Jianhua is a postdoctoral researcher in the Innovation Studies Group at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University. His research investigates the spatial dynamics of sustainability transitions and the diffusion of green innovation, employing quantitative methods such as (spatial) econometrics, network analysis, (spatial) microsimulation, and input-output modeling. Currently, he contributes to the SEAL project, using machine learning to explore how policy changes shape innovation in the agri-food and land use sectors across Europe.

He holds a PhD in Economic Geography from the University of Groningen (2024) and a Master’s degree in Urban Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Before joining Utrecht University, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University and worked for several years as a researcher and urban planner in Amsterdam and Macau.