On the afternoon of September 10th, MAO Quan became the second doctoral student of the research group to successfully defend his doctoral thesis. His dissertation was titled A Study on the Evaluation and Prediction of Losses from Regional Economic Shutdown and Output Reduction in an Earthquake.
Picture 1 MAO Quan defending his doctoral thesis
Members of the Defense Committee
This defense was chaired by MA Zhiliang, Chairman of the Defense Committee and a Professor of Tsinghua University. Other members of the committee included Professor WU Jidong of Beijing Normal University, Professor LI Yulong of Central University of Finance and Economics, Associate Professor ZHANG Yi and Associate Professor LI Nan of Tsinghua University. HUANG Yuecheng, an assistant researcher of the Tsinghua University, served as the secretary. Several graduate students of Professor FANG Dongping’s research group and those of Associate Professor LI Nan’s research group were also present. Altogether more than 10 teachers and students attended the defense.
Picture 2 The Scene of the Defense
The Defense Process
The whole defense process was strictly in accordance with Tsinghua University Doctoral Dissertation Defense Procedures and Related Requirements. Professor MA Zhiliang, representative of the Sub-committee and Chairman of the Defense Committee, read out the name of the chairman and those of the members of the committee approved by the Chairman of the Sub-Committee and announced the opening of defense meeting. The Assistant Researcher HUANG Yuecheng, secretary of the Defense Committee, introduced the basic information of MAO Quan, including his résumé, academic performance and other relevant information. Then MAO Quan reported the main content of his dissertation, following which the members of the committee and the participants put forward questions. After summarizing all the questions, he proceeded to answer them one by one. After MAO Quan finished answering, the defense was adjourned and the committee held an internal meeting. Next, the Assistant Researcher HUANG Yuecheng, Secretary of the committee, read out the opinions of the peer experts on the dissertation. Following that, the members of the committee evaluated whether the respondent had reached the academic level of a doctoral degree as stipulated in the academic degree regulations, on which they voted and discussed and signed the defense resolution. Afterwards, the defense meeting resumed. Professor MA Zhiliang, Chairman of the Defense Committee, announced the result the vote and the resolution of the committee and declared the closing of the meeting.
Picture 3 Defense Process
Brief Introduction to Dr. MAO Quan’s Dissertation
In his dissertation, MAO Quan systematically studied the losses and recovery of manufacturing and retail enterprises in Sichuan Province in 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, and analyzes the influencing factors and influencing paths of regional economic production suspension and reduction in the disaster. In combination with the survey data, based on the production theory and demand theory, the MAO Quan constructs the production suspension and reduction time model and production reduction proportion model of different industries, and puts forward the recovery model of enterprise output value after the earthquake. Based on the integration of enterprises’ production suspension time model, production reduction proportion model and output value recovery model of different industries, he proposed and verified the evaluation method and prediction framework of production suspension and reduction loss of enterprises and industries under the earthquake disaster based on the segmented calculation.
Defense Resolution
The topic of this thesis A Study on the Evaluation and Prediction of Losses from Regional Economic Shutdown and Output Reduction in an Earthquake is of important theoretical and practical significance.
This thesis shows that the author has a strong and broad theoretical base and systematic and in-depth specialized knowledge in this field, and is able to carry out scientific research independently. Given that the thesis is clearly written, strictly structured and standardized in statement, and the author is clear in defense and correct in answering questions, it reaches the level of doctoral dissertation and is an excellent thesis.
The Defense Committee unanimously agreed that the thesis should be approved and MAO Quan should be awarded a doctorate degree in engineering.
Picture 4 Group Photo after the Defense
Personal Profile of MAO Quan
MAO Quan, born in 1992, pursued his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Management in Tsinghua University from 2011 to 2015 and received a bachelor’s degree in engineering. From 2015 to 2018, he studied for his master’s degree in Management Science and Engineering in Tsinghua University and began to study for a doctor's degree in the same major in 2018. During the postgraduate period, he displayed outstanding achievements and completed his study with excellence.
So far, MAO Quan has participated in 2 educational reform projects and 5 scientific research projects. He has published 5 SCI/SSCI papers (4 as first author), and 3 international conference papers (2 as first author). He served as a reviewer for 3 SCI/SSCI journals. Moreover, he won the comprehensive scholarship for three consecutive years and was awarded the honorary title of “Academic Rising Star” of the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Management in 2020-2021 academic year.
Dr. MAO will join the Department of Engineering Management, School of Management Science and Engineering, at the Central University of Finance and Economics as a lecturer. We wish Dr. MAO more success in his new job!
