I am a dissertator in Consumer Behavior & Family Economics. My research interests center on family economics, consumer decision-making, and behavioral economics/finance. Specifically, I investigate family planning decisions regarding having children, the career trajectories of mothers and fathers after having kids, and how public policies and childcare costs shape maternal employment patterns. Beyond my core focus, I also have a strong interest in exploring households’ behavioral biases and decision-making in the financial market.
Awards and Recognition
- Young Scholar Fund ($400), Asian Meeting of the Econometric Society (NTU), 2023
- PhD Dissertation Award ($3300), School of Human Ecology, UW–Madison, Spring 2023
- Graduate Research Fellow Travel Grant ($725), Institute for Research on Poverty, UW–Madison, Fall 2022
- Conference Travel Scholarship ($650), School of Human Ecology, UW–Madison, Fall 2022 & 2023
- Summer-Time Award for Research ($1792), School of Human Ecology, UW–Madison, Summer 2022
Teaching Experience
- BRITE Lab manager
- Teaching assistant for Advanced Consumer Analytics (CNSR SCI 301) (Undergraduate)

Department
- Consumer Science
Degree Program
- PhD Human Ecology: Consumer Behavior & Family Economics
Education
- MS, Economics, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- BS, Shandong University (China)
Contact
Phone: 608-960-1911
Email: xliu739@wisc.edu