Current Research
My research is problem-driven and solution-oriented. I intentionally draw upon my cross-disciplinary training to create innovative ways to study pressing global and local problems, and frame my research product in a way that can reach a broad audience beyond academia, as well as contribute towards further cross-fertilization and disciplinarian ‘spillovers’ within academia.

My recent research focuses heavily on the Chinese economy and falls into several broad topics: (1) industrial policy, innovation and firm performance; (2) social policy and ethnic issues related to employment, income, poverty and inequality; and (3) migration and development.

Navigate to my Researchgate profile page to read or to follow my research.

Research Motivation

My research interests are largely driven by his own personal experiences overcoming childhood hardships, adolescent employment in the auto-industry, as well as active engagement and participation in study abroad programs throughout his collegiate career. As an example, I spent several summers working full-time on the assembly lines in GM’s auto manufacturing plants in Lansing, MI. It was during these early years that he became interested in issues related to ethnicity, poverty and inequality. As factory plants later began to close down, he also developed an interest in the areas of industrial relocation, economic development and innovation.

During my collegiate studies, Anthony obtained funding to participate in numerous study/research abroad programs that provided him with diverse opportunities to study Spanish and Chinese languages, volunteer with orphans and the disabled, carry out community development internships, and pursue research projects in countries ranging from Mexico to Ireland, Czech Republic, United Arab Emirates and China.

Fieldwork
Much of my previous research has required me to carry out fieldwork in China, providing me substantial experience applying for external funding, devising a research strategy, and converting fieldwork results into publications. In 2006, I interviewed rural-urban migrants in Beijing; in 2008, I interviewed Han/minority workers in Urumqi; and in 2010, I tried to interview Dai minority cross-border traders along the Yunnan-Burma border. For each project, I was responsible for carrying out all stages of the fieldwork process from inception to survey design, training enumerators and implementation. My most successful fieldwork project was in Urumqi, where I collected over 600 surveys on workers located across 4 districts in Urumqi. I have since published 3 articles based on my fieldwork in high-quality academic journals.