ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4501-701X
Scopus Author ID: 37081162100
ResearcherID: K-7982-2015

Metrics for Academic and Research Impact

BE in ME and MA in economics @ Tsinghua.

MS in statistics and PhD in public policy @ Virginia Tech

Wanxin Li is an internationally recognized scholar in sustainable development governance, known for her ability to bridge academia, policymaking, and societal transformation. She believes in the importance of human agency and the theory of change. With an interdisciplinary foundation in Engineering (BE), Statistics (MS), Economics (MA), and Public Administration (PhD), she effectively bridges the gap between science and policy to facilitate sustainability transitions. Through action research and experiential learning, she has developed the CDE model (Co-Creation, Deliberation, and Empowerment), which combines governance systems, technological and behavioral interventions, and social and economic transformation. This model has been adopted in areas such as circular economy development, water sustainability, climate change adaptation, and cross-sectoral environmental governance.

Having had the privilege working with the World Bank, OECD, and Tsinghua University, at the School of Energy and Environment and the Department of Public and International Affairs at City University of Hong Kong, Wanxin leads interdisciplinary teaching, integrates action research into the curricula, and fosters real-world engagement through experiential learning. Her innovative pedagogy empowers students to engage in evidence-based reasoning, transforming them from learners into agents of change – an essential shift for facilitating systemic change in sustainability. 

Wanxin's research output appears in top-tier journals, such as Nature and The China Quarterly. Additionally, she has authored 23 policy advisory reports for international organizations, including the notable “Environmental Innovation Policies in China“ for the OECD, with the Chinese version published by the National Science Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her research has been cited by esteemed institutions, including the World Bank, World Resources Institute, RAND Corporation, and various UN agencies. 

Wanxin envisions establishing a global research and policy innovation hub that leverages the Cocreation-Deliberation-Empowerment (CDE) model. This hub will explore collaborative approaches to cultivate innovative technological, social, and institutional solutions that address the pressing crises of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. 

• Sustainable development governance
• Evidence-based policy design & analysis
• Socio-technological innovation
• Institutional capacity
• Information disclosure
• MRV (Measurement; Reporting; Verification)
• Public participation & multi-stakeholder engagement
• Economic and social well-being
• Mixed method research

• Environmental governance
• Public policy analysis
• Research methods