Curriculum vitae

Tianyu
Zhang-Jin

PhD candidate in Sustainability researching food waste, behavioural responses and interventions across consumer and organisational food systems.

Barcelona, Spaintianyu.zhang@upc.eduLinkedIn
Download CV · Updated September 2026

01

Research experience

2023—Present

Predoctoral Researcher

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) · Barcelona

  • Designing and evaluating real-world food-waste interventions across households, hospitals, hotels and retail.
  • Analysing primary and scanner data using Structural Equation Modelling and behavioural modelling.
  • Coordinating field experiments and longitudinal data collection with private, healthcare and public-sector partners.
  • Leading funded European proposals and coordinating three research projects.

2022—2023

Research Technician

Centre for Research in Agri-Food Economics and Development (CREDA) · Barcelona

  • Contributed to the European Commission evaluation of behavioural interventions to reduce consumer food waste.
  • Worked across SWITCHtoHEALTHY, RASCS and BREADCRUMB on sustainable food systems and consumer behaviour.
  • Designed surveys and conducted interviews, focus groups and co-creation activities.

02

Additional experience

2021—2022

Programme Management Assistant

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) · Nairobi

Supported multilateral environmental governance, NGO accreditation and stakeholder coordination for UNEA 5.2 and UNEP@50.

2020

Political Affairs Assistant

Delegation of the Government of Catalonia to the EU · Brussels

Monitored EU developments in environment, climate, agriculture and digital policy, preparing briefings for institutional stakeholders.

2022

Sustainability Analyst

I2 Social Impact Investing · Barcelona

Assessed the social impact of sustainable-development projects and investment portfolios.

2019

Programme Management Assistant

Casa Asia · Barcelona

Coordinated intercultural programmes with public institutions and civil-society organisations.

2018—2023

Translator & Interpreter

SeproTec Multilingual Solutions · Barcelona

Facilitated Spanish, Catalan and Chinese communication in legal, administrative and public-service settings.

03

Education

2022—Present

PhD in Sustainability

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Thesis: From policy ambition to organizational practice: evidence from food waste interventions in healthcare, hospitality and retail. Defense scheduled for 9 November 2026.

2021—2022

MA in Translation and Intercultural Studies

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Thesis: Interculturality and Public Policy Efficiency: a case study of the Chinese community’s attitude towards recycling policies.

2019—2021

MA in Diplomacy and International Organizations

CEI International Affairs · Universitat de Barcelona

Thesis: Landfill Earth: A Global Perspective on the Waste Problem.

2016—2019

BA in Global Studies

Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Exchange semester at Beijing Foreign Studies University. Thesis: Death Penalty in China.

04

Grants & project leadership

2024

SPRINT — Stakeholder Prevention and Reduction of Inefficiencies in Food Management at the Consumer Level

European Commission · Led proposal development and coordinated implementation

2024

Catalan Household Food Waste Quantification

Government of Catalonia · Led proposal development and coordinated implementation

2023

SWIFT-CARE — Sustainable Waste-Reduction Initiative for Food in Hospitals

CREDA · Led proposal development and coordinated implementation

2023—Present

Research supervision

Four research interns and three BA theses

Research toolkit

Methods

Quantitative analysisLongitudinal and pre-post evaluationStructural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)Behavioural modellingAdministrative and scanner dataDirect food-waste measurementSurvey researchMixed methodsBehavioural intervention designQualitative stakeholder research

Statistical & data science

R · Stata · SPSS · Excel

Reproducible research

Quarto · R Markdown · LaTeX

Systems & visual design

Kumu · Figma

Languages

Spanish · Catalan · Chinese · English C1 · French A2 · Korean A2
Tianyu speaking at a round table on food-waste reduction
Research belongs in conversation.

05

Recognition & academic activity

2024

Finalist · World Food Forum Transformative Research Challenge

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2023

FI Joan Oró Predoctoral Fellowship

AGAUR · Government of Catalonia

2026

RETASTE · Heraklion

Oral and poster presentations on hospital and household food waste.

2026

20th International European Forum · Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Two oral presentations on retail and healthcare food waste.

2024

XXV National Congress on Healthcare Foodservice

Invited round-table speaker · Cáceres, Spain.