Hello and Welcome!
I'm Xiao (/shiau/), a Ph.D. candidate in the Library and Information Science Department at Rutgers University's School of Communication and Information, where I advised by Dr. Kaitlin Costello. My research focuses on fostering a sustainable and resilience future through the lens of information and information technologies. Specifically, I use qualitative research methods to explore how people interact with information and technologies to better serve diverse populations, meet their needs, and solve their problems.
In academia, I also educate young information professionals by teaching Human Information Behavior and served as a teaching assistant (recipient of the TA Excellence 🏆) in the Master of Information program at Rutgers University. Currently, I serve as a program coordinator for the Teaching Assistant Project and a member of the Dining Services and Food Vendors Climate Action Group at Rutgers.
In industry, I worked as a UX researcher and designer at Colgate-Palmolive in the U.S. and Sogou in China, where I contributed to designing innovative solutions to enhance user experiences.
Outside of my academic and professional life, I cherish moments spent with my family and friends. I love exploring local farmers' markets and thrift stores, hiking, traveling, and enjoying cooking with my partner. In quieter times, I find peace and joy in learning the piano keyboard.
Mar 15, 2025: Will present my poster titled "Using Information and Communication Technologies to Cope with Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns in Shanghai, China: A Help or A Hindrance?" at thed 2025 Annual Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Columbus, OH. Link
Jan 2025: Our journal article titled "Information snowballing: information practices in the context of sustainable food" has been published in the Journal of Documentation 🎉 Link
Oct 2024: Recipient of the Student Funding Award by SIG-Social Media at ASIS&T 2024 in Calgary, Canada 🏆
Oct 2024: Presented initial findings of my dissertation research at SIG-USE Symposium, SIG-Social Meida, and Doctoral Colloquium at ASIS&T 2024.
Sept 2024: Ended my field trip from Shanghai, China for dissertation's data collection.