Dr. Linan Zhang

Associate Researcher at the University of Plymouth

linan.zhang@plymouth.ac.uk

EDUCATION:

2019 – 2024 The University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom

PhD with Transtechnology Research – Awarded

Thesis: Knowledge Construction and Multiple Realities: Global Health Collaborations, Development Practices, and Face Masks in the Context of COVID-19.

2017 – 2018 The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

MSc International Development – Merit

Core Modules: Politics and Theories of International Development, Development Institutions and Practices, Economics for Postgraduates, Research Skill and Design, Swahili Language.

Dissertation: Developmental trend of state capitalism and the multiple functions of China’s SOEs: The case of China Unicom.

2013 – 2017 The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

MA East Asian Studies (Japan) – First Class

Core Modules: Japanese Language, Modern East Asian History, Elements of Japanese Culture. Researching Japan: Skills, Methods and Critiques, Pre-Modern and Modern Japanese Literature, Architectural History. A year of exchange experience at Waseda University, Tokyo.

Dissertation: Akutagawa Ryūnosuke’s Concept of Art and His Attempts to Reconcile with the West

2008 – 2013 Millfield School, Somerset, United Kingdom

A-Level: Maths A*, Further Maths A*, Physics A*.

GCSE: Maths A*, Additional Maths A*, Chemistry A*, Physics A*, Biology A, Business Studies A, Art A, ICT A, English B, English Literature B.

Languages: English – Fluent, Chinese – Native,

Japanese – JLPT (Japanese Language Level Proficiency Test) N2 Level qualification,

Swahili – Intermediate, obtained A3 in Introductory Swahili Language and Culture 1A and 1B (UoE).

Work Experience:

The University of Plymouth (May 2019 – Present)

Media and Admin Officer for ICONIC Project (November 2024 – April 2025)

  • Managed project budget, kept spending receipts, and reported monthly budget updates to the lead. Liaised with colleagues and supported their expenditure needs.
  • Supported colleagues with co-design workshops by preparing technologies for testing, registration, communication with participants and partners, and raising POs for venue and equipment hires.
  • Liaised with various university departments ensuring smooth operation of the project and compliance with internal policies and financial regulations.
  • Organised monthly core and advisor meetings, sent email invitations, recorded meetings, and took detailed meeting minutes for record keeping.
  • Managed the project’s newsletters and social media channels, and acted as the point of contact for paid publications.
  • Assisted with Voice AI qualitative data analysis.

Associate Lecturer (September 2022 – Present)

  • Supervised undergraduate Digital Media Design course final year dissertation by conducting one-to-one tutorials and offered advice on student projects.
  • Collaborated with colleagues in the first and second marking of dissertations and engaged in discussions determining grade outcomes.

Research Associate – Transtechnology Research (September 2022 – Present)

  • An associate editor for Leonardo Reviews (MIT Press), led by the head of Transtechnology Research. Compiled review material list by gathering bibliographies of new publications and films.
  • Participated in the Transtechnology research seminar series by presenting annually in front of a mixed academic audience and engaging in post-presentation discussions.

Student Ambassador (May 2019 – July 2024)

  • Assisted the smooth running of open days and evenings.Conducted many student village tours in front of groups of visitors. Maintained orders and took registers at key venues.Acted as a point of help and information for international students during the welcome weeks. Collaborated with the International Student Advice department for filming and content production.
  • Acted as a lead buddy for the Hello Project, ensuring the smooth running of the programme. Helped international students with speaking skills and provided useful local information. Participated in online language projects with the same purpose and coordinated online meetings using Zoom and MS Teams.
  • Summoned as a hall ambassador in a summer school collaboration between the University of Plymouth and Sri Lankan University NSBM in 2023, living and supporting the exchange students with their daily activities and travels.

The Brilliant Club (May 2022 – Present) – The Scholar Programme Tutor

  • Designed a course and created a matching course handbook based on the development studies section of my PhD research for less-advantaged pupils aged 8-18. The content was approved by a supervisor at The Brilliant Club.
  • Taught my course to 15 pupils during a semester placement at Hele’s School. Simplified complex content and academic writing skills to match their level of understanding. Marked homework weekly and provided prompt feedback.
  • Inspired pupils to pursue higher education. The course was well-received by year-nine pupils and the mark of their final assessment was up 10% compared to their baseline assessment.

Oliver Bonas (July 2024 – Present) – Team Member

  • Proactively engaged with customers, maintained excellent product knowledge and had strong, consistent communication with the team. Participated in all training opportunities and embraced ownership of tasks.

Huawei UK (Sept 2018 – Dec 2018) – Trainee in the public affairs department

  • Participated in the organisation of the 2018 UK and Irish Seeds Programme and the follow-up career event at Westminster Parliament; arranged travels and video shoots for participating students.
  • Attended meetings with the British Council about future collaborations and took notes from the discussion. Attended meetings with the Huawei HQ event team and participated in the planning of upcoming events.
  • Led a group of 16 volunteers at the 2018 Global MBB Forum and distributed tasks and lunch breaks according to the event schedule.
  • Produced PowerPoints, updated the department overview slides, and took meeting minutes for record keeping.

BNP Paribas China (Aug 2016 – Sept 2016) – Trainee in Investment Banking APAC Coverage

  • Conducted research on clients’ data and updated existing PowerPoint records of clients’ companies.
  • Created profiles for new clients by gathering relevant data and used Excel for graphs and further analyses.

Other Qualifications and Skills

  • Was trained to use Bloomberg and Thomson One databases during my internship with BNP Paribas.
  • Was trained to use Unit4 and NVivo working as the Media and Admin Officer for the ICONIC project.
  • Continuously used Microsoft Office suite during various research and work experiences.
  • Had undertaken multiple GDPR and safeguarding training for working with children and young adults. Had multiple DBS checks in the past as required by work.
  • Joined CoachBright in 2021 as an A-level mathematics tutor by structuring and delivering weekly sessions based on syllables for less-advantaged pupils from Bodmin College, marked their homework, and ensured a good understanding of the topics.
  • Was a committee member of multiple Chinese and Japanese societies in UoE and UoP. Participated in the planning and organisation of various student-oriented information and cultural events. Looked out for Chinese students with mental health issues, guided them to local health services and acted as a translator to facilitate communication.