I study demography and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania.

I grew up in Shenzhen, a megacity of migrants and opportunities in South China, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Journalism. It wasn’t until many years after I left the city that I realized it was, at least back then, the most diverse city in China.

My interest in social inequality, combined with my experience as an exchange student at Chinese Culture University in Taipei, motivated me to pursue graduate studies in sociology, abroad. I accidentally ended up in a master program (DASA) in demography at UC Irvine, and it opened a brand-new door for me. I learned a lot and got interested in topics such as one-child policy, aging, and second demographic transition (i.e. changing family behaviors). I spent some of the happiest time in Irvine and continue to revisit.

After the DASA program, I went to the MAPSS program at UChicago, and later, a doctoral program at UPenn.

I am interested in how inequality is produced, maintained, and strengthened during fast or slow social changes such as demographic transition, education expansion, and climate change.

Some specific research questions that I am working on:

• How do social expectations and institutional constraints lead to women’s early withdrawal from the labor market? How do population aging and changing family dynamics influence this trend? And what implications does this have for social and economic inequalities?
• Why does education expansion seem to result in more women in low-pay non-STEM fields? Is this truly the case? Additionally, why are women underrepresented in STEM fields in certain countries but not in others?
• How are environmental risks distributed among various population subgroups? How do intensified and unpredictable climate events impact human capital and well-being in low- and middle-income countries with limited adaptation capabilities? What are the key factors that alleviate these adverse impacts?

My favorite food is Chaoshan rice-roll, which is a totally different thing compared to Guangzhou rice-roll that is commonly served in almost every Dim Dum places in US’s Chinatown.

I’ve been a big fan of rock and indie music since a very young age. Over the past several years, I’ve been addicted to the band My Little Airport (A Dive Into Young People’s Discontent Through the Hong Kong Indie Band) from Hong Kong, and the band Wu Tiao Ren (What China’s Hottest Rock Band Can Tell Us About the Nation’s Cultural Shifts) from Haifeng. Both bands sing about the subtle joys and sorrows of everyday life in a plain yet poetic way, resonating with the experiences of ordinary people in a modern but uncertain society. Their songs touch on many sociological aspects.

I spend a lot of time indoors, working, thinking, and procrastinating, but deep down in my heart, I know I love the outdoors and nature.