Sophia Wenyuan Lu obtained global dual master‘s degrees from the University of Washington and the School of Public Policy and Management, Korean Development Institute (KDI School), focusing on development economics and development policy. Before obtaining these degrees, Wenyuan worked as a research assistant at the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (HKIAPS), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Focus:  Chinese family firms), and as a research associate at ShanghaiTech University (Focus: industrial policy and impact evaluation). 

Her research interests lie in economic history and development economics.