CONTENTS Head’s Message 2 Grants and Achievements 3 Ongoing Projects 9 Scholarly Showcase 11 Conferences and Events 28 Student Hub 31
Professor Kira Matus Head, Division of Public Policy HEAD’S MESSAGE 2 At its core, the mission of HKUST and the Division of Public Policy is to act as catalysts for our students’ success. In this issue of the PPOL Newsletter, we highlight the huge range of our students’ activities and achievements. These occur in many venues – from the classroom to the boardroom; but also on the beach and the basketball court. Our students are driven by a combination of curiosity about the world, and a desire to develop rigorous problem solving skills. They have traveled near and far in order to see for themselves how policy can be used to solve pressing social problems. They have strolled around Hong Kong, learning about its culture and history. Their international success in the Global Sustainability Challenge competition demonstrates their excellence in developing their professional policy design skills, and applying rigorous analysis creatively and convincingly to some of the most challenging emerging sustainability policy problems. Despite the rigor of their studies, our students also thrive beyond the bounds of their academic pursuits. Each of our students has a different journey through their time with us at PPOL, and that involves everything from happy hours to movie screenings to beach hikes. They bring to us many talents, and we are proud to see them demonstrate this on the HKUST “Piano for All,” on competitive sports teams, and through their community service activities. At PPOL, we are immensely proud of the many and diverse ways that our students nd to be a positive force in the world. We are reminded of this every time we reconnect with our alumni. Building impact has always been a key driver behind PPOL, and each of our students has a lifetime of this in front of them. I hope that this newsletter helps you to see how our PPOL students, past and present, are truly a positive force in our society.
GRANTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 3
4 HKUST’s Division of Public Policy is pleased to announce that Professor Alex Jingwei He has received the HKUST Faculty Recognition Award. This prestigious honor acknowledges his exceptional academic contributions, outstanding teaching and research, and dedicated service to the university and society, embodying his commitment to advancing knowledge and nurturing talents. Professor He is a Professor in HKUST’s Division of Public Policy, concurrently serving as Acting Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Co-Director of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. His research focuses on comparative social policy, policy innovation/entrepreneurship, and health policy/governance (East Asia focus)—areas aligned with Hong Kong’s social welfare and health governance needs. As a distinguished educator, Professor He is committed to high-quality teaching and nurturing public policy talents. As MPP Co-Director, he oversees postgraduate core courses and teaches undergraduates on public policy, social policy and health governance. Praised by students for rigor, vivid instruction and guidance, he has shaped curricula and fostered graduates excelling in academia, public service and related elds. Professor He has achieved remarkable research breakthroughs, publishing extensively in top international journals (e.g., Public Administration Review, Governance, The China Quarterly) and Chinese outlets, and co-editing Policy Entrepreneurship: An Asian Perspective (Routledge, 2020). Since 2021, he has been ranked among Stanford’s top 2% most cited scholars in political science/public administration. In Hong Kong’s 2020 RAE, his impact case was one of only two unanimously rated “outstanding” (four stars) in his eld. Since 2014, he has secured 10 major grants (5 GRFs, 2 WHO projects), with two GRFs earning perfect 5.0 scores. He also holds key editorial roles, including Editor of Policy Design and Practice and Associate Editor of two SSCI Q1 journals. Beyond teaching and research, Professor He engages in university governance, public outreach and policy advocacy. In addition to his HKUST leadership roles, he serves as Executive Member of the East Asian Social Policy Network and Adjunct Research Fellow at Tsinghua University. He bridges academia and policy via commentaries in major newspapers (e.g., South China Morning Post) and interviews with media like CCTV and CBS News. The HKUST Faculty Recognition Award honors faculty excellence in teaching, research and service, and their contributions to the university and society, re ecting HKUST’s commitment to academic excellence and holistic faculty development. HKUST’s Division of Public Policy warmly congratulates Professor He on this well-deserved award, a testament to his dedication and achievements in academia, education and policy advocacy. We look forward to his continued leadership and greater contributions to HKUST, Hong Kong’s social/health policy, and the East Asian public policy community. Congratulations again to Professor Alex Jingwei He on this prestigious honor! GRANTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Professor Alex Jingwei He Receives HKUST Faculty Recognition Award
5 GRANTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS HKUST’s Division of Public Policy and Division of Environment and Sustainability are proud to announce that Associate Professor Masaru YARIME has been recognized as one of Stanford University’s Top 2% Scientists for both Career-Long and Single Year (2025) in the sub- eld of Environmental Sciences. This distinguished honor underscores his exceptional academic impact, sustained contributions to sustainability-focused research, and global standing as a leading interdisciplinary scholar. Professor YARIME serves as Director of the MPhil and PhD Programs in Public Policy at HKUST, with concurrent appointments as Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo’s GraSPP and Honorary Associate Professor at UCL’s STEaPP. He holds a PhD in Economics and Policy Studies of Innovation and Technological Change from Maastricht University, complemented by a B.Eng. from the University of Tokyo and an M.S. from the