Ying Shi's work broadly focuses on discrimination and the economics of race, with cross-cutting interests in education and political economy. Her current research in the economics of education examines the formation of teacher racial biases and under-represented groups in selective education. Another strand of work explores the role of school boards, teachers' unions, and district leadership on educational outcomes. She is presently also examining the effects of the U.S. Voting Rights Act and urban renewal policies on long-run individual outcomes and Black-White inequality.

Ying earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy from Duke University in 2017. She was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University from 2017-2019.

Ying Shi joined IZA as a Research Affiliate in February 2019.