About
I am a third-year undergraduate student in Applied Economics at the Faculty of Finance, City University of Macau, advised by Prof. Wenli Xu.
My research focuses on econometrics, causal inference, and econometric software development. I develop open-source packages in Python and Stata that implement recent methodological advances in causal inference — with a particular emphasis on difference-in-differences designs, including small-sample inference, equivalence-based pre-trend testing, conditional extrapolation pre-tests, and efficient GMM combination of multiple DiD estimators. Details can be found on the Software page.
In applied work, I study environmental economics, with a focus on the socioeconomic consequences of climate change. My current projects examine how climate shocks affect intimate partner violence across developing countries, and how climate-related political pressure drives corporate decarbonization in China.
I am also exploring AI-assisted causal inference and structural modeling, aiming to leverage AI agent tools to improve the estimation and identification of causal effects.
I am actively seeking PhD opportunities in econometrics, causal inference, or environmental economics for Fall 2027. Feel free to reach out via email.
Selected Publications
View All →Apathy in the Heatwave: How Climate Shocks Exacerbating Emotional Violence
Xiangxu Chang, Xuanyu Cai, Wenli Xu
SSRN Preprint (Under Review)
Cross-country evidence that climate shocks (extreme temperatures, droughts, floods, storms) significantly increase intimate partner emotional violence, operating through household isolation, male jealousy, and controlling behavior pathways.
How Does Climate Political Pressure Affect Corporate Decarbonization? Evidence from China's ``Message Board for Leaders'
Wenli Xu, Xuanyu Cai, Xiangxu Chang
Under SSRN Review
Micro-level causal evidence that institutionalized citizen participation through China's official digital platform drives corporate decarbonization via policy enforcement, green innovation, and substantive CSR practices.
lwdid: A Python Package for Lee–Wooldridge Difference-in-Differences Estimation with Small Samples
Xuanyu Cai, Wenli Xu
Under SSRN Review
A unified Python implementation of the Lee–Wooldridge rolling-transformation approach to DiD, enabling exact small-sample inference for both common timing and staggered adoption designs.
How Does Quality Culture Help Successfully Implement Lean Projects in the Age of Artificial Intelligence? A Moderated Mediation Model
Xuanyu Cai, Kunyu Yang, Yunfan Zhang
China Quality (中国质量)
A moderated mediation model examining how quality culture and AI usage jointly drive lean project success through strategic feedback and learning.
News
📢 Call for Papers: CityUM-FOF Economic and Financial Workshop — Undergraduate Session. Details & Submission