California Institute of Technology. His research spans policy design for energy and environment, climate change governance, smart city innovation systems, and big data applications in social science—aligning closely with global sustainability goals and regional environmental governance needs. A highly interdisciplinary scholar, Professor YARIME has dedicated his career to bridging engineering and social sciences, exploring dynamic interactions between technology and institutions for sustainability innovation. He has published extensively in top-tier journals including Energy Economics, Sustainability Science, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Environmental Science & Policy, and authored/edited numerous book chapters and special journal issues. His expertise is widely sought after in international initiatives: he has contributed to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, UNEP Finance Initiative, and IPBES Expert Group, and serves on the editorial boards of journals such as Sustainability Science and Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. Prior to HKUST, he held positions at Japan’s NISTEP and City University of Hong Kong, with visiting professorships in France and Malaysia. The Stanford Top 2% Scientists ranking—based on rigorous metrics including citations, h-index, and co-authorship adjustment—serves as a globally recognized benchmark of academic excellence. Earning dual recognition for career-long achievements and 2025 single-year impact re ects Professor YARIME’s consistent dedication to high-impact research and his ability to drive meaningful progress in environmental policy and sustainability science. HKUST’s Division of Public Policy and Division of Environment and Sustainability warmly congratulate Professor Masaru YARIME on this well-deserved recognition. This achievement not only honors his individual contributions but also reinforces HKUST’s reputation as a hub for world-class interdisciplinary research in sustainability and public policy. We look forward to his continued leadership in advancing solutions for climate change, energy transition, and smart city governance. Congratulations again to Professor Masaru YARIME on this prestigious global accolade! Prof. Masaru YARIME Ranked Among Stanford University’s Top 2% Scientists in Environmental Sciences (2025)
6 GRANTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)’s Division of Public Policy and Division of Environment and Sustainability are proud to announce that Associate Professor Masaru YARIME has been ranked #80 globally in the specialty of Sustainability (Lifetime Achievement) in 2025, placing him among the top 0.05% of scholars worldwide in this eld. This prestigious honor re ects his decades of profound academic impact, interdisciplinary leadership, and outstanding contributions to advancing global sustainability research and policy practice. The ranking, developed by Professor John P.A. Ioannidis’ team at Stanford University, is a globally recognized benchmark of academic in uence, evaluated through rigorous metrics including standardized citations, h-index, and co-authorship- adjusted hm-index. Among tens of thousands of researchers in the sustainability eld, Professor YARIME’s placement in the top 0.05% underscores the exceptional citation impact of his work and af rms his international standing as a pioneer in bridging engineering, social sciences, and policy. His research focuses on critical global challenges—policy design and innovation, energy transition, climate change governance, and smart city data governance— aligning closely with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as climate action, affordable clean energy, and sustainable cities. Professor YARIME currently serves as Director of HKUST’s MPhil and PhD Programs in Public Policy, with concurrent appointments as Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo’s GraSPP and Honorary Associate Professor at UCL’s STEaPP. A scholar with a distinguished interdisciplinary background—holding degrees from the University of Tokyo, California Institute of Technology, and Maastricht University—he has published over 100 papers in top-tier journals including Energy Economics, Sustainability Science, and Journal of Cleaner Production, and contributed to pivotal global initiatives such as the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report and UNEP Finance Initiative. He also serves on the editorial boards of leading sustainability journals, driving the eld’s advancement through academic leadership and cross-regional collaboration. This ranking marks a signi cant milestone for HKUST’s sustainability and public policy disciplines, validating the university’s global excellence in the eld and reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a bridge for Asian sustainability research to engage with the global community. HKUST’s Division of Public Policy and Division of Environment and Sustainability extend warmest congratulations to Professor YARIME, and look forward to his continued leadership in exploring cutting-edge sustainability issues, fostering international collaboration, and providing actionable insights for global climate governance, energy transition, and smart city development. Congratulations to Professor Masaru YARIME on this well-deserved world-class honor! Prof. Masaru YARIME Ranks #80 Globally in Sustainability (Lifetime Achievement, Top 0.05% Scholars) – 2025
