Amy Zhang

Amy Zhang is an Assistant Professor at New York University, affiliated with the College of Arts & Science. Her research bridges environmental anthropology, science and technology studies, and political ecology, with a focus on China’s urban waste management systems, climate change, and transnational environmental politics. She holds a PhD in Anthropology and Environmental Studies from Yale University, alongside degrees from McMaster and Simon Fraser Universities.

Her landmark book Circular Ecologies (2024) examines technological and infrastructural transformations in Guangzhou’s waste management, revealing tensions between modernization goals and grassroots ecological activism. Zhang’s work has been supported by prestigious grants including the National Science Foundation and Wenner-Gren Foundation.

Key research interests include: waste politics, urban ecology, technological governance, and labor dynamics in environmental systems. Her articles appear in Current Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Science Technology & Human Values.

• Teaching Excellence: 2022 NYU Golden Dozen Teaching Award recipient
• Grants & Fellowships: Over 15 awards including postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard and NYU’s Climate Initiative funding
• Public Engagement: Contributions to e-flux Architecture and China Perspectives

Zhang’s research often highlights marginalized laborers and communities in environmental policymaking, emphasizing the interplay between technology, power, and ecological justice.