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Ke (Kerr) Lyu

Ph.D. Candidate in Economics University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)
1664 N. Virginia Street, The National Judicial College Office 118B, Reno, NV 89557

Self Introduction

I am a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Economics at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), currently on the job market for the 2025–2026 academic year. Prior to joining UNR, I earned an MSc in Economics from the University of Edinburgh in the UK. Two key questions drive my research:

❓What drives self-employment? Is it primarily dominated and driven by opportunity or by necessity in both high- and middle-income countries?

❓To what extent can policies designed to promote self-employment effectively enhance social welfare?

These questions shape my primary research interests in entrepreneurship, labor economics, and health economics, with a particular focus on solo self-employment, also known as nonemployer businesses.

I have taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate-level courses as an instructor and am passionate about fostering an active, dynamic, and inclusive learning environment where students can connect theory with real-world challenges.

News Feed

10/27/2025 - Our paper, "Taxes, Incentives and Entrepreneurship:
Evidence from the Universe of U.S. Startups", will be presented at the Workshop on Entrepreneurial Finance and Innovation (WEFI).
07/11/2025–07/17/2025 - Participated in the 2025 NBER Innovation Research Boot Camp.
06/27/2025–06/29/2025 - Presented our paper, "The Effect of Policy on Entrepreneurship: Evidence from the Universe of U.S. Startups", at the 6th World Labor Conference.
06/04/2025–06/07/2025 - Presented our paper, "How Do Minimum Wages Affect Nonemployer Business Establishments in the United States?", at the 45th Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference (BCERC).