About

Photo by Daniel Constable.

I am completing my PhD at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in New Haven, CT. My research focuses on environmental performance measurement and data-driven approaches to environmental policy-making and governance. These “data-driven” or “evidenced- based” methods include the development of performance indicators and metrics to make sense of environmental trends, patterns, and progress. They also include the application of geospatial technologies such as remote sensing to map environmental change and performance. I am also interested in how data-driven and information-based governance can work to increase environmental transparency and decision-making ability in China. In a policy context, this research has particular salience for the global climate change regime, as Chinese data and information are becoming increasingly important to secure trust and provide a solid foundation for international cooperation to address climate change. You can read more by clicking here.

Before starting my Ph.d at Yale, I worked as a Research Analyst in the Climate Change and Energy Program at a non-profit environmental think tank in Washington, D.C. called the World Resources Institute.  At WRI, I worked on a project called The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, an initiative that has worked to harmonize greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards.  Specifically, I helped to implement voluntary greenhouse gas accounting and reporting programs for businesses in developing countries, including Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, South Korea, China, and India.  I also managed our projects in China, as well as our communication and outreach. It was a fantastic job, and I still maintain close contact with colleagues at WRI, particularly through networks like ChinaFAQs: The Network for Climate and Energy Information. You can read more about this work by clicking here.

I have a M. Phil in Environmental Policy from the University of Cambridge in England, and a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Political Science from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC.  I am originally from Greer, South Carolina, where I was born and lived for 18 years, but my parents are immigrants from Taiwan.  When I’m not hitting the books, I enjoy cooking, eating good and exotic foods, traveling, running/cycling/hiking, playing the piano and violin, photography, and any creative pursuit I can get my hands on.

For the 2010-2011 academic year, I was hosted at Tsinghua University in Beijing as a Senior Scholar in the School of Environment, supported by a U.S. Fulbright grant. I am grateful for the support of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation and the PEO Scholar Award for the 2012-2013 academic year.