I am an Associate Professor in Spatial Planning and Digitalization at the Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Utrecht University. I have a long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary, innovative research that addresses complex governance problems, conflicts of interest in planning, and sustainability challenges. My current research focuses on digital planning/governance, collaborative planning, and planning support science for inclusive and sustainable development, with applications in urban regeneration, water management, nature-based solutions, transportation, and related domains. I have examined the role of digital technologies (e.g., planning support systems, social media, and digital twins) in shaping planning and governance processes and outcomes. In my recent work, I focus particularly on how artificial intelligence (AI) interacts with institutions and power dynamics in urban governance and planning, as well as the associated ethical challenges. Methodologically, I develop innovative mixed-methods approaches that combine qualitative methods (e.g., fieldwork, interviews, and discourse analysis) with analytical techniques including natural language processing, social media analytics, social network analysis, computational modelling, and spatial analysis. My research has been recognized by the European Research Council (ERC), which awarded me an ERC Starting Grant (2021-2026) to establish a research team investigating Collaborative Planning in China in the Digital Era. I have collaborated with computer science experts on the project “Human–AI Interaction in Urban Governance”, funded by Utrecht University’s Pathways to Sustainability. I have also contributed to interdisciplinary initiatives, such as the EWUU-funded project developing an AI-driven Digital Twin Platform for Circular Green Infrastructure with partners from Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University, and Utrecht University. In addition, I have conducted extensive research on housing provision, the social and economic integration of migrants, accessibility and equity, and the impact of e-commerce and digital platforms on urbanism. I was involved in a research project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) in collaboration with NSFC, examining Urban Housing of Migrants in China and the Netherlands. I have also served on the leadership team of Utrecht University's Digital Pathways to Sustainability, which connects researchers and societal actors to shape debates on digitalization and sustainable transitions.
I have published widely in international journals, such as Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, Urban Studies, Cities, Telecommunications Policy, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Planning Theory, and Journal of Cleaner Production. I serve as the leading guest editor of two special issues: "Digital Planning for Sustainable Urban Future" in Computers, Environment and Urban Systems and "Collaborative Planning in the Digital Era” in Planning Practice & Research. In addition, I have co-edited three scholarly books: Chinese Collaborative Planning in the Digital Era: Institutions, Power Relations, and Public Spheres (Routledge), Smart Governance and New Forms of Collaborative Planning (The Commercial Press), and Village in the City: Asian Variations of Urbanisms of Inclusion (Park Books). I have been invited to present my research at numerous international conferences and served on the local committee of the 13th International Conference on Computational Urban Planning and Urban Management (CUPUM), where I also organized the section on “Planning Support Systems: Participation.” I have led the organization of the workshop “Developing the Agenda for Digital Planning and AI” at CUPUM 2025 (London) and the International Conference on Collaborative Planning in China and Beyond (Utrecht). Additionally, I serve as an external expert for the Swiss National Science Foundation and as a reviewer for many ISI-indexed journals and Elsevier books. I am a member of the editorial board of Planning Practice & Research, Urban Governance, and the Big Data and Smart Cities Research Book Series.