7 The Division of Public Policy is proud to announce that Prof. James Ka Lei WONG, Senior Lecturer (Division of Public Policy & Division of Social Science), Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Science, and Assistant Professor of Social Science Education, has been awarded the title of Junior Fellow by the Academy of Education Excellence (AEE). The AEE, facilitated by the Center for Education Innovation (CEI), recognizes faculty members at HKUST who exhibit a strong commitment to enhancing their teaching skills and contributing to effective teaching practices. Among the awardees is Prof. James Wong, Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Science (Undergraduate Education), Assistant Professor of Social Science Education, and Senior Lecturer in the Divisions of Social Science and Public Policy. A Fellow of the British Higher Education Academy, Prof. Wong obtained his PhD in Government from the London School of Economics and Political Science and joined HKUST in 2014. He teaches a wide range of politics and public policy courses, and is devoted to inspiring students through rigorous and engaging pedagogy. His research focuses on democracy, citizen participation, environmental politics, and political philosophy, with publications in leading journals including Political Studies and Philosophy Compass. Through his dedication to teaching excellence and impactful academic research, Prof. Wong fully embodies the values celebrated by the AEE. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. WONG and look forward to his impactful contributions as he embarks on this exciting journey with the AEE. Prof. James Ka Lei WONG Receives the Academy of Education Excellence (AEE) Fellowship Award GRANTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
8 The Division of Public Policy is proud to announce that Dr. Michael Tyrala, Lecturer I and an accomplished interdisciplinary social scientist, has been awarded the title of Junior Fellow by the Academy of Education Excellence (AEE). The AEE, facilitated by the Center for Education Innovation (CEI), recognizes faculty members at HKUST who exhibit a strong commitment to enhancing their teaching skills and contributing to effective teaching practices. As a Junior Fellow, Dr. Tyrala will embark on a three-year fellowship commencing on January 24, 2025, and concluding on January 23, 2028. During this period, he will engage in various initiatives aimed at improving educational practices, including hosting workshops, participating in seminars—building on his expertise in bridging academic research, real-world practice, and student-centered learning. Dr. Tyrala holds a PhD in Asian and International Studies from City University of Hong Kong, with research interests spanning world-systems analysis, global offshore nance, global tax governance, the political economy of development, and the social psychology of late capitalism. His work intersects historical macrosociology, international relations, public policy, and development studies, with a geographic focus covering Asia, the US, and the EU. Beyond academia, he brings extensive professional experience from the NGO sector, international organizations (including NATO, the EESC, and the OECD’s Trade Union Advisory Committee), and HKUST’s Institute for Emerging Market Studies—insights he seamlessly integrates into his teaching to enrich student learning. A proli c scholar, Dr. Tyrala has co-authored books with Routledge and Oxford University Press, and published research in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, Science Advances, Nature Human Behaviour, and Globalizations. This prestigious AEE recognition highlights his dual dedication to professional growth and fostering academic excellence— marrying rigorous research with a commitment to delivering impactful, practice-informed teaching that bene ts students and the broader academic community. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Tyrala and look forward to his impactful contributions as he embarks on this exciting journey with the AEE, further elevating educational practices within our division and beyond. Dr. Michael Tyrala Receives the Academy of Education Excellence (AEE) Fellowship Award 8 GRANTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
ONGOING PROJECTS Leading Faculty Funding Agency RGC - General Research Fund the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong Project Can We Regulate Our way to a Circular Economy? A Study of the Relationship between Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation and Sustainable Innovation in the Textile Industry (2025 - Now) Towards 1.5C Lifestyles: What motivates sustainable consumption choices in Hong Kong? (2022 - Now) Post-Con ict Reconstruction of the Health Sector in the Postwar Philippines, 1946-1953 (2026-Now) RGC – Research Fellow Scheme Chief Executive’s Policy Unit – Public Policy Research Funding Scheme Regional Science and Complex Systems: A Five-year Research Plan on Transportation, Land Use, Labor, and Innovation Systems (2024 - Now) Bus Electrification in Hong Kong: Energy Consumption Prediction and Charging Facility Planning (2024 - Now) Enhancing the implementation of “One University, Two Campuses” and mutual recognition of academic qualifications: A mixed-methods study (2025 - Now) Prof. Kira Matus Dr. Nicolo LUDOVICE Prof. Pengyu Zhu RGC - General Research Fund Tsinghua University Asia Paci c Observatory on Health Systems and Policy, World Health Organization Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme Local Government Innovation under Political Recentralization in Contemporary China: A Two-stage Sequential Study (2024 - Now) Delayed retirement and mass feedback in China (2025 - Now) Use of digital health technologies and data to enhance health system outcomes (2025 - Now) Understanding China’s Huge and Complex Health Policy Reform: A Governance Approach Prof. Alex Jingwei He 9
9 ONGOING PROJECTS Leading Faculty Funding Agency Social Science Research Council (SSRC), United States UKinSPIRE Award, University of Kentucky, United States Global Engagement Funds, University College London HKUST Li & Fung Supply Chain Institute Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies, HKUST Project Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: A Comparative Analysis of Japan, the United States, and China (2024 - Now) How the Governance of Standards and Geopolitics Shape Competition in the Global Economy (2024 - Now) Public Perspectives on Personal Data Use for Personalized Covid-19 Advice (2022 - Now) Finished Establishing Digital Product Passport for Sustainable Supply Chains: Centralized and Decentralized Approaches to Data Governance (2025 - Now) Using Machine Learning with Gamma Spectrometry to Verify Subcritical Tests NSFC–RGC Joint Research Scheme “Human–Machine Collaborative Intelligent Deliberation and Public Policy Optimization Using Generative Multi-Agent Large Language Models.” (2025 - Now) 10 Prof. Masaru Yarime Prof. Julien de Troullioud de Lanversin Dr. Fangxin Francine YI ( in collaboration with Prof. Yike Guo.)
SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE 11
12 Pengyu Zhu, Zining Wang, Renu Singh, and Xinying Tan. “China’s model of technology leapfrog: A case study of electric vehicle policies and the development of green technology.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 226 (2026): 116414. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE Focus of Study This study explores China’s technology leapfrogging model in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, analyzing how coordinated policy interventions transformed the country from a latecomer to the global leader in EVs (holding 58% of global sales by 2023). It identi es ve key drivers of China’s EV strategy: energy security, climate goals, technological self-reliance, manufacturing capacity, and industrial transformation. The research traces the four-stage evolution of EV policies—demonstration projects (infancy), subsidy-driven growth (rapid expansion), subsidy phase-out and industrial restructuring (adjustment), and regulatory reinforcement with dual-credit policies (transformation)—and highlights how China integrated state guidance, R&D investment, domestic demand stimulation, and industrial ecosystem development to achieve leapfrogging, with a focus on core technologies like batteries. Policy Recommendations Policymakers in emerging economies seeking green technology leapfrogging should adopt a phased, coordinated framework: launch targeted demonstration projects to test technology viability, use temporary nancial incentives to scale market adoption, transition to market-oriented regulations (e.g., credit systems) to drive sustained innovation, and prioritize indigenous R&D in core components. Additionally, balancing openness to international collaboration with support for domestic rms can strengthen industrial competitiveness, while aligning policies with national strategic goals (e.g., energy security, climate targets) ensures long-term policy coherence. Mede, Niels G., Viktoria Cologna, Sebastian Berger, ... Tyrala, Michael, and Ziqian Xia. “Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science.” Science Communication (2025). Focus of Study This study examines science information diets and communication behavior across 68 countries with 71,922 respondents, exploring cross-country differences and their associations with sociopolitical and economic conditions. It nds social media are the most used science information source in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media dominate. Key patterns include lower outspokenness about science in collectivist societies, higher outspokenness among less educated populations, and limited digital media access correlating with participation in science- related public protests. The research also identi es GDP per capita and digital media access as key factors explaining variations in science information sources globally. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should tailor science communication strategies to regional media use patterns—prioritizing social media engagement in low-GDP and non-Western countries while supporting quality science journalism in nations with strong news media systems. Investing in museums and public science events can complement digital access gaps, and integrating science media literacy into education curricula can address misinformation risks, especially among less educated populations. Additionally, supporting scientists and journalists in regions with restricted academic or press freedom can safeguard public access to reliable science information.
SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE James P. Evans, Davide Cassanmagnago, Tathagata Chatterji, Andrew Irvin, Banjamin Jance IV, Cathy Oke, Massamba Thioye, Gregory Patrick Trencher, Elvira Uyarra, and Masaru Yarime. “Grand challenges in sustainable cities: urban innovation for global climate and sustainability goals-from policy agenda to research needs.” Frontiers in Sustainable Cities 7 (2025): 1568701. Focus of Study This study explores urban innovation as a core strategy to address global climate and sustainability goals, examining its emergence as a key policy agenda and identifying critical research needs. It defines urban innovation as a place-based, systemic activity driven by cities to solve local challenges while contributing to global targets. The research highlights three central policy themes: governance (multilevel collaboration, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and experimental models like urban living labs), scaling (overcoming the “pilot paradox” through context- adaptive replication, cultural leverage, and innovative financing), and capacity building (skills development, data utilization, and cross-city learning networks). It also notes gaps, including underrepresentation of Global South contexts, undervaluation of informal and indigenous innovation, and limited research on “urban exnovation” (phasing out unsustainable technologies). Policy Recommendations Policymakers should prioritize inclusive, context- sensitive governance for urban innovation, integrating formal and informal stakeholders. Deploy flexible financing (e.g., outcome-based contracts, blended climate finance) to scale successful solutions beyond pilots. Invest in digital infrastructure and cross-city knowledge-sharing networks to boost cities’ analytical and adaptive capacities. Broaden innovation definitions to include frugal, grassroots, and exnovation strategies, ensuring alignment with local needs and global sustainability targets. Yingyu Huang, Shun Wa Tsang, Wai Hung Tsang, King L. Chow. “Mab21l2 is required to promote cell proliferation in stylopods during early limb development.” Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (2025) Focus of Study This study uses conditional gene knockout models to explore Mab21l2’s role in early limb development. It nds Mab21l2 is dynamically expressed in mouse forelimb buds (E10.5–12.5), with a critical function window of E9.5–10.5. Its deletion causes stylopod malformations (humerus shortening, missing deltoid tuberosity) and delayed endochondral ossi cation, due to reduced chondrocyte proliferation at E10.5 Policy . Harini KANNAN, King L. CHOW. “Chemosensory Adaptations in Caenorhabditis Males during the Establishment of Androdioecy.”Biology Letters (2025) Focus of Study This study explores male chemosensory adaptations in Caenorhabditis during the transition from dioecy to androdioecy. It nds androdioecious males have heightened olfactory habituation and reduced mate exploration, while hermaphrodites produce less potent sex pheromones. Replacing the SRD-1 receptor’s cytoplasmic domain reverts these traits, highlighting its key role in facilitating hermaphroditism. 13
