His broad research and teaching interests include the political economy of development, urban and regional governance, and comparative politics with a focus on China. His most recent research projects share 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 Ph.D. in Political Science from The Ohio State University, where he won the departmental best dissertation award. He also holds an M.A. and a B.A. in Public Administration from Beijing Institute of Technology and Shandong University, respectively. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was an Assistant Professor at Fudan University.
