👋 About
Hi, I’m Jiacheng “Karcen” Zheng (郑嘉诚). I’m an MPhil student in Applied Economics at the Ma Yinchu School of Economics, Tianjin University (2026–2029), where I apply data science and machine learning to economic research.
I began my data science journey at Dalian University of Technology (2019–2021), where I studied Chemical Engineering (GPA: 88/100; top 7.4%) and built a foundation in mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis. I then completed a B.Eng. in Bioengineering from Shandong University’s Marine College (2022–2026; GPA: 86.24/100; rank: 5/50; Outstanding Graduate). During this time, I also explored International Politics and International Economics and Trade at the School of Northeast Asian Studies, Shandong University (2022–2023), which sparked my passion for economic research.
My research spans economics, climate science, and AI. As a research assistant at the Center for Regional and Country-Specific Data Analytics, Shandong University (2023–2025; PI: Professor Yuan Li), I applied machine learning and network analysis to input–output economics and global value chains. In summer 2024, I collaborated with Professor Zhifu Mi at University College London (UCL), building citation-network databases for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. In early 2025, I contributed to generative AI alignment research at HKUST (2025), resulting in a paper accepted as a Spotlight at NeurIPS 2025 🎉—coauthored with researchers from Peking University.
Data Science
Machine Learning & Natural Language Processing
AI for Economics
Health Economics
Econometrics
Behavioral Economics
fMRI
🎓 Education
Sep 2026 – Jun 2029 (Expected)
MPhil in Applied Economics ·
Ma Yinchu School of Economics
Advisor: Shenshen Yang, Assistant Professor. Research areas: theoretical econometrics, causal inference, missing data, and public health policy.
⭐ Honored to be Professor Yang’s first graduate student!
Health Economics
Econometrics
Finance
Data Science
B.Eng. in Bioengineering ·
Marine College
GPA: 86.24/100 (ranked 5/50). Recipient of Shandong University’s Outstanding Graduate award. Pursued a dual-degree track in International Politics and International Economics and Trade at the School of Northeast Asian Studies, Shandong University (2022–2023).
Undergraduate thesis: Is More Complexity Always Better? Hepatotoxicity Prediction of Marine Natural Products with in vivo Validation in Danio rerio — ranked 1st in thesis defense group 🏆
Bioengineering
Economics
Data Science
B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering (coursework) ·
School of Chemistry
GPA: 88/100 (top 7.4%). Built a foundation in mathematical modeling and data science before transitioning to interdisciplinary research at Shandong University.
Chemical Engineering
Mathematical Modeling
Data Science
📝 Publications & Scholarly Contributions
Pengcheng You, Anye Chen, Qiancheng Feng, Junhong Hou, Jiacheng Zheng, and Hao Chen*
Boyuan Chen, Donghai Hong, Jiaming Ji, Jiacheng Zheng, Bowen Dong, Jiayi Zhou, Kaile Wang, Juntao Dai, Xuyao Wang, Wenqi Chen, Qirui Zheng, Wenxin Li, Sirui Han, Yike Guo, & Yaodong Yang
Agglomeration & Inequality
Jamal Khan, Jiacheng Zheng, Maaz Ahmad, & Zubair Alam Khan
Translations & Other Scholarly Contributions
Social Filter Theory
Riccardo Crescenzi & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose (Chinese translation by Jianhui Ren et al.)
Beijing Economic Management Press (2024)
Contributed to the Chinese translation of Chapter 3, “Geographical Accessibility and Human Capital Accumulation.” The book received Third Prize in the “Hundred Works” Project for Outstanding Achievements in Social Science Research in Shanxi Province.
[Book]
Contributing translator
Financial Sector in China
Jamal Khan, Yuan Li, & Qaiser Jamal Mahsud
Examines the financial sector's role in post-crisis industrial linkages and structural transformation in China. My contributions to data analysis and visualization are acknowledged in the paper.
Belt and Road Initiative
Yuan Li & Jamal Khan
Examines the Belt and Road Initiative’s effects on infrastructure, trade, employment, and global economic governance. My contribution is acknowledged in the volume.
[Book]
Contribution acknowledged
📣 Conference Presentations
Accepted for oral presentation — withdrawn for health reasons
Linkages and Structural Changes in the Chinese Financial Sector, 1996–2018.
