Li Huan received her Ph.D. degree in ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University. In addition, she holds an MPhil degree in ethnomusicology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and an MA degree in musicology from Hunan Normal University.
Her dissertation investigates issues associated with the transformation of the Peking opera fiddle jinghu's accompaniment tradition and the lead Peking opera accompanist qinshi's musical life in the reform era. Before completing her dissertation, she conducted two years of fieldwork in China. She interviewed qinshi employed by the China National Peking Opera Comapany, Beijing Peking Opera Company, Tianjin Peking Opera Company, Shanghai Opera Company, and Shenyang Peking Opera Company. She has published multiple articles in reputable journals such as Yearbook for Traditional Music, China Musicology, and Asian Musicology. She has also presented research findings at international conferences such as the Association for Ethnomusicology (SEM), the International Conference of Traditional Music (ICTM),and the Association for Chinese Music Research (ACMR). Her research interests include music and social changes, music and gender, and music and social media. At SUSTech, she will design and deliver courses from cross-cultural perspectives: World Music, Music and Gender, and the Modernization of Musical Tradition in East Asia.