Dr Feng Mao

Associate Professor of Global Sustainable Development
Director of Research for the School for Cross-faculty Studies
R2.14, Ramphal Building, School for Cross-Faculty Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL
Overview
Dr Feng Mao is Associate Professor of Global Sustainable Development and Director of Research at the School for Cross-Faculty Studies, University of Warwick. His interdisciplinary research explores the dynamic interactions between water, ecosystems, society, and technology to address complex sustainability challenges. His current work is structured around three interrelated themes:
- Water security and resilience under climate change – examining socio-hydrological systems, urban water resilience, and climate adaptation strategies across diverse geographical contexts.
- Data science and digital technologies for the environment and policy – applying tools such as sensors, AI, data visualisation, and environmental informatics to support evidence-based decision-making and governance.
- Participatory and collaborative methods for sustainable development – advancing serious games, citizen science, and transdisciplinary co-creation to support stakeholder engagement and inclusive innovation.
Dr Mao leads and collaborates on a wide range of research initiatives, including projects in collaborations with researchers and non-academic partners from sub-Saharan Africa, South and East Asia, and Europe. He is a member of the NERC Future Leaders Council and sits on the UKRI-NERC Aviation Assurance Panel, helping to shape strategic directions for UK environmental science. Internationally, he serves as Theme Lead for Water Security in a Changing World within the ACU Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort Programme, supporting a community of researchers to address local climate change challenges through research, training, engagement, and knowledge exchange. Dr Mao also serves as Sustainability Lead for the AHRC-funded CreaTech Frontiers project and Academic Lead for the Research England-funded Games and Innovation Nexus (GAIN) project, playing an active role in bridging research, sustainability, and innovation across the creative industries.
Education
- PhD in Geography, University of Cambridge
- MPhil in Politics, University of Cambridge
- MRes in Biodiversity and Conservation, University of Leeds
- BSc in Biological Sciences, Zhejiang University
Career overview
- Associate Professor of Global Sustainable Development, University of Warwick (2022 - present)
- Lecturer in Physical Geography and Environmental Sustainability, Cardiff University (2020-2022)
- Visiting Scholar, Stanford University (2020)
- Visiting Scholar, Northwestern University (2019)
- Research Fellow, University of Birmingham (2015-2020)