His research interests lie at the intersection of politics, economics, and geography, with a focus on urban and regional governance in the context of China or other developing countries. His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include China’s Economic Transition, Development, and Quantitative Research Methods.

His most recent research shares the common goal of exploring the spatial patterns of power, institutions, policies, and economic development, along with their interactions. For instance, he is currently investigating the political economy of administrative boundary adjustments in China, the process in which large and powerful cities seek to annex the territories of smaller surrounding counties. In addition, he is interested in applying novel methods, such as systems models and network analysis, to understand the structures and dynamics that affect state capacity. His research has appeared in journals such as Urban Affairs Review and Journal of Contemporary China. 

He received a B.A. and an M.A. in Public Administration from Shandong University and Beijing Institute of Technology, respectively. He received a Ph.D. in Political Science from The Ohio State University, where he won the departmental best dissertation award. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was an Assistant Professor at Fudan University’s Institute for Global Public Policy.