Sharad KC

Sharad KC

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Zayed University

Biography

I am an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and an applied microeconomist working in experimental, environmental, health, and information economics. My research uses causal inference and quasi-experimental methods to study how individuals, firms, and governments make decisions when information is limited or strategically distorted.

My current work examines the economic consequences of fake reviews for trust and efficiency in online marketplaces, the siting of air quality monitors and the health effects of air pollution, and whether EPA enforcement actions change corporate environmental reporting. My work has been published in the Journal of Environmental Management, and my methods range from laboratory experiments to administrative data, satellite imagery, and machine learning.

Before joining Zayed University, I worked as an economist with the Office on Smoking and Health at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I hold a Ph.D. in Economics from Georgia State University.

Interests

  • Experimental economics
  • Environmental economics
  • Health economics

Education

  • PhD in Economics, 2024

    Georgia State University

  • MS in Economics, 2020

    Georgia State University

  • BA in Mathematics & Economics, 2011

    Moravian University

Publications

Xiangyu Meng, Sharad KC·January 2025·Journal of Environmental Management
Location choice of Air quality monitors in China

Since 2013, China has added more than four thousand air quality monitoring stations that provide the public with real-time information on six airborne pollutants, i.e., particulate matter (PM) 2.5, PM10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide. … more

Link

Working Papers

Sharad KC·Job Market Paper
Economic impact of fake reviews on market outcomes

I study the economic effects of fake reviews on user-generated information such as ratings and reviews and, ultimately, buyers/sellers in the online marketplace.

PDF
Sharad KC·April 2024
Monitoring and Compliance of the Toxics Release Inventory: Does EPA enforcement action change corporate reporting behavior?

I study firms’ compliance behavior after an inspection or an enforcement action by the EPA.

PDF
Sharad KC·December 2018
Why do firms Agglomerate? Historical thoughts before 1950

This paper examines the historical foundations of agglomeration economics, highlighting its enduring relevance in understanding the spatial organization of economic activity and the dynamics of industrial clusters.

PDF
Sharad KC·April 2018
Human Capital Through the Ages: A Historical Perspective from 1600s to Present

This paper traces the historical development of the concept of human capital, emphasizing its evolution from early economic thought to its contemporary significance.

PDF

Teaching

Average instructor rating: 4.6/5

ECON 2105: Intro to Macroeconomics

Hybrid: Spring 2020

ECON 2100: Global Economics

In-person: Spring 2022 · Syllabus

ECON 2105: Intro to Microeconomics

Online: Fall 2023

ECON 2105: Intro to Microeconomics

Online: Spring 2024

See teaching evaluations here

See teaching philosophy here

Contact

Cite

@article{meng2025location,
  title   = {Location choice of Air quality monitors in China},
  author  = {Meng, Xiangyu and KC, Sharad},
  journal = {Journal of Environmental Management},
  year    = {2025},
  month   = {January}
}