My research focuses on how governments in fossil-fuel-rich states respond to the volatility of resource booms and busts, and how these fiscal choices affect people’s migration decisions. Using historical data, I examine short- and long-term structural changes in public finance, showing that tax cuts and spending expansions often persist long after revenues decline. I also employ survey experiments to study the causal impact of fiscal trade-offs on mobility. Overall, my work highlights why fiscal adjustments persist beyond booms and how individuals weigh taxes versus public services when deciding whether to move, underscoring the fiscal challenges of the energy transition. You can reach me at smukher1@uwyo.edu and view my CV here.

I am on the 2025-2026 job market.