Jianbo Ma is an independent researcher based in Beijing, China. His research interests include China’s land, environmental and education policies. Before becoming independent, he had worked at Tsinghua University, the National Environmental Protection Agency of China, and the secretariat of a high-level advisory body to China’s top leaders on sustainable development. In addition to being a policy expert, he is also a professional interpreter (Chinese/English), and has worked for numerous high-level policy makers from China and around the world. He received his BA in English from Beijing Foreign Studies University, China and his PhD in policy studies from the University of Maryland, USA.