Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ling Han | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award
Peking University | China
Author Profile
🌱 Early Academic Pursuits
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ling Han began her academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from East China Normal University. She then pursued both her Master’s and Ph.D. in Environmental Planning and Management at Peking University. Her early research laid the foundation for her lifelong focus on environmental sustainability, circular economy, and industrial ecology.
🏛️ Professional Endeavors
Dr. Han is an Associate Professor at the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University. She has dedicated her career to advancing urban and industrial sustainable transitions, emphasizing circularity and inclusion. As one of the pioneering scholars in China to study material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), she has influenced national waste management policies and industrial sustainability strategies.
🔬 Contributions and Research Focus
Dr. Han has been at the forefront of research on post-consumer waste management. In 2000, she and her advisor proposed treating the waste recycling industry as the "fourth industry," advocating for a new industrial system aligned with circular economy principles. Over the past five years, she has used coupled MFA-LCA, agent-based modeling (ABM), and optimization methods to analyze material flow evolution in solid waste generation, mobility, and utilization.
Her major research projects include:
📌 National Key R&D Program on solid waste, studying the interaction between environmental resources and solid waste.
📌 Sino-Dutch NSF collaboration on inclusive circular economy, proposing a community-driven post-consumption waste management system.
📌 Research on urban kitchen waste composting, integrating garden waste for carbon sequestration and soil improvement.
🏅 Accolades and Recognition
Dr. Han’s innovative contributions have earned her numerous research grants and prestigious roles in international collaborations. She has played a key role in national sustainability policies, advising on carbon peak strategies and low-carbon certification technologies.
🌍 Impact and Influence
Beyond academia, Dr. Han has significantly influenced sustainable education. In 2018, she launched the "Sustainable Campus Practice" course at Peking University, guiding students to identify and solve real-world sustainability challenges. Her efforts have fostered a new generation of environmentally conscious leaders.
🔮 Legacy and Future Contributions
Dr. Han continues to shape the future of industrial sustainability and circular economy models. She remains committed to advancing research on biomass resource utilization and decision-making support for waste management. Her work will play a crucial role in achieving global sustainability goals and fostering a greener, more inclusive world.
Publications
📄 "Does the Household Clean Energy Transition Benefit the Mental Health of the Elderly in Rural China? Evidence from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study"
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Authors: Hengxing Yin, Ling Han, Li Yan, Chenhao Liu
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Journal: Environment International
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Year: 2025
📄 "Assessing the Sustainability Performances of the Supply Chain of Decentralized Urban Food Waste Composting for Urban Green Spaces"
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Authors: Wenrui Shen, Haoran Qiao, Xin Tong, Yilong Xiao, Ling Han
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Journal: Resources, Conservation and Recycling Advances
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Year: 2025