Associate Professor of Marketing
“I study fundamental questions about human psychology in the context of consumption. My goal is to help develop a more comprehensive understanding of how consumers are influenced by marketing.”
I am an Associate Professor in the Marketing Department at HKUST's Business School.
When I tell people that I'm a marketing professor, many assume that my job is to develop clever strategies that trick consumers into buying products they don't need. Thankfully, that's not what I do! I am interested in understanding basic questions about human psychology -- what motivates our behavior? How do we build our self-identity and protect our self-esteem? How do our surroundings influence our thoughts and behavior in ways we do not intend or even notice? I study these fundamental questions about human psychology in the context of consumption. My goal is to help develop a more comprehensive understanding of how consumers are influenced by marketing.
My path into academia began when I discovered my interest in psychology as an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto. I was fascinated by cross-species comparative psychology and began studying spatial learning in hamsters. After a few years, I became interested in human cognition and joined a lab that examines issues related to aging and memory. From there, I found my way to a consumer psychology lab. I knew I loved research and wanted to pursue a Ph.D. but I was torn between studying marketing or psychology. I spent a year working as a lecturer in the University of Toronto’s Psychology Department and ultimately chose marketing. I earned my Ph.D. from Duke University, located in the USA. When I graduated from Duke in 2008, I accepted a job in the Marketing Department at HKUST and began a new chapter in my life. Living and working in Hong Kong has been a rewarding experience. I am employed by a university that prides itself on producing cutting-edge research; I am surrounded by smart and fun colleagues; and I enjoy the vibrancy and diversity that Hong Kong offers.
