Dr Mei Zhang

BA (Peking University), PhD (Cambridge)

School of Languages, Arts and Societies

Lecturer in Chinese Studies

Mei Zhang profile photo 2025
Profile picture of Mei Zhang profile photo 2025
m.zhang@sheffield.ac.uk

Full contact details

Dr Mei Zhang
School of Languages, Arts and Societies
Jessop West
1 Upper Hanover Street
Sheffield
S3 7RA
Research interests

Having worked in a number of multidisciplinary research environments in Beijing, Cambridge, Stuttgart and Sheffield, Dr Zhang’s research interests lie mainly in two themes: globalisation and its impact on rural-urban migration, rural development and urbanisation in China; and cultural, environmental and sustainable development.

Following her PhD work in Cambridge, Dr. Zhang has systematically studied the growth of the post-1978 Chinese economy, especially focusing on rural development in China’s poor regions and the role of rural-urban migration in solving rural poverty during the process of globalization.

She has also examined the impacts of economic growth on environmental and cultural reservation, considering different cultural backgrounds.

Through a number of research projects funded by the European Commission and the British Academy, Dr Zhang has studied cross-cultural differences in urban comfort and sustainable development between China and UK, from social, economical and psychological viewpoints.

Based on a series of large scale surveys, quantitative and qualitative analyses have been made, including semantic differential analysis.

Publications

Books

  • Zhang M (2003) China’s Poor Regions. Rural-Urban Migration, Poverty, Economic Reform and Urbanization. London: Routledge Curzon.

Journal articles

  • Zhang D, Ren G, Cheng F, Xiao D, Zhang M & Kang J (2025) . The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 158(2), 1156-1176.
  • Zhang D, Feng Y, Zhang M & Kang J (2023) . Building and Environment, 230.
  • Zhang D, Kong C, Zhang M & Kang J (2022) . Frontiers in Psychology, 12.
  • Zhang D, Lai R, Zhang M & Kang J (2020) . The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 147(3), 1516-1530.
  • Zhang D, Kong C, Zhang M & Meng Q (2020) . Applied Sciences, 10(4).
  • Liu C, Chen L, Vanderbeck RM, Valentine G, Zhang M, Diprose K & Mcquaid K (2018) . Sustainable Development, 26(6), 741-748.
  • Zhang M (2018) . Sustainability, 10(11).
  • Zhang D, Zhang M, Liu D & Kang J (2018) . Building and Environment, 142, 58-69.
  • McQuaid K, Vanderbeck RM, Valentine G, Liu C, Chen L, Zhang M & Diprose K (2018) . Africa, 88(1), 11-37.
  • Zhang D, Zhang M, Liu D & Kang J (2016) . Applied Acoustics, 111, 188-197.
  • Lee PJ, Lee BK, Jeon JY, Zhang M & Kang J (2015) . Ergonomics.
  • kang J & zhang M (2015) . Current Anthropology, 56, 92-93.
  • Zhang M, Kang J & Jiao F (2012) . Sci Total Environ, 438, 517-526.
  • Jiao F, Kang J, Zhang M, Dong Z & Xing X (2010) Acoustic characteristics of open-plan offices in developing China. 39th International Congress on Noise Control Engineering 2010 Inter Noise 2010, 2, 1369-1375.
  • Zhang M (2010) . China Information, 24(2), 169-189.
  • Jiao F, Kang J & Zhang M (2010) Evaluation of acoustic characteristics of Chinese open-plan office environment. Shengxue Xuebao Acta Acustica, 35(2), 179-184.
  • Zhang M & Kang J (2009) Subjective evaluation of urban environment: a case study in Beijing. INT J ENVIRON POLLUT, 39(1-2), 187-199.
  • Zhang M & Kang J (2007) Towards the evaluation, description and creation of soundscape in urban open spaces. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 34(1), 68-86.
  • Zhang M & Kang J (2007) . ENVIRON PLANN B, 34(1), 68-86.
  • Meng Y, Kang J, Huerta R & Zhang M (2005) Soundscape animation of urban open spaces in an interactive virtual environment. 12th International Congress on Sound and Vibration 2005 Icsv 2005, 1, 129-136.
  • Zhang M & Kang J (2004) . The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 115(5_Supplement), 2497-2497.
  • Kang J & Zhang M (2003) Acoustic simulation of urban squares. Proceedings of the Tenth International Congress on Sound and Vibration, 1405-1412.
  • Kang J & Zhang M (2002) . The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 112(5_Supplement), 2435-2435.
  • Xu J, Zhang M, Shao L & Kang J () . Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management , 24(1), 21-36.

Book chapters

  • Diprose K, Liu C, Vanderbeck RM, Valentine G, Chen L, McQuaid K & Zhang M (2018) , Families, Intergenerationality, and Peer Group Relations (pp. 351-369). Springer Singapore
  • Diprose K, Liu C, Vanderbeck RM, Valentine G, Chen L, McQuaid K & Zhang M (2017) , Families, Intergenerationality, and Peer Group Relations (pp. 1-19). Springer Singapore
  • Vanderbeck RM, Diprose K, Liu C, Valentine G, McQuaid K, Zhang M & Chen L (2017) , Families, Intergenerationality, and Peer Group Relations (pp. 1-19). Springer Singapore

Conference proceedings

  • Lee PJ, Lee BK, Jeon JY, Zhang M & Kang J (2014) Effect of noise disturbance on job satisfaction and health symptoms in open-plan offices: A structural equation model exercise. Proceedings of Forum Acusticum, Vol. 2014-January
  • Kang J & Zhang M (2010) . BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT, Vol. 45(1) (pp 150-157)
Research group

SEAS Research Cluster

Movement(s), Economy and Development in East Asia

Associated research groups, collaborators and projects

INTERSECTION: A cross-national research project about intergenerational justice, consumption and sustainability - Investigator

Teaching activities

EAS6271 Chinese Language 1

EAS6272 Chinese Language 2

EAS6273 Chinese Language 3

EAS6274 Chinese Language 4

Mei Zhang also coordinates the China Year Abroad