Cathy Yang Liu earned her PhD from the USC Price School of Public Policy in 2008, and is now an Associate Professor of Public Management and Policy at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Public Studies.
Her current research spans several broad areas, including: immigrants’ mobility and entrepreneurship in U.S. cities; welcoming cities policy, with an emphasis on local immigrant-integration and economic development; and urban development, job/housing balance and inequality in China.
She credits USC Price with helping her realize the importance of engaging communities, practitioners, and the policy world to answer pressing real-world questions.
Can you describe your current research?
My current research focuses on several broad areas: 1) immigrants’ mobility and entrepreneurship among U.S. cities and how they relate to brain gain/brain drain discussion and local economic development; 2) welcoming cities policy as a local immigrant-integration policy as well as economic development initiative, its rationales, policy practices, and potential impact; 3) urban development, job/housing balance and inequality in Chinese cities.
What prompted your interest in studying these areas?
I’m interested in migration and development in general and to understand how cities serve as nodal bases for a mobile global population, how this population fit into the spatial structure and social organization of neighborhoods, communities, and local economies and how local policies can facilitate such processes. I always enjoy cities and urban life so it is nice to be able to study these issues in my work. It is also intriguing to see how these dynamics vary in different urban contexts both in the U.S. and abroad.
Are you currently teaching any classes?
Yes. I teach two MPA/MPP courses: Urban Demography and Analysis, and Economic Development Policy. When I gather enough doctoral students I teach a Doctoral Seminar in Urban Development every 2-3 years. I will also co-teach a new undergraduate Honor’s Seminar on Immigration, Labor, and Cities in the fall with a Law/Business professor, and I’m looking forward to it.
What do you find most rewarding about the work that you do?
Research-wise I find it rewarding and meaningful to inform real world policy issues. Earlier this year we wrote an op-ed on immigrants’ contribution to urban economies that we cite the various research we have done in this area. The current work on welcoming cities also come at a time when many cities, including Atlanta, have either adopted or plan to adopt this policy. Any best practices, general findings could be very helpful to local governments.
Teaching-wise I enjoy engaging students in urban economic development topics and link their practical experiences to theories. It’s rewarding to see them go out in the field, do great things and make positive changes.
How did the Price School prepare you for your current role?
The Price School provided me with 5 wonderful years for my Ph.D. I had the privilege of learning from and working with great faculty members, many of whom remain mentors, collaborators and friends. Not only did I learn academic lessons from them, their sharp thinking and working ethics inspire me as role models.
I benefit also from a closely-knit community of fellow Ph.D. students, without the support of which it’s hard to endure the journey of a Ph.D. We still see each other at professional conferences and share our experiences as we move along our academic careers.
I do still remember the many professional opportunities provided by the Price School, including the Lusk seminars, urban growth seminars, the APRU student conference that I was able to attend with university funding, and the Mexico City study trip as part of the interdisciplinary Urban Global Certificate program.
Can you provide an overview of your dissertation at Price?
My dissertation examines the relationship between residential location of immigrants within urban areas and their economic outcomes in terms of employment status, occupations/industries, earnings and commuting. It is to test the spatial mismatch hypothesis that traditionally applied to other minority workers to immigrant groups and how it interacts with the social networks perspective that characterize immigrants. Research was conducted for the three metropolitan areas of Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington DC and highlighted the unique housing market and labor market linkages of immigrant workers and the importance of urban contexts.
Why did you choose to pursue your PhD at the USC Price School?
After I received my Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago, I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. degree with a more urban focus. The Price School, then called the School of Policy, Planning and Development, was really appealing to me as it housed several programs (urban planning, public policy, real estate development) within one school, with faculty members doing interesting research.
What was your most inspiring experience as a USC Price student?
I was very impressed as a Ph.D. student to see that my professors are doing work for the World Bank, for various foundations, for the National Association of Realtors, etc., and I was later involved in some of these projects. I gradually realized the relevance of our work in policy and planning, and it’s important to engage in communities, practitioners, and the policy world to answer pressing real-world questions. I consider this to be the most inspiring experience at USC Price, and now try my best to do the same.