Her research focuses on the political economy of China’s outward direct investment. Particularly, she investigates how the delegation of state objectives to firms influences the behavior of Chinese investors and China’s foreign policy. Shi recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Princeton University’s Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance, where she conducted research on Chinese firms' trade and investment behaviors such as in their modus operandi, interaction with the Chinese and host country governments, as well as impact on the local host communities. Her ongoing collaboration with Tsinghua University and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade produces an annual survey that assesses key indicators of Chinese firms’ internationalization and business environments in China and abroad.