Expert Bio

Eli J. Patton was a program assistant and researcher for the China Environment Forum from 2020 to 2022. He helped to manage weekly blog posts for CEF's column on NewSecurityBeat along with overseeing our major publications.

His main research focus was on the rapidly changing energy sector in China. Eli's other research has covered ocean plastic waste, China's distant fishing fleet, and knock-on effects from BRI and BRI-adjacent investments.

Mr. Patton completed his MA in Asian Studies at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs where his academic research centered on the history of the Asia Pacific region, China-U.S. relations, and Asian Security in the 21st Century. His undergraduate studies were in linguistics and Mandarin and he lived in Taiwan where he worked as a journalist covering technology trends.

Expertise

Political history of China, Chinese International Relations, Global Environmental Policy

Major Publications

InsightOut Issue 7 - Turning the Tide: How Can Indonesia Close the Loop on Plastic Waste? edited by Eli J. Patton and Hazel Ruyi Li