Research Fields 

Health geography, Healthy city planning, Spatiotemporal behavior analysis, Urban data science 

Education

· Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): Geography, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, September 2018 - July 2022, Toronto, Canada.

· Master of Science (MSc): Human Geography, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, September 2015 - July 2018, Beijing, China.

· Exchange Student: The University of Melbourne, February 2013 - June 2013, Melbourne, Australia.

· Bachelor of Engineering (BEng): Urban Planning (Five-Year Program), School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, September 2010 - July 2015, Nanjing, China.

Professional Experience

· Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Planning, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, July 2023 – Present, Shanghai, China.

· Visiting Researcher (Remote), Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit of Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, July 2023 – Present, Remote.

· Research Associate, Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit of Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, June 2022 - June 2023, Cambridge, UK.

Publications

Refereed Journal Articles

1. Liu, B., Mytton, O., Rahilly, J., Amies-Cull, B., Rogers, N., Bishop, T., Chang, M., Cummins, S., Derbyshire, D., Hassan, S., Huang, Y., Medina-Lara, A. Savory, B., Smith, R., Thompson, C., White, M., Adams, J, Burgoine, T. (2024). Development of an approach to forecast future takeaway outlet growth around schools and population exposure to takeaways in England. International Journal of Health Geographics. (SSCI)

2. Liu, B., Widener, M. J., Smith, L. G., & Gesink, D. (2023). Integrating coordination of food purchasing into activity space-based food environment research: Toward a household perspective. Health & Place, 82, 103046. (SSCI)

3. Liu, B., M. J. Widener, L. G. Smith, S. Farber, D. Gesink, L. M. Minaker, Z. Patterson, K. Larsen, and J. Gilliland. (2022) “Time-geographic Project of Household Food Provision: Conceptualization and a Pilot Case Study.” Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 113(3), 675-699. (SSCI)

4. Liu, B., Widener, M. J., Smith, L. G., Farber, S., Gesink, D., Minaker, L. M., Z. Patterson, K. Larsen, and & Gilliland, J. (2022). Who’s cooking tonight? A time-use study of coupled adults in Toronto, Canada. Time & Society, 31(4), 480-507. (SSCI)

5. Liu, B., Widener, M. J., Smith, L. G., Farber, S., Minaker, L. M., Patterson, Z., Larsen, K., & Gilliland, J. (2022). Disentangling Time Use, Food Environment, and Food Behaviors Using Multi-Channel Sequence Analysis. Geographical Analysis, 54(4), 881-917.  (SSCI)

6. Liu, B., Widener, M., Burgoine, T., & Hammond, D. (2020). Association between Time-Weighted Activity Space-Based Exposures to Fast-Food Outlets and Fast-Food Consumption among Young Adults in Urban Canada. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1), 1–13. (SCIE)

7. Rogers, N. T., Amies-Cull, B., Adams, J., Chang, M., Cummins, S., Derbyshire, D., Hassan, S., Keeble, M., Liu, B., Medina-Lara, A. Savory, B., Rahilly, J., Smith, R., Thompson, C., White, M., Mytton, O., & Burgoine, T. (2024). Health impacts of takeaway management zones around schools in six different local authorities across England: a public health modelling study using PRIMEtime. BMC Medicine. (SCIE)

8. DeJohn, A., Liu, B., Ma, X., Widener, M., Liu, Z. (2024). Alone together? A time-use approach for examining socializing when travel is limited. Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes. (SSCI)

9. Keeble, M., Chang, M., Derbyshire, D., White, M., Adams, J., Amies-Cull, B., Cummins, S., Hasan, S., Liu, B., Medina-Lara, A., Mytton, O., Penney, T. L., Rahilly, J., Rogers, N., Savory, B., Schiff, A., Smith, R., Thompson, C., & Burgoine, T. (2024). Retailer Responses to Public Consultations on the Adoption of Takeaway Management Zones Around Schools: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis. International Journal of Health Policy and Management. (SCIE, SSCI)

10. Keeble, M., Adams, J., Amies-Cull, B., Chang, M., Cummins, S., Derbyshire, D., Hammond, D., Hassan, S., Liu, B., Medina-Lara, A., Mytton, O., Rahilly, J., Rogers, N., Savory, B., Smith, R., Thompson, C., White, C., White, M., & Burgoine, T. (2024). Public acceptability of proposals to manage new takeaway food outlets near schools: cross-sectional analysis of the 2021 International Food Policy Study. Cities & Health.

