I am a final-year PhD candidate in Information Studies at the University of Maryland’s College of Information (INFO), advised by Dr. Ge Gao.

I am an HCI and CSCW researcher focusing on humans’ capacity to use language as a medium for expression, thinking, and social action. My core research inquiry concerns how people sustain and grow their agency as authors of their own language when working with AI. My broader objective is to contribute conceptual, empirical, and design knowledge about human development in human-AI interaction.

I draw on social science theories of agency, language use, and learning to inform my research. Through these theoretical perspectives, I (1) develop conceptual interpretations of AI-assisted language use and human-AI relationships, (2) identify interaction conditions and design factors for supporting human agency, and (3) translate these insights into the design and development of interactive systems.

Empirically, I conduct mixed-methods behavioral research, ranging from single-session to longitudinal studies with individual or dyadic participants. I investigate: (1) how people make sense of and leverage AI-generated outputs, (2) how AI involvement and interaction methods shape people’s language and communication practices, and (3) how such practices and human capabilities evolve over time. For detailed projects and findings, please see my Research page.

My academic background spans both information and language studies. I received an MS in Applied Data Science and an MA in Linguistic Studies from Syracuse University. I completed my undergraduate studies at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU, 上海外国语大学), where I majored in Information Management & Systems and English. Outside research, I keep a (growing) collection of artsy hobbies (e.g., knitting, sketching, journaling, reading, sewing), while learning the "languages" of different art domains along the way.

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