Dr. Yitian Ren (任一田) is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Urban Planning and Design, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Dr Ren obtained Ph.D. in Planning and Environmental Management from The University of Manchester, and was fully-funded by University of Manchester Scholarship. Dr Ren has won the prestigious 2023 MDC Excellence Award (Best contribution to PGR environment), being as the nominee of Faculty of Humanities and the only awardee across University of Manchester in the year.

Dr Ren’s research has been rooted in the field of urbanisation, urban (re)development, rural restructuring, entrepreneurial development, and sustainable built environment. Her research findings centred with above strands have appeared in the top journals in the field such as Cities, Sustainable Cities and Society, Land Use Policy and Habitat International. Her research has generated both academic impact (Google Scholar citation 1486 by Jul 2024), and practical impact (Guest Research Fellow of Alibaba Research Centre for Rural Dynamics).

Dr Ren welcomes PhD enquiry, prospective applicants can contact Yitian.Ren@xjtlu.edu.cn for further information.

Urban sustainability: Indicator-based monitoring and assessment of urban sustainability performance; investigation upon the carrying capacity of resources and environment under the pursuit of sustainable development; healthy city diagnosis; low-carbon transition.  

Smart city development: Development trajectory, stakeholders interaction, and governance of smart city practices. The making of “platform urbanism” and its impacts on urban society. 

Urban (re)development: Theoretical understanding, decision-making of urban regeneration and renewl, and its consequences upon urban fabrics and social welfare.

Urban-rural linkages, rural restructuring and rural studies: Theories and strategies of rural revitalisation/development, including online platform/ platform economy driven approach; subsequent impacts upon rural restructuring and urban-rural relationship. The roles and development of small towns in shaping a sustainable urban-rural future. 

2024- Present. Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Honorary Appointment with the University of Liverpool

Department Placement Officer

2019-2023. Doctoral Researcher, Manchester Urban Institute & Centre for Digital Development, The University of Manchester.

PhD Project "E-commerce, rural entrepreneurialism, and restructuring of rural society in Western China"

PGR Representative, Faculty PGR Committee Board Member (Representative for over 400 PGRs of School of Environment, Education and Development) 

2021-2024. Research Assistant to two UoM-funded projects, Department of Planning and Environmental Management, Manchester Urban Institute, The University of Manchester.

"Reuse of long-term brownfield land in Greater Manchester"

"How do changes in consumer behaviour affect the retail property performance? Evidence from global retail real estate companies"

2022-2025. Guest Research Fellow, Alibaba Research Centre for Rural Dynamics.

2020-2024. Teaching Assistant to Undergraduate and Postgraduate modules (including MSc Dissertation), Department of Planning and Environmental Management, Manchester Urban Institute, The University of Manchester.

2018. Research Assistant, Department of Building and Real Estate, Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

2016-2019. Key researcher of three National Social Science Foundation Projects, International Research Centre for Sustainable Built Environment, Chongqing University.

"Diagnosis on the sustainable development level of mountainous small towns in Southwest China" (NSSF General Project)

"Evaluation and policy instruments on the resource environment carrying capacity of large Chinese cities in the big data era" (NSSF Major Project)

"Research on the indicator system for the development of low-carbon city" (NSSF Key Project)

at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University:

UPD 101 Issues and practice of planning in China Ⅰ

Final Year Project (FYP) Supervision of Year-4 students

Final Year Project (FYP) Workshop for Year-4 students

Master Dissertation Supervision

Academic Advisor to Undergraduate and Master Students

at University of Manchester:

International Planning: Systems and Frameworks 

Infrastructure Planning 

International Fieldtrip (Ruhr Region, Germany) 

Rural Planning 

MSc Dissertation in Planning; MSc Dissertation in Real Estate

Manchester Doctoral College (MDC) Excellence Award - Best Contribution to PGR Environment (Only awardee of University of Manchester in 2023).

School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) Postgraduate Research Scholarship of University of Manchester.

Merit Paper Award in the CRIOCM 24th International Conference on Advancement of Construction Management and Real Estate.

The Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF Fellow). 

Research Training Bursary from methods@manchester.

Excellent Master Dissertation Award of Chongqing Municipality.

Excellent Master Graduate of Higher Education of Chongqing Municipality.

Best Paper Award in the CRIOCM 23rd International Conference on Advancement of Construction Management and Real Estate.

National Scholarship Award for Postgraduate by Chinese Ministry of Education.

Delegate of 7th University Scholars Leadership Symposium, Humanitarian Affairs Asia.

Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Fund Award, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

Merit Award, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Global Student Challenge.

National Scholarship Award for Undergraduate by Chinese Ministry of Education.