11. Rahilly, J., Amies-Cull, B., Chang, M., Cummins, S., Derbyshire, D., Hassan, S., Huang, Y., Keeble, M., Liu B., Medina-Lara, A., Mytton, O., Rogers, N., Savory, B., Schiff, A., Sharp, S. J., Smith, R., Thompson, C., White, M., Adams, J., & Burgoine, T. (2024). Changes in the number of new takeaway food outlets associated with adoption of management zones around schools: A natural experimental evaluation in England. SSM-Population Health, 26, 101646. (SSCI)

12. Rahilly, J., Williams, A., Chang, M., Cummins, S., Derbyshire, D., Hassan, S., Huang, Y., Keeble, M., Liu B., Medina-Lara, A., Mytton, O., Savory, B., Schiff, A., Sharp, S. J., Smith, R., Thompson, C., White, M., Adams, J., & Burgoine, T. (2024). Changes in the number and outcome of takeaway food outlet planning applications in response to adoption of management zones around schools in England: A time series analysis. Health & Place, 87, 103237. (SSCI)

13. DeJohn, A., Widener, M., Liu, B., Ma, X., & Liu, Z. (2023). Avenues of Social Isolation and Health Among Older Chinese Migrants: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Innovation in Aging, 7(Suppl 1), 995. (SSCI, SCIE) 

14. Smith, L., Widener, M., Liu, B., Farber, S., Minaker, L., Patterson, Z., Kristian, L., & Gilliland, J. (2022). Comparing Household and Individual Measures of Access through a Food Environment Lens: What Household Food Opportunities Are Missed When Measuring Access to Food Retail at the Individual Level?. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 112(2), 542-562. (SSCI)

15. Palm, M., Allen, J., Liu, B., Zhang, Y., Widener, M., and Farber, S. (2021). Riders Who Avoided Public Transit During COVID-19: Personal Burdens and Implications for Social Equity. Journal of the American Planning Association, 87(4), 455-469. (SSCI)

16. Ma, J., Liu, B., Mitchell, G., & Dong, G. (2019). A Spatial Analysis of Air Pollution and Environmental Inequality in Beijing, 2000–2010. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 62(14), 2437–2458. (SSCI)

17. Liu, B., Zhou, K., Lei, A., Wang, Y., & Wang, L. Research on the Factors Influencing Online Food Consumption Based on Multi-source Data: A Case Study of Hongkou District, Shanghai. (2024). Urban Planning International, (5). (CSSCI)

18. Liu, B. & Wang, L. Behavioral and Health Impacts of the Urban Food Environment: Research Progress and Prospects (2024). Urban Planning International, (5). (CSSCI)

19. Liu, B., Chai, Y., & Tan, Y.. (2018). Research on Daily Activity Spaces of Residents in Xining City Based on Comparison of Residential Areas. Area Research and Development, 36(5), 152–158. (CSSCI)

20. Chai, Y., Liu, B., Liu, Y., Ma, X., Ta, N., & Shen ,Y.. (2018). Construction and Calculation of Diagnostic Index of Urban Signs Based on Multi-Source Big Data: Case of Shanghai. Scientia Geographica Sinica, 38(1), 1–10. (CSSCI)

21. Chai, Y., Liu, B., & Ta, N. (2017). Comparative Study on Daily Activity Patterns of Residents in Work Unit Communities, Xining City. Social Science Front, (8), 163–173. (CSSCI)

22. Liu, B., & Luo, X. (2014). Research on the Model of Sustainable Development and Utilization Ancient Village Heritage: The Case of Yangliu Village in Jiangning District, Nanjing. Agricultural History of China, 33(4), 130–136. (CSSCI)

23. He, S., Y. Chai, W. Guo, Y. Tan, and B. Liu. (2019). A Daily Scale Study on Women’s Leisure Satisfaction and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study of Xining. Economic Geography, 39(2), 224–231. (CSSCI)

24. Yao, W., Liu, B., Qi, F., & Xu, Q. (2018). Quantitative Research on Value of Xuanwu Lake Park in Nanjing Based on CVM and HPM. Journal of Zhejiang Agricultural Sciences, 59(7), 1232–1239.

25. Ellegård, K., Liu, B., Zhang, Y. & Chai, Y. (2016). Concept of Project in Time-Geography and Its Empirical Case Studies. Human Geography, 31(5), 32–38. (CSSCI)

Book Chapter

1. Widener, M., & Liu, B. (2021). “Food Environments.” In International Encyclopedia of Geography: People, the Earth, Environment and Technology, eds. D. Richardson, N. Castree, M. F. Goodchild, A. Kobayashi, W. Liu, and R. A. Marston. Oxford, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 

Thesis

1. Liu, B. (2022). How the Food Environment, Time Use, and Household Labour Division Influence Dietary Activities: A Case Study of Two Neighbourhoods in Toronto (Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto).

