About me

Hi! I’m Yi Zhang, a Ph.D. candidate in Psychology at USC, advised by Leor Hackel. My research studies how people form meaningful social connections (e.g., empathy), and how they maintain connection in emotionally challenging situations (e.g., disagreements). I study these questions using behavioral research, network analysis, and natural language processing.

Alongside my academic work, I am passionate about human-centered design and technology. In past internships and ongoing projects, I've worked on translating behavioral science into digital wellbeing products and interventions that help people make better decisions, manage emotions, and connect with others.

Outside research, I write and translate science communication pieces for Neureality (神经现实), including articles on social connection, empathy, and AI.

You can find my CV here.

Feel free to reach out. My email is yzhang51@usc.edu.