Playing Simcity as a kid, I always found that it was much easier to build a city from scratch rather than

build upon something that already existed.

Studying urban revitalization in Geography at school, I realized that this was also true of real life. For instance, as a Shenzhen kid, I have witnessed

the imbalanced urban development with the newly reclaimed coastal districts becoming more prosperous and gradually surpassing the good old

ones, showcasing the exact same pattern. It is simply whimsical to see knowledge from books unfold and take shape in the physical world in a span

of a decade. This sparked my initial interest to explore the crossover of geography and economics against the backdrop of urban renovation to

enable my community accommodate more residents and sustainably develop the local economy.

It appears at first glance that the study of economics and geography are distant, however, after learning both courses at Alevel, urbanization and

urban renovation are pivotal themes in both geography and economics. Reallocation of scarce resources to satisfy sustainable development in the

concern of environmental constraints and population dynamics is the priority of urban growth. Environmental degradation forcing policies that can

tackle issues like negative externalities or market failures to be promulgated.

Observing and contemplating these economic realities encouraged me to join the National Economic Challenge as a Team Leader to explore

China’s dual-control energy consumption policy and gained a more thorough understanding of sustainable development. Based on the International

Monetary Fund Staff Climate Note, I analyzed the carbon capture scheme for an Allowance Trading-based carbon market through the TOPSIS

algorithm and quantified the market value of Corporate Social Responsibility as a prediction of the total market value of Carbon Emission. The two

approaches combined can be effective to assess the long-term urban redevelopment policies since decisions makers may choose the most suitable

methods after access to complete data on urban area. Besides, my mathematical skills were enhanced when I used a matrix for the TOPSIS

algorithm to allocate carbon emission rights and produced carbon allowance weights for factories.

My experience as a volunteer elementary school teacher in Longyan City, Fujian Province last summer vacation made me ponder the value of

human economic activities endowed to the land. It would do the city more good if more resources were allocated to local industries for

sustainability rather than to building refurbishment just for tourism. I reckon it’s a matter of urgency to reposition and adjust Longyan’s industry

priorities. It’s become obvious that I am definitely in need of more education and training to comprehend the mechanics of different industries

working together in the context of economics, geography, and urbanization intertwining with each other. I am passionate to address land-related

challenges and proposing effective solutions. Equipped with skills to dissect complex issues, I yearn for devising innovative strategies for me own

communities for its sustainability.

In my future, I aspire to explore resource management's intricate facets, particularly the nexus between land value and social progress. My aim is to

inform sound policy choices that bring about positive change, balancing economic growth with safeguarding human rights and the environment. I

intend to devise measures that harmonize these objectives, fostering sustainable development. Through analytical modeling, I envision shaping and

implementing policies that holistically address these concerns, contributing to a more equitable and thriving society.

Development in general is certainly much more complicated than a game, but the rewards of doing it right are infinitely more fulfilling. Therefore, I

possess a strong inclination towards comprehending the geographical dimensions of economic activities, resource utilization, and the pursuit of

urban sustainability. Consequently, I aspire to further delve into the human-economic interactions in my forthcoming academic pursuits.