Working in the interdisciplinary intersections of anthropology and architecture in the study of design and labor, my research focuses on rural-urban migration in China and the relationship of the discipline of architecture to the industry and practice of construction.
My project brought me to Xi’an, China, where I spent two years in fieldwork, moving between local construction sites and architectural studios. To better understand the lives of rural migrants who are employed to build China’s rapidly-growing cities, I spent three months working on a high-rise building project, I lived with workers in urban village dormitories, and I traveled with rural migrants to their hometowns in the countryside. I am a Research Associate at Newcastle University, UK. I was previously a fellow in anthropology and architecture at the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan.
> Read more about my research from a recent interview at the University of Michigan