Ling Yao is a Food Systems Resource Economics Fellow in the Climate and Energy Policy Program (CEPP) at the Woods Institute for the Environment and in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy Program (ENRLP) at Stanford Law School. As part of an interdisciplinary team, her goal is to explore policy solutions to address environmental challenges in our food systems. Her work combines economic thinking with rich data sources and advanced quantitative methods.

Ling obtained her PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota, with a focus on agricultural economics and policy. She has also served as a visiting instructor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Outside of her professional pursuits, she enjoys gardening and spending time in nature.