Dean Y. Kaplan — Economics Ph.D. Candidate, Boston College

How machines and mobility are remaking the labor market.

I study the macroeconomics of labor: how automation shifts labor demand, wages, and the organization of work, and how workers respond, whether by retraining, switching occupations, or migrating toward better labor conditions. Prior to my doctoral studies, I worked as a Research Analyst at Harvard's Center for Education Policy Research.

Labor Economics Macroeconomics Automation & Technology Migration Workforce Dynamics

Working papers

Working Paper

Labor Market Effects of AI Innovation

Using the text of US patents from 2003–2022, I categorize AI inventions into automation and augmentation margins, estimate occupational exposure with O*NET data, and identify causal effects on commuting-zone employment and wages in a shift-share design. Augmentation exposure raises employment 5–10 years after a patent is granted; automation shows suggestive wage declines — with effects that differ sharply by the skill level of exposed occupations.

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Working Paper

Family Structure, Gender, and the Rise in Parental Coresidence Among Prime-Aged Adults

With Gabrielle Penrose. We document the rise in parental coresidence among prime-aged American adults from 1962 to 2023. Through the early 2000s the increase was largely compositional — driven by declining marriage — while the last two decades show coresidence rising within marital groups. Coresidence is strongly gendered: marital status and resident children account for roughly half of the contemporary gender gap.

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Where I've taught and worked.

Teaching

Boston College

TA, Applying Economic Theory in the Practice of Law

Advise students on research design, data collection, and models; support student code in Stata and R.

Harvard GSE

TA, Introductory & Intermediate Statistics for Education Research

Grading, feedback, and student support for graduate statistics.

University of Maryland

TA, Professional Writing Program

Planned and taught writing lessons for upper-level undergraduates; one-on-one editing.

Research Experience

Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University

Research Analyst II

Built data pipelines and randomized rapid-cycle RCTs; estimated impacts with frequentist and Bayesian methods; co-authored papers and presented at conferences.

Harvard GSE

Institutional Research Intern, Office of Student Affairs

Aggregated and analyzed student, staff, and faculty data across departments.

Harvard University

Empathy Strategies Intern, Making Caring Common

Analyzed RCT outcomes from 2,000+ student surveys; designed empathy strategies for 150+ educators nationwide.

University of Maryland

Research Assistant for Dr. Erica Zippert

Ran math-assessment study with filmed parent–child interaction; coded 50+ hours of video.

Ph.D. · In Progress

Boston College

Economics

M.A.

Boston College

Economics

M.Ed.

Harvard University

Specialized Studies · Applied Statistical Analysis

B.S.

University of Maryland

Elementary Education