10th International Workshop on RUSE in China
2023 · Peking University
Oral presentation
Agglomeration Economies and Regional Inequality in Provincial China.
🔬 Research & Internship Experience
Communications Intern · The Chinese Economic Association (CEA UK/Europe)
Jul 2026 – Present · Remote
Europe · UK
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Write and edit news articles and official digital posts covering key developments of CEA, and maintain the official website.
Volunteer · Academic Content & Communication
Apr 2026 – Present · Remote
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Contributed to academic content editing, translation, and research dissemination for the official WeChat platform of SCED, a top SSCI Q1 journal in economic dynamics.
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Engaged with high-quality scholarly papers and supported the journal’s mission to promote frontier research to a wider academic audience.
Teaching Assistant · Advanced Macroeconomics Ⅰ
Sep 2026 – Present · Remote
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Assist with graduate-level Advanced Macroeconomics by preparing tutorial materials and problem sets, holding office hours, and assisting with grading and course administration.
Sep 2025 – Present · On-site
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Conducting research in health economics and financial economics under two National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects.
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Conducted research on data-driven preference alignment for multimodal, multi-turn large language models.
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Collaborated with Jiaming Ji, Boyuan Chen, and other researchers at Peking University; resulting paper accepted as a Spotlight at NeurIPS 2025 🎉
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Developed citation-network databases and analytical pipelines for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (Working Group II).
Mar 2023 – Mar 2025 · Weihai · On-site
Center for Regional and Country-Specific Data Analytics · Principal Investigators: Professor
Yuan Li and Dr. Jamal Khan (currently an associate professor)
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Built the center’s data infrastructure; led programming and data-visualization tasks; contributed to manuscript preparation.
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Applied machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing to data-driven economic modeling, focusing on input–output analysis and global value chains.
Marketing Management Trainee
Summer 2023 · Weihai · On-site
Golden Education · Mentor: Jihai Zhao
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Planned and executed campus branding campaigns, supported social media operations and expanded campus outreach.
🏆 Scholarships, Awards & Travel Grants
Invited Delegate, PwC Open Day
PwC Jinan · 2023 (one of two fully funded delegates from Weihai, selected via the Golden Education Elite Business Challenge)
CNY 450 ≈ US$62
* Approximate exchange rate used: CNY 7.20 ≈ US$1.
🛠 Projects, Tools & Writing
📊 Open-Source Tools & Notes
📝 Selected Zhihu Columns (Selected Notes)
🏁 Competitions & Team Projects
iTooth — A Digital Platform for Community Oral Health
2022 · 13th National University E-commerce "Innovation, Creativity & Entrepreneurship" Challenge
Team Leader
Developed a digital platform to promote oral-health literacy and facilitate preliminary screening. The project won Second Prize in the Shandong University round.
Volunteer Teacher
Produced science education videos for elementary and middle school students in rural and underserved communities to support educational access and equity.
💡 Skills & Interests
Software
Languages
Chinese · Native
English · IELTS 7.0
Selected Quantitative Coursework
- Calculus I · 98%
- Calculus II · 92%
- Linear Algebra · 90%
- Probability and Statistics · 88%
- University Physics I: Mechanics, Special Relativity, and Optics · 98%
- University Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism; Introductory Quantum Mechanics · 100%
Full transcript available upon request: karcenzheng@gmail.com
Research Interests
Health Economics
Behavioral Economics
Regional Economics
Poverty
Data Science in Economics
fMRI
🤝 Service & Affiliations
Leadership
Vice President
2024 – 2025
“Shanhai” Political Observation Club · Student organization affiliated with the
School of Marxism, Shandong University
Director of External Relations
2023 – 2024
“Shanhai” Political Observation Club · Student organization affiliated with the
School of Marxism, Shandong University
Residence Hall Council Chair
2019 – 2021
Deputy Director, New Media
2019 – 2021
“Yin Ji Guang Ying” New Media Studio ·
Dalian University of Technology
Deputy Director, Culture and Arts
2019 – 2020
Peer-Review Service
Memberships
📱 WeChat Official Account
😄 Follow my WeChat Official Account to find something funny 🎬👇
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