14 Veronica Qin Ting Li, Masaru Yarime, Vivi Antonopoulou, Henry Potts, and Carla-Leanne Washbourne. “Behavioural perspectives on personal health data sharing and app design: an international survey study.” Data & Policy 7 (2025): e66. Focus of Study This study explores factors in uencing willingness to use personalised health apps and share sensitive health data, using the COM-B model and a survey of 2,322 respondents from London and Hong Kong. Key ndings include that willingness is driven by data literacy, granular data control, comfort with sharing health/location data, health concerns, trust in medical expert advice (stronger than trust in AI-generated advice), and acceptance of data access by speci c parties. Demographically, men are more willing to use health apps than women, and London respondents show greater willingness than those in Hong Kong. The research also highlights contextual differences, with Hong Kong participants more wary of data sharing with government agencies and private companies due to privacy and trust concerns. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should mandate granular data control features in health apps to empower users to manage data sharing. Co-create clear standards for AI- generated health advice to build public trust, with medical expert oversight. Enhance digital health literacy campaigns to clarify data use and privacy settings. Develop innovative governance models like data trusts for collective data management. Address gender-speci c privacy risks in app design and enforcement. Strengthen data protection regulations to align with emerging technologies, particularly in regions with low institutional trust, and ensure transparency in data handling by public and private entities. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE Miyana Yoshino, Benjamin Sadlek, Masaru Yarime, and Adnan Ali. “Knowledge absorption pathways for eco-innovation: an empirical analysis of small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union.” European Journal of Innovation Management 28, no. 2 (2025): 426–453. Focus of Study This study explores the external knowledge absorption pathways that drive proactive eco-innovations (proactive-EIs) among SMEs in resource-intensive sectors of the EU, adopting a national innovation system (NIS) framework with micro-, meso-, and macro-level determinants. Using binary logistic regression on survey data of 6,188 SMEs, it nds that public environmental awareness (micro-level), national economic complexity (macro- level), and public sector R&D (macro-level) positively in uence proactive-EI adoption. Conversely, external collaboration (meso-level) and intra-industry agglomeration (meso-level) have negative effects. The research addresses gaps in understanding external knowledge-based eco-innovation and heterogeneity across EU member states, focusing on collaborative, technology-intensive, and high-investment proactive- EIs linked to the circular economy. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should strengthen public environmental awareness campaigns to motivate SMEs’ proactive-EI adoption. Increase public sector R&D investments targeted at resource-intensive sectors to provide accessible technical knowledge for eco-innovation. Leverage national economic complexity by supporting knowledge diffusion between high-tech and resource- intensive industries. Reorient meso-level policies: re ne external collaboration frameworks to reduce coordination barriers for SMEs, and redesign agglomeration policies to avoid counterproductive competition in eco-innovation. Tailor interventions to EU member states’ contextual differences to maximize the uptake of proactive-EIs and advance the circular economy.
Environmental Policy and Sustainability Jeffrey Chow, Tianle Liu, Coco Dijia Du, Rui Hu, and Xun Wu. “From research to policy recommendations: A scientometric case study of air quality management in the Greater Bay Area, China.” Environmental Science and Policy 165 (2025): 104025. Focus of Study This study uses scientometric meta-analysis to examine how institutional factors shape the role of scientific research in air quality policymaking in China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA), a region with distinct “One Country, Two Systems” governance (mainland China and Hong Kong). It analyzes 687 Chinese and English-language peer-reviewed articles (2000–2019) to explore funding sources, government co-authorship, and policy recommendations. The research finds that Chinese-language articles (focused on the broader GBA) have greater government involvement in funding and authorship, and tend to offer more cautious policy recommendations. In contrast, English-language articles (focused on Hong Kong) are less likely to involve government co-authors, more likely to propose new policies, but less critical of existing policies if funded by mainland or overseas governments. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should foster a balanced science-policy interface in the GBA by encouraging more transparent collaboration between researchers and government, while preserving academic independence to ensure diverse policy insights. Additionally, establishing formal mechanisms to evaluate post-implementation policy impacts (e.g., for air pollution regulations) and promoting data accessibility across the region can enhance the translation of scientific research into effective, evidence-based air quality management. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE Yatang Lin, Ziyang Chen, Ting Chen, Jin Wang. “ The environmental cost of power outages: Evidence from Delhi.” Journal of Public Economics (2025). Focus of Study This study explores the environmental cost of power outages in Delhi, using high-frequency outage and air pollution data. It nds that outages increase hourly NO2, NO, and PM10 concentrations by 0.4%, 1.3%, and 0.4% respectively, due to widespread use of polluting backup diesel generators. The research employs spatial DID and event-study methods to con rm causality, noting the environmental cost of outages exceeds private costs. It also evaluates Delhi’s outage penalty policy, showing signi cant welfare gains when environmental bene ts are included. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should prioritize grid modernization and generation capacity investments to reduce outages. They should also promote clean backup energy (e.g., solar-battery systems) via subsidies, tighten diesel generator emissions regulations, and incorporate environmental costs into outage-related policy evaluations to enhance air quality and public welfare. 15
