LI got his bachelor (1981-1985) and master (1985-1988) degrees from the School of Landscape Architecture in BFU and started his career as a teacher in the university upon graduation. He worked first as a lecturer (1988 through 1991) and then an associate professor (1991 through 2000) , during which he also went to the Architecture School of the Auburn University in the US as a senior academic visitor for 1 year (September 1996 through June 1997). Prior to assuming his post as vice president and member of the Standing Committee of BFU CPC Committee in June 2016, he had worked in succession as the secretary of the CPC Sub-committee (January 1993 through September 1993), the vice dean (September 1993 through 2006) and later the dean (2006 through 2016) of the School of Landscape Architecture for over two decades.
Chiefly responsible for academic researches, foreign exchanges programs and journals, he, in addition to assisting the President in running Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, is directly in charge of the Science and Technology Department, the International Exchange and Cooperation Department (the Hong Kong-Macau-Taiwan Affairs Office), the Editors Board of BFU Journals, the State R&D Center of Non-grain Bio-fuel Energies, the State R&D Center of Floral Engineering and Technology, the State Engineering Lab of Tree Breeding. He is the designated university liaison to the School of Landscape Architecture and the School of Material Sciences and Technology.
