Manchester planning expert appointed as ESRC Council Member
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) – the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science – has appointed The University of Manchester’s Professor Cecilia Wong as a member of its Council.
Professor Wong brings a wealth of expertise and an exceptional track record to her new role. Her extensive research encompasses strategic spatial planning, policy monitoring & analysis, urban & regional development and housing & infrastructure planning.
A distinguished academic, Professor Wong is a Professor of Spatial Planning and serves as Co-Director of Policy@Manchester. She also directs the Spatial Policy & Analysis Lab within the Manchester Urban Institute.
She is a Fellow of both the Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Town Planning Institute, underscoring her significant contributions to the field.
She currently chairs the UK2070 Commission, an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she is a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Levelling Up Advisory Panel and has previously contributed to the Lyons Independent Housing Review.
Her advisory roles extend internationally, having advised the European Commission on the Urban Audit II and UN-Habitat on the City Prosperity Index.
Currently, Professor Wong is engaged in a five-year UK Prevention Research Partnership-funded project addressing the root causes of health inequalities in urban planning decision-making. She also led a joint ESRC and China Natural Science Foundation project on eco-urbanisation, promoting sustainable development in metropolitan regions of China.
Her work continues to shape policies and practices, driving forward the agenda of creating sustainable, prosperous urban environments.