Shiming Zheng, Alex Jingwei He, Yujie He “Authority Versus Competition: Intergovernmental Interactions and Subnational Policy Adoption in Climate Policy” Review of Policy Research (2025). Focus of Study This study investigates how intergovernmental interactions—formal authority interactions and informal competitive interactions—shape Chinese provincial governments’ climate policy adoption, using panel data from 31 provinces between 2003 and 2018. It constructs a two-dimensional analytical framework and nds that formal authority interactions (from central-municipal-provincial levels and interdepartmental collaboration) signi cantly promote policy adoption. Informal competitive interactions follow an inverted “N-shaped” trajectory (initial suppression, subsequent promotion, nal suppression) with overall inhibitory effects, and they negatively moderate the positive impact of formal authority interactions, weakening and distorting policy adoption outcomes. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should strengthen the guiding role of formal authority interactions, such as optimizing central policy directives and interdepartmental coordination mechanisms. They should also rationalize informal competitive dynamics, align promotion incentives with climate policy goals, and establish formal learning channels to mitigate free-riding, ensuring intergovernmental interactions synergistically advance climate policy adoption. 16 Mede, Niels G., Viktoria Cologna, Sebastian Berger, ... Tyrala, Michael, and Rolf A. Zwaan. “Perceptions of science, science communication, and climate change attitudes in 68 countries – the TISP dataset.” Scientific Data 12, no. 114 (2025). Focus of Study This study addresses the lack of robust global data on public perceptions of science by developing the TISP (Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism) dataset. It conducts a cross-sectional survey between November 2022 and August 2023, covering 68 countries and 71,922 valid participants, with the questionnaire translated into 37 languages. The research measures eight key constructs, including trust in science and scientists, science-related populist attitudes, perceptions of science’s societal role, science communication behaviors, climate change attitudes, and demographic characteristics. It features post-COVID-19 insights, representation of non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) countries, and rigorous validation through pre-testing, attention checks, and psychometric assessments of core scales. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should leverage the TISP dataset to design targeted science communication strategies that address regional differences in public trust and populist attitudes toward science, while promoting open access to the dataset for researchers and educators worldwide. Additionally, integrating the dataset’s findings on climate change attitudes and media engagement into policy development can enhance public support for environmental initiatives and strengthen the science-society relationship. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE
17 Delina, L., Fuerzas, I., Dharmiasih, W., Tam, K. K-P., Dulay, M. J., Ludovice, N.P., & Salamanca, A. “Climate Risks and Resilience in Southeast Asia’s Culturally Signi cant Ricescapes.” Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding and Climate Action in Asia and the Paci c. UNESCO, ICHCAP, IRCI, and IRDR (2025) Focus of Study UNESCO World Heritage ricescapes in Ifugao, Philippines and Bali, Indonesia face signi cant climate vulnerabilities from droughts and intense precipitation that reduce yields. Using mixed methods, this study examines how intangible cultural heritage—including community bonds, shared labor systems, and spiritual practices—strengthens resilience among rice farming communities. Findings reveal that social capital through cooperation and mutual support, alongside family networks and customary institutions, provides crucial intangible assets for coping with climate pressures while sustaining traditional practices. The research identi es transpersonal capacities shaped by physical, social, and spiritual environments as central to adaptive responses. Nine policy recommendations emerge: recognize intangible assets, support community-based traditional knowledge projects, facilitate knowledge exchange, empower local institutions, design disaster preparedness plans, improve government support, promote sustainable cultivation, invest in rural infrastructure, and encourage stakeholder collaboration to preserve indigenous rice farming traditions while building climate resilience. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should pursue culturally signi cant climate adaptation strategies for agricultural landscapes which integrate the recognition and strengthening of intangible assets—including community solidarity, traditional rituals, and indigenous knowledge systems—into formal heritage management frameworks, while simultaneously supporting community-based initiatives that sustain traditional knowledge through knowledge exchange platforms and empowered local institutions. In addition, governments should develop comprehensive support systems that balance formal disaster preparedness planning with informal community resilience mechanisms, invest in rural infrastructure that protects both ecological and cultural sustainability, and facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration that harmonizes local and national efforts in preserving indigenous rice farming traditions while building adaptive capacity to climate pressures. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE
