Lin Zhu

Lin Zhu is a Research Fellow for the Global China Initiative at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center. She leads the initiative’s strategic research planning, research development and stakeholder engagement with the Center’s leadership team. Prior to joining the GDP Center, Lin worked at New York University Shanghai and is a contributor to the People’s Map of Global China.

Lin’s expertise lies at the intersection of human and economic geography, international policy, particularly in tracking and interpreting China’s global financial and environmental footprint. Proven ability to supervise cross-cultural teams, engage global stakeholders, and translate complex research findings into accessible insights. Experienced in managing research teams, leading strategic communication and engagement, and producing policy-relevant publications in international development policy.

Lin is particularly interested in the political economy and political ecology of Global China. Her recent research investigates Chinese mining investment in Central Peru through an ethnographic lens, examining how local communities experience and respond to global capital flows. By situating these dynamics within the broader patterns of China’s overseas engagement, her work contributes to the Global China Initiative’s mission of generating evidence-based insights into the social, economic, and environmental impacts of China’s global footprint.

Lin holds an M.A. in Human Geography from the University of Colorado Boulder and a B. A. in Geography and Anthropology from Sarah Lawrence College.