Belief, technology
& social life.

Through interviews with 98 tech workers in Silicon Valley and Shenzhen, I examine how people in the technology industry relate to religion, spirituality, and ethical questions.

This research is the basis of Divine Meets Digital, alongside articles on big data ethics and how tech workers respond to job insecurity.

I study atheist, religious, and spiritual influencers on platforms including YouTube and TikTok. This work asks how creators communicate beliefs, build authority, and connect with audiences.

I am interested in how people find spiritual guidance through digital media and how creators navigate the relationship between authenticity and monetization.

My current projects explore how artificial intelligence intersects with spiritual experience and ethical authority. They examine AI scientists’ moral responsibilities and the spiritual impact of AI on Christian workers.

This research extends my interest in the ways emerging technologies shape how people find meaning, make decisions, and relate to religious life.

Comparing Buddhist communities in mainland China and the United States, I examine how national settings shape religious identity, practice, and gender relations.

Drawing on ethnographic observation and 80 in-depth interviews with Buddhist practitioners, this research explores how people understand and express their religion in different social contexts.

My comparative work examines how institutions and national contexts shape gender inequality in scientific and religious life.

Using surveys and interviews, I study publishing and parenthood, explanations of women’s unequal representation in science, and the relationship between religion and gender attitudes.