Alvin Christian

I am a PhD candidate in Economics and Public Policy at the University of Michigan who studies pressing public policy issues. I currently focus on education and domestic violence. In education, I examine how students access and use support services, how information and beliefs shape labor market decisions, and how organizations—school districts, boards, and universities—make decisions under uncertainty. In domestic violence, I examine how laws and institutional design affect safety, family formation, and work. 

My research has been supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and published in academic journals such as Education Finance and Policy, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, American Educational Research Journal, and Oxford Economic Papers. It has been cited in White House reports and featured by media outlets such as The 74. My parents do not read it because it's "too long," but they say it looks professional and they're proud of me.

I will join the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, SUNY as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2026.