Dr. Zhang is an Adjunct Professor at UNU-FLORES.
She is also the Scientific Focal Point of the Educational Programmes and Chair of the Joint Academic Committee. Her research aims to unlock the potential of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to produce food, energy, and clean water, and to store carbon in meeting future demand without further depleting finite natural resources.
Lulu started her career in academia with a personal grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for her PhD. Her research focused on assessing land-based interventions, anthropogenic activities, and climate change on soil and water ecosystem services. At UNU, Lulu further developed her expertise and professional experience in transdisciplinary work and capacity development. Her specialisation includes quantifying and evaluating natural resources and environmental and socioeconomic consequences of their uses under global change conditions at various scales, in close cooperation with practitioners and stakeholders. Such experience and knowledge has given her insights into developing adaptive management to enhance sustainable natural resource management. Lulu leads and manages several projects in different regions, including China, Germany, Nigeria, and Tanzania, awarded by various funding agencies and state ministries. She has also provided consultancy services to the German Development Agency (GIZ).
Research Interests
- Agriculture and forest systems
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation
- Multifunctional landscape and land-use system
- Science-policy interface and payment for ecosystem services