Research

Research grants

External Competitive Research Grants

  1. Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Conservation and Revitalisation in Hing Chun Yeuk Seven Villages, Kuk Po and Fung Hang, Hong Kong, Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme – Research Activities on Countryside Conservation and Revitalisation, Environmental Protection Department, HKSAR Government, HKD 1,982,040, PI, 09/2021-08/2022
  2. The Rise of Education-featured Gated Communities in Chinese Cities: Formation Mechanism and Implications on Housing Differentiation, The Case of Guangzhou, UGC/GRF (Grant No. 17614720), HKD 913,701, PI, 01/2021-12/2023.
  3. Effects of Environment-related Experiences on Older Person’s Well-being in Hong Kong’s “Double Ageing” Context: A Person–environment Perspective, Public Policy Research Fund (2019.A6.145.19D), Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office, The Government of Hong Kong SAR, HKD 497,030, Co-I, 01/2020-12/2020 (PI: Dr. Yi Sun, Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
  4. Equalization of and Accessibility to Basic Public Services in Developed Regions in China: Theorization and Practices, National Social Science Foundation of China, Major Research Project, RMB 700,000 Co-I, 04/2020-04/2022. (PI: Prof. Jiawen Yang, Peking University)
  5. Moving to and Working in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Among Hong Kong Residents: Intention, Experience and Settlement Outcomes, Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (S2018.A4.009.18S), The Government of Hong Kong SAR, HKD 3,706,000, Co-I, 03/2019-02/2022 (PI: Prof. Eric Fong, The University of Hong Kong)
  6. The mechanism of low-income housing development and its integrative effects in urban China, National Science Foundation of China, HKD 648,000, Principal Investigator, 01/2019 -12/2022.
  7. Advancing China’s Urbanization Inside Out: Urban Redevelopments in Chinese Cities Amidst Accelerated Urban Transition, University Grants Committee of Hong Kong, Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) (C7028-16G), HK$2,709,115, Co-Principal Investigator, 06/2017-06/2020. (PI: Prof. George C.S. Lin, Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong)
  8. Uneven Distribution of High-quality Healthcare Resources in Chinese Cities and Its Socio-spatial Implications, National Science Foundation of China, General Program (Ref: 41671153), RMB 600,000, Principal Investigator, 01/2017 -12/2020.
  9. Livability of Large Housing Estates in Hong Kong: Contribution of the Housing Management Profession, The Hong Kong Institute of Housing. HK$260,000, Co-Investigator, 01/2018 -10/2018. (PI: Prof. Rebecca Chiu, The University of Hong Kong)
  10. A Comprehensive Study on Housing in an Ageing Community – Potential demand for purpose-design elderly housing among lower-middle elderly households in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Housing Society. HK$1,000,000, Co-Investigator, 06/2018-06/2019 (PI: Prof. Rebecca Chiu, The University of Hong Kong)
  11. Low-end Housing Provision under Financialisation and Its Socio-spatial Implications in Urban China, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy 2016 China Program International Fellowship, US$31,000, Principal Investigator, 02/2016-02/2017.
  12. Residential Mobility in Chinese Cities in the Twenty-First Century: Implications for Housing Careers and Neighbourhood Governance (Ref: 12603615), University Grants Committee of Hong Kong, General Research Fund (GRF), HK$548,200, Co-Investigator, 09/2015-08/2017. (PI: Prof. Si-Ming Li, Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University)
  13. Study on manpower requirements in the property management industry, commissioned by Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies Limited, HK$280,000, Co-Principal Investigator, 05-11/2015 (PI: Prof. Rebecca L.H. Chiu, The University of Hong Kong)
  14. Urban Socio-Spatial Restructuring in China, Excellent Young Scientists Fund by the National Science Foundation of China (one of the most prestigious and competitive research grants for scholars under the age of 38 in mainland China) (Ref: 41322003), RMB1,000,000, Principal Investigator, 01/2014 -12/2016.
  15. A political economy analysis of China’s urban redevelopment and its socio-spatial outcomes, National Science Foundation of China, General Program (Ref: 41271180), RMB 800,000, Principal Investigator, 01/2013 -12/2016.
  16. The Advent of an Urban Age in China and Smart City Design and Development Strategies，National Social Science Foundation of China, Major Program (one of the most prestigious and competitive research grants for social scientists in mainland China) (Ref: 11&ZD154), RMB 700,000, Co-investigator, 01/2012 -12/2014. (PI: Prof. Shifu Wang, South China University of Technology)
  17. Intelligent analysis system on urban crime dynamics, National Science Foundation of China, General Program (Ref: 41171140), RMB 600,000, Co-investigator, 01/2012 -12/2015. (PI: Prof. Lin LIU, Sun Yat-sen University)
  18. Socio-spatial restructuring under the ‘three old’ redevelopment policy in Pearl River Delta, funded by the State Key Laboratory of Sub-tropical Building Sciences, China, 20,000 RMB, Principal Investigator 12/2011 -12/2013.
  19. Urban redevelopment and socio-spatial restructuring from the analytical perspective of urban regime theory, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, the Ministry of Education, China. RMB 200,000, Principal Investigator 01/2011-12/2012.
  20. Two waves of gentrification and its socio-spatial consequences in Guangzhou, Scientific Research Funds for Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, the Ministry of Education, China, RMB 45,000, Principal Investigator 01/2011-12/2012
  21. The Development of Migrant Villages under China’s Rapid Urbanisation: Implications for Poverty and Slum Policies, funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)/ Department For International Development (DFID), UK, GBP 333,000, Co-investigator, 01/2010 -12/2012. (PI: Prof. Fulong Wu, UCL)
  22. Mega-event and its implications on urban socio-spatial restructuring, the case of Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, the Ministry of Education, China. RMB 150,000, Principal Investigator, 01/2010-12/2012
  23. Research on Yangzhou old town public housing upgrading, invited by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), RMB 185,000, Principal Investigator 01/2010-06/2011.
  24. Gentrification in large Chinese cities under market transition, a case study of Guangzhou, National Science Foundation of China, Young Scholars Program (Ref: 40801061), RMB 170,000, Principal Investigator, 01/2009 -12/2011.
  25. Governability, borders and urban citizenship, German Research Foundation (DFG) [SPP 1233, no. BR 3546/1-2], EUR 98,000, Co-investigator, 01/2009 -12/2010. (PI: Prof. Luigi Tomba, Australian National University)
  26. Property-led regeneration and residential displacement in Shanghai, Small Research Grant awarded by the Urban China Research Network (UCRN), State University of New York at Albany, 30,000 USD, Principal Investigator, 2003.

