local Public Policies: Evidence from Post-War West Germany. Journal of the European Economic Association, forthcoming.

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Emanuele Albarosa, Benjamin Elsner (2023). Forced Migration and Social Cohesion: Evidence from the 2015/16 Mass Inflow in Germany. World Development, Vol. 167, 106228.

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Benjamin Elsner, Jeff Concannon (2023). Immigration and Redistribution. in: Robert M. Sauer (ed)., Handbook of Global Migration, World Scientific, Vol. 3.

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Benjamin Elsner, Florian Wozny (2023). Long-run Exposure to Low-Dose Radiation Reduces Cognitive Performance. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 118, 102785.

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Benjamin Elsner (2022). Does Emigration Increase the Wages of Non-emigrants in Sending Countries. IZA World of Labor, 208.

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Benjamin Elsner, Ingo E. Isphording, Ulf Zoelitz (2021). Achievement Rank Affects Performance and Major Choices in College. Economic Journal, 131(640), 3182-3206.

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Costanza Biavaschi, Michal Burzynski, Benjamin Elsner, Joel Machado (2020). Taking the Skill Bias out of Global Migration. Journal of Development Economics, 142, 102317.

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Benjamin Elsner, Ingo E. Isphording (2018). Rank, Sex, Drugs, and Crime. Journal of Human Resources, 53(2), 356-381.

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Benjamin Elsner, Gaia Narciso, Jacco J. Thijssen (2018). Migrant Networks and the Spread of (Mis-)Information. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 80(3), 659-688.

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Florian Buhlmann, Benjamin Elsner, Andreas Peichl (2018). Tax Refunds and Income Manipulation: Evidence from the EITC. International Tax and Public Finance, 25, 1490-1518.

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Benjamin Elsner, Ingo E. Isphording (2017). A Big Fish in a Small Pond: Ability Rank and Human Capital Investment. Journal of Labor Economics, 35(3), 787-828.

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Benjamin Elsner, Klaus F. Zimmermann (2016). Migration 10 Years After: EU Enlargement, Closed Borders, and Migration to Germany. in: M. Kahanec and K.F. Zimmermann (eds.): Labor Migration, EU Enlargement, and the Great Recession, Springer: Berlin, et al. 2016, 85 - 101.

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Benjamin Elsner (2013). Emigration and Wages: the EU Enlargement Experiment. Journal of International Economics, 91(1), 154-163.

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Benjamin Elsner (2013). Does Emigration Benefit the Stayers? Evidence from EU Enlargement. Journal of Population Economics, 35(3), 787-828.

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Working Papers

Costanza Biavaschi, Benjamin Elsner (2013). Let's Be Selective about Migrant Self-Selection.

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Teaching

My main teaching focus is on econometrics, and I am passionate about teaching this important toolbox to students. To help students on their journey, I run a YouTube Channel with explainer videos, and I am currently working on a website called intuitivemetrix.com that teaches econometrics through intuitive explanations and visuals.

For my achievemens in teaching and learning, I received the Teaching Excellence Award by the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law in 2022.

Undergraduate Courses

Econometrics (ECON30130), at UCD, since 2018
Public Economics (ECON30190), at UCD, 2019-2022
Economics of Migration, at University of Regensburg, 2018
European Labor Markets, at European Business School, 2014-2017

Masters & PhD Courses

Econometrics (ECON50580), PhD, at UCD, since 2019
Causal Inference and Policy Evaluation (ECON42470), MSc, at UCD, from 2024
Introduction to Econometrics for Business PhD Students, at European Business School, 2014-2020
Economics of Migration, PhD, at University of Luxembourg, 2017

Causal Inference Masterclasses

IZA, J-PAL MENA and UNICEF Egypt, Cairo, 2024
TU Dresden, 2024
Central Bank of Ireland, 2018, 2019, 2023
UCD Research Symposium, Dublin, 2021
Eurofound, Dublin, 2022
Orebro University, Sweden, 2022
Irish Postgraduate and Early Career Economists Workshop, Dublin, 2023
Geary Institute for Public Policy, Dublin, 2023
University of Regensburg, 2023

Programme Design

Since joining UCD, I have created two postgraduate programmes:

The MLitt/PhD Programme in Economics, the only structured economics PhD programme in Ireland. The programme has currently over 45 students from 14 countries.
The MSc Economics and Data Analytics. This masters programme is jointly offered by the School of Economics and the School of Mathematics and Statistics. The course teaches students a highly attractive skill set in economics, econometrics and data analytics. More about the course in the video below.

YouTube & Intuitive Metrix

On my YouTube Channel, I publish videos on econometrics and public economics that help students with their learning of these important toolboxes. The website intuitivemetrix.com provides a platform for undergraduate students who want to learn econometrics through intuitive explanations, animations and videos. The site is currently work in progress but the aim is to have a fully fledged website up and running in late 2023.

Causal Inference

Online course in Causal Inference (M.Sc/PhD-level)