Zhuangfang NaNa Yi is a machine learning engineer at Development Seed. She has rich experience in applying machine learning algorithms to geospatial and satellite data, natural language processing, and music classification. Asking good questions, and building tools that empower people to make good choices, are things she cares deeply about.

Prior to joining Development Seed, Zhuangfang worked for the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) as a research scientist. There, she applied spatial analysis of human-nature interactions to study forest cover and hydrology balance, and detect changes to livelihoods and ecosystems. After witnessing the changing social and environmental landscape in her native village of Dai (Tai Lue), located on the border between China and Laos, Zhuangfang decided to pursue machine learning as a way to understand the impacts of economic development.

Zhuangfang has a Ph.D. in Ecological Economics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Her native languages are Dai and Chinese.