Professional Affiliation

Assistant Professor, University of Utah

Expert Bio

Dr. Jessica DiCarlo is an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Utah. Previously, she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of British Columbia, focusing on Transportation and Development in China. Dr. DiCarlo contributes to debates on China’s role in shaping global capitalism, resource politics, and development. Her research encompasses a wide range of topics, including infrastructure, rural livelihoods, disasters, critical minerals, public health, economic zones, and US-China competition. Her research spans Asia and is informed by several years in the NGO and education sectors in China since 2008. It has been published in high-ranking journals and books, including her co-edited book, The Rise of the Infrastructure State: How US–China Rivalry Shapes Politics and Place Worldwide. Dr. DiCarlo holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado Boulder and master's in Development Studies from the University of California Berkeley. She was a Global China Fellow at Boston University (2019), a Research Fellow at the University of Bern’s Centre for Development and Environment (2018-20), a USAID Research and Innovations Fellow in India (2015), and a Princeton-in-Asia Fellow at the Dalian University of Technology, China (2009-10). She co-founded the Second Cold War Observatory and co-hosts The Roundtable podcast, while serving on the editorial board of The People's Map of Global China & Global China Pulse journal.

Expertise

• Cold War
• Economics and Globalization
• Energy
• Environment
• Food and Agriculture
• Global Governance
• International Development
• Society and Culture

Wilson Center Project

Can the race for battery manufacturing be ‘green’?: China’s responsible mining initiatives and a firm perspective on critical mineral sourcing

Project Summary

The urgency of the energy transition has thrust critical minerals into the spotlight as a defining challenge of our time, as countries and corporations vie to secure ‘green’ energy minerals and their supply chains. China has emerged as the leader in the extraction, processing, and manufacturing of critical minerals, causing anxiety and posing challenges for other actors engaged in the low-carbon transition. However, there is mounting pressure for responsible and sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. This research focuses on how Chinese firms navigate responsible sourcing of critical minerals and the challenges they encounter in various contexts. It examines how firms engage with safeguards and corporate social responsibility, shedding light on their strategic considerations within the critical minerals sector and its expansion in China and globally. Understanding corporate practices is vital for promoting responsible mineral supply chains and fostering cooperation in the global energy transition. Moreover, this research contributes to debates on China’s global environmental politics and highlights how corporate actors shape the energy transition.