Faculty Profile for Dr. Muxin Zhai

profile photo for Dr. Muxin Zhai
Dr. Muxin Zhai
Assistant Professor — Finance & Economics
MCOY 550
phone: (512) 408-2435

Biography Section

Teaching Interests

Econometrics

Research Interests

Behavioral economics, environmental economics, health economics, economics of education, financial decisions, public policy

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Lynch, J., Wang, Y., & Zhai, M. (2023). Too Many Employees Cash Out Their 401(k)s When Leaving a Job. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2023/03/too-many-employees-cash-out-their-401ks-when-leaving-a-job
  • Wang, Y., Zhai, M., & Lynch, J. J. (2022). Cashing Out Retirement Savings at Job Separation. Marketing Science. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2022.1404
  • Ye, X., Zhai, M., Feng, L., Xie, A., Wang, W., & Wu, H. (2022). Still want to be a doctor? Medical student dropout in the era of COVID-19. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.12.034
  • Zhai, M., Kishan, R. P., & Showalter, D. (2022). Saving Lives through Social Capital: Evidence from the United States Counties. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 98, 101856. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2022.101856
  • Wan, M., Feng, L., Meng, X., Zhai, M., & Konopaske, R. (2021). Working college students’ time pressure and work-school conflict: Do boundary permeability and dispositional mindfulness matter? Psychological Reports, 125(6), 3100-3125 (ABDC: N/A, CABS: 1). https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941211029621.

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Translational Health Research (THR) award, Translational Health Research Center. 2023 - March 2024
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Department of Finance and Economics Award for Excellence in Research, Department of Finance and Economics. 2022
  • Award / Honor Recipient: The 2020 Special Distribution of the Teaching Award of Honor, Texas State Alumni Association. 2020
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Langton Award for Teaching, University of Washington. 2013 - 2014

Selected Grants

  • Charles, Joni S J, Zhai, Muxin. Impact of Air Quality on Individual Financial Cognition: Evidence from California Wildfire, Texas State University, $8000. (Submitted: October 2022, Funded: May 2022 - May 2023). Grant.
  • Zhai, Muxin, Feng, Li. Financial Literacy Among Minority College Students, McCoy College of Business, McCoy College of Business, $3100. (Funded: 2024 - 2025). Grant.
  • Zhai, Muxin (Principal), Charles, Joni S J (Co-Principal). Impact of Air Quality on Individual Financial Cognition – Evidence from California Wildfire, McCoy College of Business, McCoy Research Grant, $5000. (Submitted: March 2023). Grant.
  • Zhai, Muxin (Principal), Feng, Li (Co-Principal). Retaining the Future Doctors in a Post-Pandemic World Using Nudge Experiment, Research Enhancement Program (REP), Texas State University, $16000. (Funded: January 11, 2021 - Present). Grant.
  • Zhai, Muxin. McCoy College Faculty Development Funding, McCoy College. (Funded: 2019 - 2020). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Reviewer / Referee
Energy Economics
2024-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
2023-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Environmental Economics and Policy Studies
2022-Present
Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
2021-Present
Participant
McCoy College Cat Camp
2024-2024