Dr. Helen Zheng

Biography

Helen Zheng is a Senior Lecturer in Spatial Planning at the University of Manchester. Her research focuses on understanding urban transformation and the unequal outcomes generated by spatial data-driven frameworks. Zheng examines how cities evolve and the processes of urbanization and regeneration that yield uneven social, economic, and environmental outcomes for different population groups. A central theme of her work is spatial inequality, particularly in health and mobility, exploring how these inequalities emerge from the interaction between urban structure, human behavior, and policy decisions. Her research employs a multi-scalar spatial perspective, merging geospatial data analytical approaches with emerging AI-enabled techniques. This comprehensive approach is enhanced by qualitative analyses that contextualize findings and inform policy interpretations. Zheng has extensive research experience in spatial planning, contributing to various projects funded by notable organizations such as the Economic and Social Research Council and the British Academy. Currently, she serves as Co-Associate Director of Research Ethics and Co-Chair of the Ethics Committee at her school, as well as Coordinator of the Spatial Policy Analysis Research Group.

Research Interests