Jingyi conducts qualitative research on urban design and public space. 

Her doctoral thesis titled ‘Exploring the role of public space in Shanghai’s urban transformation: Visionary narratives and everydayness in the quest for global excellence’ discussed on the role of public space in urban transformation processes and its duality as a tool to achieve the city’s strategic development visions and a site for citizens’ everyday uses in the Shanghai urban regeneration context. It also explored the different forms of publicness created by the design and development of public space and their implications for citizens’ daily use of public spaces, the emerging participatory urban design and planning practices in Shanghai and its people-oriented excellent global city vision.