Kewei (Benedict) Xu

PhD student of Economics
Northeastern University

Research Assitant
School of Education And Social Policy, Northwestern University (SESP)

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Northwestern University
School of Education and Social Policy
Walter Annenberg Hall, 2120 Campus Drive
Evanston, Illinois 60208

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Education Experience

Economics & Policy

ECON 7772 Public Policy Toward Business (Northeastern University, Spring 2027)

Covers the three major facets of public policy toward business: antitrust, regulation, and privatization. Demonstrates how economic theory and evidence are brought to bear on practical questions of market failure and policies to remedy such failure. Topics include mergers, collusion and facilitating practices, predatory conduct, cost of service regulation, price caps and incentive regulation, deregulation, and public enterprise vs. privatization. Policies are analyzed for their rationale, techniques for implementation, and effects as measure in the context of actual experience in the United States and other countries.

ECON 7740 Applied Econometrics 2 (Northeastern University, Spring 2027)

Continues ECON 6140. Extends students' understanding of econometrics beyond the topics covered in the earlier course. Students develop and complete an econometric research project using methods covered. Topics include models with multiple equations, nonlinear regression models, asymptotic theory, maximum likelihood, discrete choice models, limited dependent variables and duration models, panel data, regression models for time-series data, and unit roots and cointegration.

ECON 7764 Topics in Labor Economics (Northeastern University, Spring 2027)

Covers the theoretical and empirical issues surrounding current topics in the area of labor economics. Topics may vary each time the course is offered and may include discrimination, efficiency wage theory, labor legislation, life cycle analysis, and the use of microdata (panel studies, search behavior, intergenerational earnings mobility, and employment and training policies).

ECON 7771 Framework of Industry Organization (Northeastern University, Fall 2026)

Sets out the analytical framework of industrial organization economics-the basis and method for evaluating the performance of markets and firms and for prescribing policies for improvement. Topics include size and structure of firms, market concentration, pricing in oligopoly and other markets, entry and entry deterrence strategies, and advertising and product strategies. Each of these topics is examined using a range of tools including microeconomic theory, game theory, and statistical analysis.

BREAD-IGC PhD-level Course on Political Economy and Development (Virtually, Fall 2026)

We're offering a virtual PhD-level non-credit course beginning on 8 September 2026. This twelve-week-long course designed for PhD students and early career researchers will be led by expert development economists who can provide deep insights into challenges, opportunities, and unanswered questions related to political economy in the developing world.

ECON 7763 Labor Market Analysis (Northeastern University, Fall 2026)

Offers a theoretical and methodological survey of the field of neoclassical labor market analysis at the PhD level. Topics include the supply of labor from the perspective of the individual and the family, human capital, the demand for labor, market equilibrium, and the determination and distribution of wages and earnings. Other topics that may be included are unions, unemployment, labor mobility, alternative models of labor markets, labor productivity and growth, and income distribution and poverty.

ECON 7710 Microeconomics Theory 2 (Northeastern University, Spring 2026)

Continues ECON 6110, building on its theories. Topics include game theory, economics of information, incentive theory, welfare economics, general equilibrium, and social choice theory.

ECON 7720 Macroeconomics Theory 2 (Northeastern University, Spring 2026)

Continues ECON 6120. Offers an advanced course in macroeconomic analysis where economic theory and econometric evidence are brought together to explain economic events and changes at the macro level including economic growth, changes in unemployment and inflation rates, and business cycles. Topics include the Solow growth model, overlapping-generations models, research and development models of growth, real-business-cycle theory, Keynesian theories of economic fluctuations, microfoundations, consumption, investment, unemployment, inflation and monetary theory, and budget deficits and fiscal policy.

ECON 6140 Advanced Applied Econometrics (Northeastern University, Spring 2026)

Offers students an opportunity to obtain the theoretical tools, computer skills, and experience using econometrics needed to appreciate and do high-quality applied research in economics. Emphasizes understanding how the properties of estimators can be found and their implications for applied research. Introduces the programming language Python, which is integrated into the course. Focuses on methods that are most useful in microeconomic analysis, including classical linear regressions, Gauss-Markov theorem and hypothesis testing, endogeneity, instrumental variable estimation and causality analysis, heteroskedasticity and serial correlations, nonlinearity, panel data methods, difference-in-difference, and regression discontinuity. This is the first advanced graduate-level course on econometrics.

14.771 Development Economics: Microeconomics Issues (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Fall 2025)

A rigorous introduction to core micro-economic issues in economic development, focusing on both key theoretical contributions and empirical applications to understand both why some countries are poor and on how markets function differently in poor economies. Topics include human capital (education and health); labor markets; credit markets; land markets; firms; and the role of the public sector.

ECON 6120 Advanced Macroeconomics Theory (Northeastern University, Fall 2025)

Develops basic models used by macroeconomists to study long-run economic growth with exogenous savings and endogenous saving decisions by optimizing households. Studies models incorporating endogenous technology improvements, including the model of increasing product variety and the model of Schumpeterian growth. In the second part of the course, basic models used by macroeconomist are developed to explain short-term fluctuations in aggregate economic variables. Develops a simple real business cycle model, which is subsequently enriched by relaxing assumptions of perfect competition on the production side and monetary neutrality. This is the first advanced graduate-level course introducing modern theories of the aggregate economy.

ECON 6110 Advanced Microeconomics Theory (Northeastern University, Fall 2025)

Discusses consumer choice, classical demand theory, production, choice under uncertainty, competitive markets, and market power, which provide the theoretical foundation of more advanced topics that can be used as the basis to design empirical applications. Requires a strong background in linear algebra, multivariate calculus, and optimization theory for success in the course. A good undergraduate intermediate-level microeconomic theory course is also helpful. This is the first advanced graduate-level course on microeconomic theory for graduate students.

