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Jianting Zhao

Postdoc Fellow | jzhao20@connect.hku.hk

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"I am a postdoc fellow (incoming) in uLab and the Department of Urban Planning and Design, HKU. I have an interdisciplinary background, combining a PhD in Tactical Urbanism from The University of Hong Kong (HKU), a Master of Urban Spatial Analytics from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison."

Current Research

Jianting's research combines advanced technologies and innovative methodologies to enhance liveability and foster smart and sustainable urban futures. Her PhD project on urban experimentation challenges traditional design paradigms through a global analysis of tactical urbanism (Awarded Outstanding Rating, Top 5%). Her expertise in programming (Python, R, JavaScript) and spatial analytics deepened during her master's training in Pennsylvania. It was further enhanced through research roles at top universities and a leading geospatial technology firm (Azavea Inc.). She established a strong Landscape Architecture foundation through the ASLA-accredited programme from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and professional practices at leading firms (e.g., EDSA Inc.). She has published 9 peer-reviewed articles in journals, including Environment and Planning B, Landscape and Urban Planning, and five more in the pipeline. Her research won awards, including the Royal Town Planning Institute Commendation in Research Excellence 2022, HKU Research Output Prize 2022, and IACP Best Student Paper 2021. She has co-investigated funding totalling HK$204,500 (£20,160).

Selected Publications


Zhao, J., Sun, G., & Webster, C. (2024). Global Street Experiment: A Geospatial Database of Pandemic-induced Street Transitions. Landscape and Urban Planning, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104931.
Zhao, J., & Sun, G. (2023). Public Engagement Tactics in COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Street Experiments. Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Platial Information Science (PLATIAL’23), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8286269.
Zhao, J., Sun G., & Webster C. (2022). Does China-Pakistan Economic Corridor improve connectivity in Pakistan? A protocol assessing the planned transport network infrastructure. Journal of Transport Geography, 100, 103327, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2022.103327.
Lu, Y., Zhao, J., Wu, X., & Lo, S.M. (2021). Escaping to nature during a pandemic: a natural experiment in Asian cities during the COVID-19 pandemic with big social media data. Science of The Total Environment, 777, 146092, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146092.
Sun, G., Du, Y., Ni, M.Y., Zhao, J. & Webster, C. (2021). Metro and elderly health in Hong Kong: protocol for a natural experiment study in a high-density city. BMJ Open, 11(3), https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043983.
Zhao, J., Sun, G. & Webster, C. (2020). Walkability scoring: Why and how does a 3-dimensional pedestrian network matter? Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 48(8), 2418-2435, https://doi.org/10.1177/2399808320977871.
IACP Best Student Paper Award, RTPI Early Career Award – Commendation
Sun, G., Zhao, J., Webster, C. & Lin, H. (2020). New metro system and active travel: A natural experiment. Environment International, 138,105605, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105605.
HKU Faculty of Architecture Research Output Prize 2022
Long, Y. & Zhao, J.^(2020). What Makes a City Bikeable? A Study of Intercity and Intracity Patterns of Bicycle Ridership using Mobike Big Data Records. Built Environment, 46(1), 55-75, https://doi.org/10.2148/benv.46.1.55. [^shared first authorship]
Long, Y., Zhao, J., Li, S., Zhou, Y., & Xu, L. (2018). The Large-Scale Calculation of “Walk Score” of Main Cities in China. New Architecture, 3, 4–8. https://doi.org/10.12069/j.na.201803001.


WORKING PAPERS
Zhao, J., Chang R., & Sun, G. (2024). Experiment unlearned: co-creative street experiment in Asia’s World City. Under review in Journal of Urban Mobility.
Zhao, J., & Sun, G. (2024). Push, pull or network? Governments’ public engagement tactics in pandemic-induced street experiments. Under review in Journal of Urban Design.
Zhao, J., & Sun, G. (2024). The life and death of the global pandemic-induced street experiments: How does the experiential learning of city governments determine the transformative potentials? Under review in Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.
Sun, G. & Zhao, J. (2024). The road divides: Connectivity reductions from light rail transit design in Addis Ababa. Under review in Transport Interdisciplinary.
Zhao, J., Westerholt, R., & Sun, G. Neighbourhood matters: a global study on street experiment locations. In submission to Journal of the American Planning Association.

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