Karcen

👋 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

Tianjin University

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

Shandong University

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

Dalian University of Technology

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

Biology 2026 · Article
TLR4 Axis and Non-Starch Polysaccharides
NeurIPS 2025 · Spotlight
InterMT
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
NeurIPS 2025 · Spotlight
Agglomeration & Inequality
Agglomeration Economies

Translations & Other Scholarly Contributions

Social Filter Theory
Innovation and Regional Growth in the European Union
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.

Financial Sector in China
Linkages and Structural Changes
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
Wind from the East
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.

📣 Conference Presentations

31st International Input–Output Association Conference

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

Oral presentation

Agglomeration Economies and Regional Inequality in Provincial China.

🔬 Research & Internship Experience

Communications Intern · The Chinese Economic Association (CEA UK/Europe)

Europe · UK
  • Write and edit news articles and official digital posts covering key developments of CEA, and maintain the official website.

Volunteer · Academic Content & Communication

Structural Change and Economic Dynamics (SSCI Q1) · WeChat Official Account
  • Contributed to academic content editing, translation, and research dissemination for the official WeChat platform of SCED, a top SSCI Q1 journal in economic dynamics.
  • 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

Institute of Blue and Green Development, Shandong University
  • Assist with graduate-level Advanced Macroeconomics by preparing tutorial materials and problem sets, holding office hours, and assisting with grading and course administration.

Research Assistant · Tianjin University

Ma Yinchu School of Economics & College of Management and Economics (CoME)
  • Conducting research in health economics and financial economics under two National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects.

Research Intern · The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

Big Data Institute of HKUST & Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center Limited (HKGAI)
  • Conducted research on data-driven preference alignment for multimodal, multi-turn large language models.
  • Collaborated with Jiaming Ji, Boyuan Chen, and other researchers at Peking University; resulting paper accepted as a Spotlight at NeurIPS 2025 🎉

Research Assistant · University College London (UCL)

The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction · Principal Investigator: Professor Zhifu Mi
  • Developed citation-network databases and analytical pipelines for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (Working Group II).

Research Assistant · Institute of International Studies, Shandong University

Center for Regional and Country-Specific Data Analytics · Principal Investigators: Professor Yuan Li and Dr. Jamal Khan (currently an associate professor)
  • Built the center’s data infrastructure; led programming and data-visualization tasks; contributed to manuscript preparation.
  • 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

Golden Education · Mentor: Jihai Zhao
  • Planned and executed campus branding campaigns, supported social media operations and expanded campus outreach.

🏆 Scholarships, Awards & Travel Grants

Outstanding Graduate Award

Shandong University · 2026

National Encouragement Scholarship

Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China · 2025

CNY 6,000 ≈ US$841
Merit Scholarship (Level III)

Shandong University · 2025

CNY 1,000 ≈ US$139
IIOA Travel Grant

International Input–Output Association · 2025 (selected through the COMPASS program; funding was later withdrawn because of budget constraints)

US$3,000
National Encouragement Scholarship

Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China · 2023

CNY 5,000 ≈ US$694
Merit Scholarship (Level III)

Shandong University · 2023

CNY 1,000 ≈ US$139
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
CNY 8,000 ≈ US$1,111
Outstanding Student Scholarship (Level II)

Dalian University of Technology · 2020

CNY 500 ≈ US$69
Outstanding Youth League Member & Spiritual Civilization Scholarship

Dalian University of Technology · 2020

CNY 400 ≈ US$56

* 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

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.

Teach For China ( Bilibili) — Educational Outreach for Rural Students

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

Python Microsoft Office Adobe Creative Suite SPSS LaTeX MATLAB Orange 3 Stata R Git / GitHub

Languages

Chinese · Native English · IELTS 7.0

Selected Quantitative Coursework

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

“Shanhai” Political Observation Club · Student organization affiliated with the School of Marxism, Shandong University

Director of External Relations

“Shanhai” Political Observation Club · Student organization affiliated with the School of Marxism, Shandong University

Secretary

Department of Student Rights and Mental Health · School of Northeast Asian Studies, Shandong University

Residence Hall Council Chair

Dalian University of Technology

Deputy Director, New Media

“Yin Ji Guang Ying” New Media Studio · Dalian University of Technology

Deputy Director, Culture and Arts

Department of Culture and Arts · School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology

Peer-Review Service

Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Journal of Digital Economy, Finance Research Letters

Memberships

📱 WeChat Official Account

😄 Follow my WeChat Official Account to find something funny 🎬👇

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