Greetings!

Charles QC Li
Researcher,
Designer,
& Romantic Pragmatist @Q Labs

About

QC

Philosopher
Cities, Ecologies, Economies, Laws

Intro

I love cities. My work explores the relationship between humans and their environments across many dimensions - ecological, economic, and aesthetic. I’m drawn to the nature, science, and sociopolitics that shape how we live together in space.

Two ideas guide me. The first is understanding the sciences of how people interact with their surroundings. The second is exploring how the laws that govern cities and our responses to them can be reimagined to create more livable urban futures.

I use mixed methods. I use causal data science and machine learning not just as tools, but as languages for storytelling - ways to uncover meaning in complexity. I love working with people from different fields, where ideas collide and insights emerge. Curiosity keeps me moving; knowledge keeps me inspired.

I am nostalgic. I cherish old-school communication - emails, calls and face-to-face chats with 👁️ eye contact. I love public speaking.

Request Full CV

See My Skills

Practice

QLabs.

We study human behavior.

Experience

Leading multiple urban sustainability research projects using large-scale data and AI to inform policy. I manage end-to-end research workflows, collaborate with multiple PIs, and deliver weekly briefings to industry and municipal partners. I was a speaker at the 2024 MIT Senseable Forum on Future Cities, with over 100 participants from five continents.

Serve as methodology lead for environmental research on PM2.5 exposure during school hours in racially and socioeconomically vulnerable areas of the San Francisco Bay Area. I conduct statistical analysis and air-quality data engineering, integrating multi-scale datasets (PurpleAir, AirNow, BEACO2N, NASA) with CDR data via interactive mapping platforms.

Education

Key Courses:
A+ - Scalable Spatial Analytics
A+ - Analytic and Research Methods for Planners: GIS
A - Back-End Web Architecture
A - Locative Media
A - Land and Housing Market Economics
A - Urbanization in Developing Countries
A- - Urban Informatics and Visualization
A- - Advanced Study of Energy & Environment
A- - Citizen Involvement in the City Planning Process

Key Courses:
A - GIS & Its Application in Urban Planning I & II
A - City Policy Analysis
A - Urban Ecology & Environmental Planning
A - Physical Environment Analysis
A - Data Analysis of Urban Planning System
A - Community Planner Intership
A - History of Foreign Landscape
A - Advanced Mathematics
A - Linear Algebra