Xiaotong joined IER in October 2017 and is currently researching on ‘What are enablers, constraints, processual mechanisms and methods of female self-employment and female entrepreneurship in Beijing?’ using mixed methods.

Previously, Xiaotong obtained MSc in Public Policy at University College London researching on ‘The Agenda Setting in China: how online public opinion and commercial media coverage towards wumai (Beijing fog) influenced environmental policy agenda in 2011’, MA in Social and Public Policy at University of Leeds exploring ‘Youth unemployment in China since 2000: the problem analysis, the current policy evaluation and further policy recommendations’, and BA in History of Chinese Communist Party at Renmin University of China investigating ‘American false decisions in the Korean War in 1950’.

Her research interests include entrepreneurship research, gender research, active labour market policy and agenda-setting research.'