Field Research

“Fieldwork across rural China sharpens my empirical intuition. Direct engagement with households and local officials helps me identify missing market participation, trace talent misallocation, and unpack the informal social norms that govern economic behavior.”

Selected Fieldwork Projects

1. Sustainable Agricultural Development & Digital Village Survey

  • Project Name: Major Issues in Rural Revitalization and Sustainable Agricultural Development
  • Timeline: Mar. – Dec. 2023 (Fieldwork: Mar. 2023; Data Cleaning: Apr. – Dec. 2023)
  • Location: Yunnan Province, China
  • Role: Field Researcher & Data Lead
  • Sample Size: $N = 1,152$ households
  • Key Contributions:
    • Conducted structured household interviews to evaluate rural digital transformation, agricultural livelihoods, and household bargaining.
    • Led the data cleaning and standardization pipelines for the digital and smart village modules, resolving measurement discrepancies across household-level indicators.

2. Groundwater Over-exploitation Management Project

  • Project Name: Comprehensive Governance and Control Strategies for Groundwater Over-exploitation
  • Timeline: Apr. – Sep. 2023 (County Research: Apr. 2023; Pilot: Jun. 2023; Main Fieldwork: Aug. – Sep. 2023)
  • Location: Hebei Province, China
  • Role: Team Leader & Field Coordinator
  • Sample Size: $N = 1,202$ households
  • Key Contributions:
    • County-Level Policy & Data Collection: Served as the county lead across three counties, liaising directly with county officials to systematically gather local groundwater policy archives and administrative data.
    • Pilot Testing & Questionnaire Design: Conducted pilot surveys with village cadres and households in two counties, and engaged in high-level symposia with provincial water and agricultural authorities to refine the formal questionnaire structure.
    • Formal Field Operations & Team Leadership: Served as Team Leader in Gucheng County—overseeing enumerator training and survey execution, coordinating multi-tier field logistics with local officials, and personally conducting in-depth, one-on-one village-level surveys with village leaders.

3. China Rural Revitalization Survey (CRRS)

  • Project Name: China Rural Revitalization Survey Project (CRRS)
  • Timeline: Jul. 2024
  • Location: Hunan Province, China
  • Role: Field Researcher
  • Sample Size: $N = 360$ households
  • Key Contributions:
    • Conducted face-to-face structured household interviews across rural villages in Hunan, collecting detailed micro-data on local governance, employment, and household livelihoods.
    • Ensured high response rates and data accuracy by adhering strictly to survey protocols and conducting real-time cross-verification during field visits.