June 2, 2026
Early career researchers from around the United States will present their work on June 5 at the Upjohn Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The daylong event spotlights the work of three of the Institute’s recent Dissertation Research Grant recipients, whose projects explore employment-related issues, with particular attention to challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Each grantee received up to $15,000 to support their dissertation work through the grant program, operated in partnership with the Russell Sage Foundation.
The conference will also feature research by two additional early-career scholars working on employment topics and supported by the Upjohn Institute through other programs. Upjohn Institute experts will discuss each presentation, providing constructive feedback as the scholars engage in careers in academia and policy research.
The Upjohn Institute offers several programs that recognize and support the work of early career researchers. Click here for more information.
Invited presenters and projects
Duan Zhang, University of Missouri
The Effect of Job Loss on Crime: Evidence Using Mass Layoffs Across the U.S.
Discussant: Monique Davis
Clinton Rooker, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Earned Authority and the Roots of Working-Class Authoritarianism on the Job
Discussant: Michelle Miller-Adams
Gonzalo Martín Respighi Grasso, University of California, Santa Cruz
Rent Control, Household Finances, and Labor Market Mobility
Discussant: Brian Asquith
Aaron Phipps, West Point
Path Dependence in the Labor Market: The Long-Run Effects of Early Career Occupational Experience
Discussant: Brad Hershbein
Carolyn Davin, University of Notre Dame
WWII Mobilization and Long-Run Human Capital and Labor Market Outcomes
Discussant: Tim Bartik