2. Liu, B. (2018). Study on Individual Air Pollution Exposure and Health Effects Based on Spatiotemporal Behavior (Master’s thesis, Peking University).  

Academic Services and Membership

Journal Article Reviewer

2024 – Present, Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis, SSCI

2024 – Present, Public Health Nutrition, Cambridge University Press, SCIE

2024 – Present, Frontiers of Urban and Rural Planning, Springer Nature

2021 – Present, Urban Studies, SAGE, SSCI

2020 – Present, Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, SAGE, SSCI

2020 – Present, Health & Place, Elsevier, SSCI

2020 – Present, Transportation Research Board

Guest editor/editorial board member

2023 – 2024, special issue guest editor, “Urban Food Environment: Use behaviors and Planning Interventions”, Urban Planning International (Top-tier planning journal in Chinese), CSSCI.  

2023 – Present, editorial board member (Geography, Urban Studies), Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Springer Nature, SSCI.

Member of Professional Associations

2024 – Present, The Geographical Society of China (GSC), Member.

2023 – Present, The Geographical Society of China (GSC), Health Geography Committee, Early-Career Board Member.

2021 – Present, International Association for China Planning (IACP), Member.

2018 – Present, Health and Medical Geography Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers (AAG), Member.

2018 – Present, Spatial Analysis and Modeling Specialty Group, Association of American Geographers (AAG), Member.

2018 – Present, Association of American Geographers (AAG), Member.

Teaching

Undergraduate courses

Introduction to Urbanism, Introduction to Healthy Urban Science, Urban Design (Studio), Urban Design Topics (Studio), Regulatory Detailed Planning (Studio).

Graduate courses

Urban Development Strategies and Policies, Comparative Studies on Urban Development in China and the US, Research Methodologies for Urban Studies.  

Awards

Shanghai Overseas High-level Talents，2023

Canada Governor General’s Gold Medals Nomination，2023

China Scholarship Council Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad，2022

University of Toronto Geography & Planning International Student Award，2021

University of Toronto Geography & Planning Research Fellowship，2021

Canada Maple Leaf Board Scholarship in Food Insecurity，2020

University of Toronto Geography & Planning Recognition of Excellence Award，2019

Research Grants/Projects

1. National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC) fund for early-career researchers. Research on the Spatiotemproal Exposure to the Food Environment and the Mechanisms Influencing Dietary Behavior Among Urban Residents. From 2025-01 to 2027-12. PI.

2. Tongji University - Alibaba Group New Service Research Center cooperation project. Research on the construction of digital community life circle based on on-demand delivery services – The case of Shanghai. From 2024-05 to 2025-12. PI.  

3. Tongji University School of Architecture and Urban Planning new faculty research fund. Research on the physical and virtual food environments and food consumption behavior in Shanghai. From 2023-11 to 2025-10. PI.

4. National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research Programme. Evaluation of planning policy to regulate takeaway food outlets for improved health in England. From 2021-04 to 2024-03. Postdoctoral Researcher.

5. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant. Time, geography, and food: how time use, social-spatial context, transportation options, and personal economics affect access to food in cities. From 2017-03 to 2024-03. Lead Graduate Student Researcher.

6. University of Toronto-Tsinghua University Joint Program Grant. Time use, activity participation, and elderly health in everyday context: A comparison between China and Canada. From 2019-10 to 2022-09. Graduate Student Researcher.

7. Planning and Land Resources Administration of Shanghai Municipality. Urban Sensing and Diagnosis of Shanghai and Its Implications for Decision-making. From 2016 to 2018. Lead Graduate Student Researcher, Project Coordinator.

8. NNSFC general program. Construction of Space-Behavior Interaction Theory Informed by Time Geography and Verification Research in Urban China. From 2016-01 to 2019-12. Graduate Student Researcher.

9. NNSFC joint research fund for overseas scholars and scholars in Hong Kong and Macao. Sino-US Comparative Research on Residents' Space-Time Behavior and Its Theoretical Innovation. From 2016-01 to 2019-12. Graduate Student Researcher.

10. NNSFC funds for international cooperation and exchange. China-Sweden Collaboration on Urban Planning Research and Education from the Perspective of Time Geography. From 2016-01 to 2018-12. Graduate Student Researcher.