Internal competitive research grants

  1. Multi-dimensional Housing Inequalities under Financialisation in Pandemic-stricken Megacities, University Research Committee, The University of Hong Kong, HKD1,500,000, PI, 01/2021-12/2023.
  2. Small Property Right Housing Development in China, 34th Round Post-doctoral Fellow/Research Assistant Professor Scheme, University Research Committee, The University of Hong Kong, 1,500,000 HKD, Principle Investigator, 06/2016-06/2019.
  3. Enclave urban living in post-reform China — An empirical investigation in Guangzhou, Seed Funding Programme for Basic Research, University Research Committee, The University of Hong Kong, 119,000 HKD, Principle Investigator, 06/2015-06/2017
  4. The production and mutation of China’s new urban space from an interdisciplinary perspective: State, market, society, ‘Outstanding Young Scholars Research Fund’, Sun Yat-Sen University, 575,000 RMB, Principal Investigator 06/2011-12/2012.

Distinctions and recognitions

  • Top 1% social science scholar (2016-2020) ranked by Clarivate Analytics based on Essential Science Indicators (ESI).
  • Most cited researcher in mainland China (social scientists), Elsevier, 2015-2020
  • Top five most productive author in urban China studies (1990-2010), listed in: Lily Kong and Junxi Qian, 2019, Knowledge circulation in urban geography/urban studies, 1990–2010: Testing the discourse of Anglo-American hegemony through publication and citation patterns, Urban Studies 56(1), 44-80.
  • Selected for HKU’s inaugural woman leadership program, The University of Hong Kong, 2017-2018
  • Finalist, Award for Research Excellence 2019 (Academic category), the Royal Town Planning Institute, UK (https://www.rtpi.org.uk/knowledge/research/rtpi-awards-for- research-excellence/2019-rtpi-research-awards/#sl)
  • First prize, Excellent published papers in Urban Geography, Urban Geography Research Committee, Chinese Geographical Society, 2017
  • Outstanding Young Scientist Award, National Science Foundation of China, 2013
  • Young Scientist Award in Geographical Sciences, Chinese Geographical Society, 2013
  • Excellent Research Paper Prize in Higher Education Institutions, The Ministry of Education, 2013
  • Excellent Research Paper Prize in Philosophy and Social Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Government, 2013
  • Finalist, 2011 Best Published Paper Prize, Association of European Schools of Planning (one of the five papers nominated by the Editorial Boards of more than 50 European planning journals), 2011
  • First Prize, Excellent published papers by young urban scholars, Urban Geography Research Committee, Chinese Geographical Society, 2011