MA Lin

MA Lin is an Associate Professor of Economics at the School of Economics, Singapore Management University (SMU), holding the Lee Kong Chian Fellowship and Urban Fellowship at the SMU Urban Institute. His research bridges theoretical and empirical economics with significant contributions to trade policy and spatial economic dynamics, particularly in Asian contexts.

His educational foundation includes a PhD in Economics from the University of Michigan (2014), an MA in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh (2009), and dual Bachelor's degrees in Economics and History from Peking University (2007).

Professor Lin's research portfolio emphasizes International Trade Theory and Urban and Regional Economics, extending into Foreign Direct Investment, Spatial Economics, and Globalization impacts. His methodological approach combines quantitative modeling with empirical analysis of large-scale datasets, often focusing on China's economic transformation. Key thematic threads include migration-infrastructure-productivity linkages and trade friction effects on welfare distribution.

His publication trajectory reveals a strategic evolution from maritime security economics (2016 piracy studies) toward contemporary analyses of pandemic policy trade-offs and China's Hukou reforms. Recent work (2023-2025) demonstrates increasing integration of spatial econometrics with trade theory, particularly examining how transportation networks reshape regional inequality and agricultural productivity.

His scholarly recognition includes:

• Lee Kong Chian Fellowship (SMU's premier research honor)
• Urban Fellow designation at the SMU Urban Institute

As a research advisor, he mentors graduate scholars like SONG Yunlong, with his work supported by institutional fellowships. His academic leadership extends to the SMU Urban Institute, where he contributes to policy-oriented urban economics research.