About Me

Current Curriculum Vitae

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human and Organizational Development (HOD) at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. Always an advocate for a network approach, I research collective action, open collaboration, and inter-organizational alliances that are designed to achieve collective goals. Most of my research projects are at the intersection of technology, networks, and social impact. At HOD, I direct the Network Dynamics for Social Change lab where I work with a team of undergraduate and graduate students to investigate how to scale impact for a variety of organizations and coalitions. I am also an affiliated member of the Community Innovation Lab at University of Kentucky, working with local nonprofits and social enterprises to deliver network-based solutions.

My work has appeared in major communication and organizational study journals such as Communication Monographs, Management Communication Quarterly, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Mass Communication & Society, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, and Journal of Community Psychology. My research has been generously supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Army Research Office, University of Kentucky, DePaul University, and Northwestern University.

I received my Ph.D. degree in Communication from the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC). Originally from Jiangsu China, I completed my Bachelor’s degree at Nanjing University. I hold a Master’s degree from the Department of Communication and New Media at the National University of Singapore and a Master’s degree in Communication from USC. Prior to joining Vandy, I was an Assistant Professor of Communication at University of Kentucky, and a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact, Northwestern University.


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