“We chose the mentors carefully”

Liu Xiaoyun, an associate professor at China Agricultural University in Beijing, used CHIP survey data in her study on the impacts of non-agricultural employment on rural income inequality. Her research has been published in a Chinese-language journal, in a paper co-authored with one of her mentors.

“Professor Sicular also helped me submit my paper to an English-language journal, Chinese Economy, which has accepted it for publication,” Liu says. “She made a great many suggestions and had a lot of patience with me.”

Qu Zhaopeng, currently finishing a PhD at Beijing Normal University, looked at the impacts of economic growth on consumption inequality in an aging society. His mentors – John Whalley and Yue Ximing – provided many constructive suggestions, both on his original proposal and throughout the year as his paper developed. “Their comments improved my research greatly,” he says. Other scholars appreciated their mentors’ efforts in introducing them to new research methods, or encouraging them to look at familiar issues from novel angles.

The praise comes as no surprise to Li Shi. “We chose the mentors carefully,” he says. “They had to be experts on poverty issues and interested in the Chinese economy, but they also had to really want to help young scholars. They are all very nice people.”

 Next: "The good work is collaborative"
 Previous: The CHIP surveys


Back to China Scholars Home