Nicolo Paolo P Ludovice, Kira Matus, Stephane Redonnet, Xuan Zeng, Yawei Zhang, Ees Ther Loh, Yan Zhang, & Jeffrey Chow, “Towards a holistic and reflexive assessment of green buildings and technological landscapes in Hong Kong.” Energy Research & Social Science 127 (2025): 104235. Focus of Study TThis study addresses the limitations of conventional green building technology selection models, which often prioritize technical and economic metrics while neglecting contextual nuances and stakeholder diversity. It develops a holistic and re exive assessment framework that integrates technical, economic, environmental, and social criteria, and embeds perspectives of end-users and local regulators. Using Hong Kong as a case study— characterized by dense urban form, regulatory complexity, and subtropical climate—the framework is applied to evaluate a range of green building technologies (including insulation, paints, windows, lifts, and HVAC systems) across both retro t and new construction scenarios. The ndings demonstrate that context-attuned technology selection enhances technical viability, fosters social legitimacy, and accelerates adoption, transcending expert-driven models to offer an adaptive, user-centred approach. Policy Recommendations Policymakers and urban planners should adopt the re exive assessment framework to guide green building technology selection, ensuring alignment with local infrastructural, regulatory, and cultural conditions. Additionally, promoting stakeholder engagement—including end-users, industry partners, and regulators—in iterative evaluation processes can democratize decision-making and enhance the sustainability and social acceptability of technologies. For Hong Kong speci cally, incentivizing the adoption of context-appropriate solutions (e.g., space-ef cient insulation for retro ts, energy-ef cient HVAC systems for high-rises) can advance decarbonization goals outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2050. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE 18
Social and Urban Policy Li, Q., Wu, R., & Zhu, P. (2025). Quality or quantity of urban greenery: Which matters more to mental health? Evidence from housing prices in the Pearl River Delta. Landscape and Urban Planning, 263, 105438. Focus of Study The study examines the relationship between urban green environments and mental well-being in Pearl River Delta, China, particularly about quality or quantity of urban greenery. The mediating roles of neighborhood ties and place attachment are studied. The results are that neighborhood ties and place attachment are important mediators between greenery and mental health; quality of greenery is more important than quantity. Interestingly, less wealthy populations enjoy better mental health improvements enabled by urban greenery, while neighborhood ties reduce the mental health bene ts of greenery for the wealthy. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should improve the provision of quality green spaces in big cities. Attention should be paid to less privileged populations, such as those living in villages and public rental housing. It is important to implement mental health policies with integrated indicators for evaluating urban greenery among neighborhoods. Finally, the mediating factors of neighborhood ties and place attachment demonstrate that despite urban greenery different needs of different groups must be addressed, for example, facilities which can enable socialization and workout are essential for older populations. Bobo Hi-Po Lau, Eric Ngai-Yin Shum, Alex Pak-Ki Kwok, Ben Chi-Pun Liu, Alex Chi-Keung Chan, Rick Yiu-Cho Kwan, Steve Fu-Fai Fong, Gigi Lam, Chung-Kin Tsang, Daniel Dick-Man Leung, Johnson Chun-Sing Cheung, Jason Tak-Sang Chow, Paulina Pui-Yun Wong, Stuart Gietel-Basten. “Revealing the nuances of ‘Grey Digital Divide’ in Hong Kong: A latent profile analysis” Plos One (2025). Focus of Study This study explores Hong Kong’s post-pandemic “grey digital divide” using latent pro le analysis (LPA) on 870 younger (18–54) and older (≥55) adults. It identi es three digital engagement pro les (Pro cient, Intermediate, Novice), reveals signi cant intergenerational gaps, links socioeconomic status to pro le membership, and nds pro les correlate with non-family social contact frequencies, aiming to inform targeted digital inclusivity interventions. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should prioritize grid modernization and Policymakers should design segmented support: subsidize devices for Novice, enhance skills training for Intermediate, and engage Pro cient older adults as peer coaches. Expand community helpdesks and promote age-friendly tech design to narrow the divide while preserving of ine options for non-users. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE 19
20 Zhang, C., Meng, M., Yi, F., Chen, Z. et al. Wavelength-speci c urban nighttime light modulates expressed sentiment across China. Nature Cities (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00384-x Focus of Study This study demonstrates that arti cial light at night (ALAN) has wavelength-speci c effects on expressed sentiment across Chinese cities. Using multispectral satellite data and 4.2 million geotagged Weibo posts, it nds that emotional impacts vary by spectral composition, exposure distance, season, and nighttime hour. Importantly, simulations show that reducing brightness alone cannot fundamentally mitigate negative sentiment risk. Instead, spectral optimization, particularly reducing blue and green wavelengths, plays a decisive role. The combined strategy of brightness reduction and color- temperature adjustment achieves an average 90% reduction in negative sentiment risk, highlighting the importance of multidimensional lighting governance. Policy Recommendations These ndings generate four key policy implications. First, urban lighting regulations should move beyond intensity-based standards and incorporate spectral indicators, such as limits on blue-light ratios or the spectral band. Second, cities should adopt spatially targeted, risk-based lighting controls informed by sentiment-risk mapping. Third, nighttime lighting should be integrated into public health and urban resilience frameworks, recognizing emotional well-being as a governance objective. Fourth, municipalities should promote adaptive and intelligent lighting systems capable of dynamically adjusting both brightness and spectral composition. Together, these measures support a shift toward human- centered, evidence-based urban nighttime governance. Yan, Yifei, Alfred M. Wu, Biao Huang, and Fangxin Yi. “Policy Capacity Matters Differently Over Time: The Emergence and Persistence of Participatory Budgeting in China.” Public Administration and Development (2025). Focus of Study This study explores the emergence and long-term persistence of participatory budgeting (PB) in China’s Wenling County, challenging the conventional view that deliberative democratic practices can only thrive in liberal political environments. Utilizing Wu, Ramesh and Howlett’s policy capacity framework and data from interviews with local of cials and stakeholders, the research analyzes the role of three core policy