Xin ZHOU | IGES

Contact

AI and New Frontier Group
Integrated Sustainability Centre

Director of AI and New Frontier Group

Dr. Xin Zhou is Director of the AI and New Frontier Group at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan. She leads interdisciplinary research on artificial intelligence (AI) for sustainability decision support, applying machine learning, geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis, remote-sensing data analytics, and natural language processing (NLP) to disaster forecasting, neighbourhood-scale risk assessment, resilience planning, climate–health systems, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) interlinkages, and sustainability transition pathways.

With more than 30 years of research and policy experience, Dr. Zhou develops data-driven tools, modelling frameworks, and integrated analytical approaches for climate policy, green transitions, energy systems, and the water–energy–food nexus. She has led the development of widely used tools and frameworks, including the SDG Interlinkages Analysis and Visualisation Tool, the Interactive SDG Tool for River Basins, and the Japan 2050 Low Carbon Navigator, supporting integrated and evidence-based policy planning.

Before joining IGES, she worked at the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy under China’s State Environmental Protection Administration, now the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, where she led major environmental-policy research initiatives and received national scientific awards.

Research Topics & Areas of Expertise

Artificial intelligence (AI) for sustainability decision support
Machine learning for disaster forecasting, risk assessment, and resilience planning
Geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis
Remote-sensing data analytics for environmental monitoring and disaster-impact assessment
Natural language processing (NLP) for causal mapping, knowledge extraction, and systems analysis
Network analysis, systems thinking, and integrated systems modelling
AI-enabled knowledge systems, interactive analytics, and decision-support tools
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators, interlinkages, and integrated assessment
Climate-policy assessment, green-economy transitions, and environmental governance
Energy-system scenario modelling and low-carbon transition pathways
Water–food–energy nexus analysis and integrated resource planning
Climate change, disaster risk reduction, and urban resilience
Data integration, environmental information systems, and policy-relevant sustainability science

Education

i) Ph.D in Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Japan;
ii) Master Degree in Environmental Science, College of Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China;
iii) Bachelor Degree in Applied Mathematics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Physics, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China