Joseph Zhao is an early career university teacher and researcher based at Urban Studies, University of Glasgow. Professionally self-defined as an entrepreneurial urbanist, Joseph endeavoures to develop research impact by conducting authentic research from field, to deliver effective teaching in Higher Education, and to establish knowldge communities in the UK and globally.

Joseph obtains his PhD degree in Land Economy (2019-2022) and MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration from the University of Cambridge (2018-2019), after working brifely as a Research Assistant at National University of Singapore. He also holds a BSSc in Urban Studies (1st Hon.) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

He adopted mixed research method to explore human mobility in urban context, with engagement of classic urban theories and development theories. His work has been recognised by an Early Career Best Presentation Prize from Regional Studies Association International- British and Irish section in 2022, as well as by secured research grant, bursaries and scholarship that accumulated to the amount £120, 000.

Joseph is a Deputy Research Cluster Lead (Early Career) of Socio-Environmental Actions (previously known as 'Climate Emergencies') at Urban Studies. Joseph's research interest covers the intersection of Urban and Regional Planning, Migration Studies, Sustainable Urbanism. 

Research groups

• Socio-Environmental Action

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University of Glasgow

Urban Studies Incentivisation Fund, 2022-2024 (PI, £1,590)

CoSS University of Glasgow-University of the West Indies Pilot Project Fund, 2023-2024 (UoG Co-I with Professor Thomson and Professor Mah, £ 4,590)

External Funding 

UCCL Grant (£1,000)

Henry Lester Turst Grant (£1,500)

GBCC Educational Trust Award (2.000)

Other Funding

I am interested in supervising postgraduate students (PGT) working on the following areas, please refer to the following section of selected completed students:

1. Educational Cities: Exploring universities' impacts on cities, communities, and local neighboruhood E.g. 'Are Chinese Living Harder? A Mix-method Study of the Rental Crisis among Students in Glasgow' 

2. Global Southern Urbanism: Particularily on the geographical region of Greater China, Southeast Asia ASEAN countries. E.g. 'State-led Gentrification: A Case Study of Guangzhou'

3. Sustainable Urbanism: At regional and city level.  E.g. 'The Impact of the Climate Change on UK Real Estate Market - A Systematic Literature Review'

Selected Completed Students

MSc City Planning & Real Estate Development, University of Glasgow

J. Liu (2022-2023). State-led Gentrification: A Case Study of Guangzhou.

S. Cen (2022-2023). Summary of Experience and Suggestion on the Construction and Operation of Taizhou Rail transit Project: The Case Study of Wanchang Station.

T. Dodsworth (2022-2023). Community Asset Transfer: A Review of the Process in the Case of Kinning Park Complex, Glasgow.

S. H. Fong (2022-2023).Housing Problems and Governance Faliure and Injustice: Examing Two Policies in Hong Kong.

X. Zhuang (2022-2023). The Relation between Land Finance and Housing Prices: A Case Study of China.

Y. Wu (2022-2023). Affective Factors on Housing Price in China.

Y. Dong (2022-2023). The Impact of the Climate Change on UK Real Estate Market - A Systematic Literature Review.

K. Zhu (2022-2023). The Impact of Ageing on Market Price of Housing: The Example of Shanghai.

S. Liu (2022-2023). The Impact of the Suppy of Residential Mortgages on Housing Prices and Housing Supply.

MSc Public Policy & Management (Co-organised with Adam Smith Business School)

Y. Yu (2022-2023). Are Chinese Living Harder? A Mix-method Study of the Rental Crisis among Students in Glasgow 

S. Xiong (2022-2023). Implementing Housing Policy in Hong Kong: Challenges and Solutions

Y. Wang (2022-2023). The Residential Satisfaction of Rural to Urban Migrants Workers in China - A Systematic Literature Review

Y. Jiang (2022-2023). The Influencing Factors of Public Participation in Affordable Housing Policy: A Case Study of Zhengzhou, China

Y. Zhou (2022-2023). The Causal Relation between Urban Green Space and Housing Prices from 2012 to 2021: Evidence from Central Urban Area of Chongqing

From Other Institutions

P. Guo (2021-2022, 2nd-supervisor). Affordable Housing in Chinese Greater Bay Area. MPhil Planning, Growth, Regeneration. University of Cambridge.

Joseph contribute to lectures, leading seminars and tutorials, to the following course in the academic year of 2023-2024 at Urban Studies, University of Glasgow:

• PUBPOL 3017/4042 Youth Policy & Welfare (UG Honour Option)
• PUBPOL 4034 Re-making Cities (UG Honour Option)
• URBAN 5119 Research Design, Methods & Ethics (PGT)
• URBAN 5080 Governance & Market (PGT)
• URBAN 5116 Sustainable Urban Future (PGT)
• URBAN 5081 Professional Practice, Ethics & Management (PGT)
• URBAN 5037 Development Process (PGT)

Joseph is the dissertation coordinator (academic year 2023-2024) for:

• MSc City Planning & Real Estate Development (REPR)
• MSc Public Policy & Management (PPM)

Joseph has contributed to postgraduate-level supervisions at Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge on Urban and Housing Policy (2021-2022; 2022-2023) as well as Land Policy & Development Economics (2022-2023). 

Joseph’s current and previous academic services include:

• Seminar Series Organisor, Scottish Centre for China Research (SCCR) 

• Postgraduate Fellow (2020) Associate Fellow (2021-2023), then selected a full Fellowship (2024-) Royal Geographical Society (RGS-BIG)

• Founder & Convenor (2019), Co-convenor (2021-2022) and then Honorary Convenor (2023-), Cambridge Chinese Migration Studies Group, Cambridge Centre for the Study of Global Human Movement

• Co-Editor & Reviewer, Regional Science Policy & Practice (RSPP, JCI Q2), Special Issue on Chinese Migration, Diaspora & Mobility

• Reviewer, Journal of Urban Management (JCI Q1)

• Reviewer, Spatial Economic Analysis (JCI Q2)
• Undergraduate Adminission Interview Panel for Land Economy, Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge (2021,2022)

• Project Assistant (2019), Project Manager (2020), then National Executive Committee Member in Regional Development (2021), UK Federation of Chinese Professionals

• PhD Representative in Land Economy (2019-2020), University of Cambridge

• Athena Swan then EDI Committee (2020-2022), Student Member, Land Economy Cambridge

• Committee Member (2019-2020), Deputy Head (2020-2021), then Head (2021-2022), Division of Visiting Scholar & Exchange Students, CSSA Cambridge

• NHBE Research Group Cambridge Chapter Steering Committee Member (2018-2019)

• Research & Teaching Assistant, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore (2018)

• Project Manager (2016-2018), Think Tank III, Hong Kong Public Space Initiative (HKPSI)

• Community Relationship Manager Assistant (2015), Clean Air Network Hong Kong