capacities—political, analytical, and operational—over time. It nds that strong political capacity (including elite political will and public participation willingness) was critical for PB’s initial launch in 2005. As political capacity waned in subsequent years, the gradual build-up of analytical capacity (specialized knowledge, data analysis, and stakeholder training) and operational capacity ( scal resources, procedural standardization, and institutionalized policy tools) became pivotal to sustaining PB amid evolving institutional conditions. The Wenling case, with over two decades of PB practice, demonstrates how the relative importance of different policy capacities shifts across a policy’s lifecycle. Policy Recommendations Policymakers seeking to initiate and sustain participatory governance reforms like PB should prioritize building political capacity (aligning elite vision and mobilizing public support) in the early stages. Additionally, investing in long-term analytical capacity (e.g., specialized training and data infrastructure) and operational capacity (e.g., standardized procedures and stable scal support) can enhance reform resilience, ensuring continuity even as initial political enthusiasm diminishes. For non-Western and developing contexts, institutionalizing these technical capacities can help overcome the vulnerability of reforms to political turnover. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS 21 Liu Kai, He Jingwei. “Policy Synergy in Health Reform: How Does the Coordinated Reform of Health Insurance, Health Services and Pharmaceuticals Affect Healthcare Costs?” Jilin University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (2025) Focus of Study This study combines medical policy text data (nearly 460,000 municipal-level documents) with micro survey data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to explore how the policy synergy of "three medical collaborations" (medical insurance, medical services, and pharmaceuticals) affects personal out-of-pocket medical expenses. It classi es policies into expansion-oriented (e.g., improving medical insurance bene ts, strengthening grassroots medical institutions) and constraint-oriented (e.g., DRG/DIP payment reforms, centralized drug procurement), nding that intra-system synergy between medical insurance expansion and constraint policies, as well as inter-system synergy across the three medical elds, signi cantly reduce such expenses, while a single medical insurance expansion policy without corresponding collaborative policies increases personal out-of-pocket medical spending. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should strengthen holistic governance, establish a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism, and give full play to the leverage role of medical insurance in resource allocation to promote synergistic development of medical insurance, medical services, and pharmaceuticals. Alex Jingwei He, Ling Zhu, Jiwei Qian. “Policy design and policy feedback in welfare retrenchment: A survey experiment in China.” Policy Studies Journal (2025). Focus of Study This study explores how different policy designs and individual proximity to reform shape heterogeneous feedback effects in China’s welfare retrenchment, using a 2020 survey experiment in Guangdong Province targeting the proposed medical savings account reform. Bridging policy feedback and policy design theories, it examines two designs—one preserving individual material self-interest (e.g., family bene t coverage) and the other emphasizing sociotropic gains (e.g., broader healthcare protection). The research nds moderate de facto retrenchment triggers public opposition, with policy designs and individuals’ past experiences with existing health insurance (e.g., account usage frequency) driving divergent attitudinal and behavioral responses. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should adopt policy designs preserving individuals’ material interests (e.g., family bene t coverage) to mitigate opposition. They should also consider citizens’ policy proximity (e.g., account usage frequency) when formulating and communicating welfare retrenchment reforms.
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS Qian Zhang, Julia Shu-Huah Wang, Alex Jingwei He, Chenhong Peng, Aya Abe, Inhoe Ku, Irene Y.H. Ng, Xi Zhao “Providing financial protection in health for low-income populations: a comparison of health financing designs in East Asia” International Journal for Equity in Health (2025) Focus of Study This study comparatively explores health nancing designs (SHI and MFA) and nancial protection outcomes for low-income populations across six East Asian societies. Using the model family approach and simulating lung cancer-related catastrophic spending, it nds Taiwan and Hong Kong’s inclusive models offer the strongest protection, while mainland China’s minimalist model provides limited bene ts, with near-poor groups facing higher catastrophic spending risks. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should expand MFA coverage and generosity, prioritize protection for near-poor groups, and reference inclusive models to optimize SHI-MFA coordination, enhancing equitable nancial protection in health. Qiang Wang, Alex Jingwei He “Central–local relations, accountability, and defensive administration: unraveling the puzzling shrinkage of China’s urban social safety net”Journal of Social Policy (2025) Focus of Study This study employs a principal-agent framework and difference-in-differences (DID) strategy, drawing on unique city-level panel data (2009–2019) covering 274 prefectural cities to unravel the puzzling shrinkage of China’s urban Dibao program. It nds that upper-level discipline inspections signi cantly reduce Dibao coverage, an effect reinforced by local anti-corruption intensity (measured by duty-related crimes per 10,000 public personnel). Local governments, driven by blame avoidance, adopt defensive administration— tightening eligibility screening and forcing unwarranted exits—leading to distorted welfare provision that unjustly excludes numerous deserving recipients. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should strengthen informational capacity (e.g., big data platforms) to mitigate principal-agent information asymmetry, balance central regulatory oversight with local implementation exibility, and avoid campaign-style enforcement to curb defensive behaviors, ensuring social assistance programs like Dibao deliver targeted, equitable support. 22
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