Alumni Profile: Haocheng Shang, MPP’20

Haocheng Shang, MPP’20, is currently an Economic Policy Analyst at the China Development Bank (CDB). In this role, Shang is responsible for policy and macroeconomic analysis used to inform the Bank’s investment decisions. “The Harris MPP equipped me with a concrete framework to conduct policy analysis. I learned a logical progression from asking questions to conducting research to drawing conclusions. It really is a scientific process—and one I use daily in my current work.”

Before finding his way to economics, Shang had aspired to make his impact as a scientist. “As an undergrad, I was inspired by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell, who had a saying that still resonates with me: ‘the present is the key to the past.’ It’s a theoretical foundation of earth science—and applicable to social sciences, like economics. Today’s dilemmas could be an accumulation of past problems.”

While earning his undergraduate degree in geology from Peking University, Shang held several internships and research assistant positions at diverse institutions such as Guanghua School of Management, Founder Securities Head Office, and Mercer Consulting. However, it was during an internship at the World Resource Institute when Shang realized how intertwined economic and environmental issues were. “I helped a group of researchers gather and analyze data regarding water pollution and economic development in Daqing, China. That experience showed me that while water pollution is an environmental issue, it also has a very strong and deep economic background.”

Shang subsequently added an economics major to his undergraduate degree and began to wonder about the impact he could have by pursuing his graduate-level education in a policy school. Although he weighed several graduate programs, Shang said the Master of Public Policy at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy was the right choice because of the school’s mission to educate students beyond basic skills.

“At Harris, there is a great balance between academics and research and career goals. Harris not only helps provide job opportunities but also encourages students to interact with ideas about how the world works. Plus, the international community at Harris gave me a network of colleagues all over the world.”

That sense of community, Shang said, was clear from the outset. “MPP students of different cultures and backgrounds bonded not only because we went through the core together but because we identified with the underlying concept that policy is not about feeling good but doing good. The principles Harris promotes are solid, inclusive, and comprehensive.”

While a student, Shang said he spent much of his free time exploring the city and taking part in University events. One event, he said, still stands out: “I was only a month into my MPP and I was able to participate in the Becker Friedman Institute’s US-China Economic Forum, which, especially given my academic and career interests, was an amazing opportunity. Only Harris has the resources to hold events like that.”

Shang said he is proud to be a Harris alum. “Harris is the best pathway for future policy makers to access incredible experiences and opportunities.” I felt myself growing all the time as a student, and my Harris experiences definitely helped me find success in my role with CBD.