I am a Lecturer in Planning and Environmental Management. I joined The University of Manchester as a Research Associate in 2017. In 2019, I was awarded the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship, working on a three-year research project - 'Can spatial decentralisation achieve sustainable urbanisation?'.  

The first strand of my research focuses on sustainable urbanisation in China. I employ mixed research methods such as spatial analysis, statistical modelling, big data analytics, and various qualitative methods to probe into critical planning issues such as green infrastructure, community well-being, regeneration, mobility, and jobs-housing relationships in the context of rapid urbanisation in China.  

The second strand of my research points to decision-making support in spatial planning. I utilise various indicators, with a particular emphasis on spatial ones, leverage spatial analysis and modelling methods, and develop assessment frameworks to unpack spatial patterns of planning issues. My ongoing research projects delve into understanding and addressing spatial inequality within the UK context.

Urban regeneration, Urbanisation in China, Job-housing relationship, Spatial inequality, GIS application in spatial planning

For the 2023 to 2024 academic year, I contribute to teaching in the following modules: 

• Digital Planning - Spatial and Policy Analysis (PLAN40761/PLAN60761)
• International Planning: System and Frameworks (PLAN40861 / PLAN60861)
• Data Analytics for Planning and Real Estate (PLAN26041) (unit coordinator)
• Dissertation [MSc Planning] (PLAN60090&EVDV60890&PLAN60550&60560) (unit coordinator)
• Dissertation [UG] (PLAN30000) (unit coordinator)

• Emerald 2016 Literati Award with the title of Highly Commended Paper (Title of the paper: “Critical issues in spatial distribution of public housing estates and their implications on urban renewal in Hong Kong”)
• The Second Price of the seventh Innovation Competition in Construction Engineering and Management (ICCEM) organized by the Tsinghua University and sponsored by the Gammon Construction Company Limited. (Title of the report: “A smart data mining approach for detecting individuals’ activity travel behavior and its applications in urban and transport planning”)
• Winner of CIB Sebestyén Future Leaders Award 2013. The proposed project is supported in collaboration with CIB Working Commission W116 -Smart and Sustainable Built Environment. (Title of the project is “Investigating the green building development in China.”)

I would be happy to hear from prospective PhD students with the research interests in the following areas: 

• commuting and jobs-housing relationships
• urban renewal/regeneration decision-making
• urbanisation and sustainable development 
• the application of GIS and advanced quantitative methods in spatial planning