About Me

I am a doctoral candidate and 5th year Ph.D. student in the Economics Department at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. My dissertation committee consists of Michael Pesko (chair), Daniel Rees, Keith Teltser, and Lauren Hoehn-Velasco.

I study applied microeconomics, including health economics, public economics, and health-related risky behaviors. My research focuses primarily on topics related to substance abuse, regulation of sin goods, and addiction. Much of my research uses U.S. death certificate data from the National Vital Statistics System. My job market paper studies how alcohol abuse and mortality are impacted in the long-run by policies experienced during adolescence. My other research explores the welfare impact of FDA regulation of nicotine delivery systems, how ridesharing affects external-cause mortality, and how emotional cues affect risky decisions involving alcohol, using evidence from the Super Bowl.

I have served as President of the Economics Department’s Graduate Student Association beginning in 2024.

I am also the recipient of a Diversity Supplement from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. This supplement provides $200,000 in support for my research with Michael Pesko on the effects of e-cigarette policies on smoking.

Contact Information

Email: csaenz1@student.gsu.edu

Twitter (X): @Chris_Saenz_

Twitter