She currently serves as Master of Diligentia College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. She was a member of the University's preparatory committee, Academic Committee and the Founding Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science. She obtained an MA and PhD degree in Linguistics by Cornell University in 1991 and 1992, respectively. Subsequently she joined CUHK and held various faculty positions at the Department of English and Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages. She also served as Adjunct Professor of Office of University General Education at CUHK.

She is a Life Member of International Association of Chinese Linguistics, and Linguistic Society of Hong Kong, as well as a Member of Linguistic Society of America. She served as President, Vice President, and Executive Secretary for Linguistics Society of Hong Kong, and Vice Executive Secretary for International Association of Chinese Linguistics. She is concurrently a Member of the Editorial Board of several journals, including Bulletin of Tibeto-Burma Languages and Linguistics, Journal of Contemporary Linguistics, and Journal of Modern Foreign Languages.

She has been appointed as adjunct researcher or honory chair professor at Peking University and Minzu University of China. Her research interests include theory of generative grammar, formal syntax, interfaces of syntax and morphology, syntax and lexical semantics, and Tibeto-Burmese comparative linguistics. She has published over 100 papers in domestic and international linguisitics journals, books, academic conferences or keynote speeches.Coauthered English Self-learning Packages for New Arrival Children, compiled Studies on Chinese Linguistics, coedited Chinese Linguistics Booklist, coauthored Theories in Generative Grammar and Researches on Mandarin Chinese. Recepient of 2002 First Class Award for Research Excellence in Philosophy and Social Sciences from the Municipal Government of Beijing, and 2006 Second Class Award for Research Excellence in Language and Linguistics from the State Ministry of Education.

She has been invited to present academic lectures at CASS Institute of Linguistics, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Minzu University of China, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Language and Culture University,Shanghai International Studies University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Yunnan University, Yunnan Minzu University, Jiangsu Normal University, Xinjiang University, National Tsinghua University, and Korea University. During 2001 and 2002, she was a adjunct researcher at Center for Chinese Linguistics of Peking University. She taught theoretical linguistics courses on national advanced linguistics symposiums launched by Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Nankai University, and Peking University in 1996, 1998 and 2002. She was received the Award for Teaching Excellence from CUHK Faculty of Arts (2007) and Long Service Award from CUHK United College (2013).

She organized or assisted to organize many international and regional linguistics conferences, including the 3rd North American Conference on Chinese Linguistics (1991, Cornell University), Language Acquisition Workshop (1996, CUHK), Annual Forum of Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (1999, CUHK), Summer Linguistic Workshop (2000, Yunnan University), Forum on Modern Linguistic Theory and Minority Languages in China (2002, Minzu University of China), and the 35th International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics Jingpo Language Grammar Workshop (2002, Arizona State University).

She has mentored 2 postdoctoral researchers, 10 doctoral students and more than 30 master students.