SE POL 418 Economics of Immigration and Welfare (Northwestern University, Fall 2024)

This course aims to provide an in-depth examination of the theoretical concepts and empirical tools necessary to understand several key aspects of international migration, as well as the welfare implications of immigration for both host and home countries. We will be discussing economic theory and academic papers that have extensive amounts of data analysis.

SE POL 414 Strategic Behavior and Policy Analysis (Northwestern University, Fall 2024)

This course will apply economic models (including both game theory and market theory) toward understanding practical problems faced by both individuals and policymakers.

SE POL 409 Economic Policy in Action (Northwestern University, Fall 2024)

This course aims to 1) provide a working knowledge of modern methods to evaluate economic policy responses and 2) practically apply these methods to analyze real-world policy issues, all within a macroeconomic lens. Topics covered include identifying causal effects in time-series data, using cross-sectional data to answer macroeconomic questions, and structural estimation of macroeconomic models. Applications for aggregate economic policy - including fiscal,monetary, and trade - are explored.

SE POL 400 Causal Methods for Evaluating Policy (Northwestern University, Spring 2024)

Master's course on causal infernece.

SE POL 403 Policy Analysis using Advanced Methods (Northwestern University, Summer 2024)

SE POL 407 Social Policy in the United States (Northwestern University, Spring 2024)

SE POL 410 Economics of Education (Northwestern University, Summer 2024)

SE POL 401 Economics of Public Policy (Northwestern University, Summer 2024)

Econ 5012: Microeconomic Analysis and Applications (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fall 2023)

Master's course on Microeconomic theory.

Econ 5022: Macroeconomics Analysis and Applications (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fall 2023)

Master's course on macroeconomics.

Econ 5122: Econometric Analysis and Applications (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fall 2023)

Master's course on advanced topics in applied econometrics.

Econ5542: Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy in China (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Spring 2024)

This graduate course includes two parts. The first part provides elementary monetary and fiscal policy theories providing students a general framework for policy analysis. The second part mainly discusses the development of Chinese monetary policy and fiscal policy in the past three decades, the potential policy reform, and its implications for the Chinese economy.

Econ5831: Special Topics in Economics II- China Financial Markets (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fall 2023)

Master's course aims to provide an in-depth coverage of the financial system in China.

02802190: Chinese Economy (Peking University, Fall 2021)

Undergraduate introduction to Chinese Economy.

06234900: Special Topics on Chinese Economy (Peking University, Fall 2021)

"Speclal Topics on Chinese Economy" is a course aimed at buiding up capablly of analyzing economic reatilty--especialythe realy of chinese economy--through economic theories. Classical macroeconomc and financial models wll be introduced in the course, to help students to see through the real word problems, and to understand the economic insight behind the reality.

02832120: Macroeconomics (Peking University, Fall 2021)

This course teaches macroeconomics at the intermediate level.

02833720: Econometrics (Peking University, Spring 2022)

Bachelor's course on econometrics.

02839430: Development Economics (Peking University, Fall 2021)

This course provides an overview of the most relevant topics and methods for understanding and practicing economic development.

OLET1143: How Economic Policy Remade Australia (The University of Sydney, Spring 2022)

This unit examines how Australia has been 'remade' Australian through economic policies. The rationale and success of labour market reform, privatization and international trade policies are critically examined.

BUSS1040: Economics for Business Decision Making (The University of Sydney, Summer 2019)

Bachelor's course on microeconomics and macroeconomics.

Computer Science

02812930 Python foundation for data science (Peking University, Fall 2021)

SE POL 408 Applied Data Science and Applications in Social Policy (Northwestern University, Summer 2024)

Math

ECON6105: Advanced Mathematics and Statistics for Economists (Northeastern University, Fall 2025)

ECON5102: Mathematics for Economics Analysis (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fall 2023)

MATH1002: Linear Algebra (The University of Sydney, Spring 2022)

MATH1021: Calculus of One Variable (The University of Sydney, Spring 2022)

BUSS1020: Quantitative Business Analysis (The University of Sydney, Fall 2019)

Finance

FINC3600: Finance in Practice (The University of Sydney, Fall 2022)

02838400: Behavior Finance (Peking University, Fall 2021)

FINC3012: Derivative Securities (The University of Sydney, Fall 2022)

BANK3011: Bank Financial Management (The University of Sydney, Fall 2022)

FINC2011: Corporate Finance I (The University of Sydney, Fall 2020)

FINC2012: Corporate Finance II (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Winter 2019)

Accounting

ACCT3011 Financial Accounting B (The University of Sydney, Spring 2022)

ACCT2019 Management Accounting (The University of Sydney, Spring 2021)

ACCT2011 Financial Accounting A (The University of Sydney, Spring 2021)

ACCT1006 Accounting and Financial Management (The University of Sydney, Fall 2020)

BUSS1030 Accounting, Business and Society (The University of Sydney, Fall 2019)

Commerce

E2800030 Management Science and Information Management (Peking University, Fall 2021)

02832690 Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Peking University, Fall 2021)

BUSS1000 Future of Business (The University of Sydney, Fall 2019)

BUSS2000 Leading and Influencing in Business (The University of Sydney, Spring 2022)

Medicine & Health

OLET1616 The Science of Health and Wellbeing (The University of Sydney, Fall 2022)

OLET1634 Anxiety and its Disorders (The University of Sydney, Fall 2020)

OLET1504 Health Challenges: Diabetes (The University of Sydney, Fall 2020)

Sports

04130210 Baseball (Peking University, Spring 2022)