Associate Department Chair at Shanghai University | China
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lin Zhang is an Associate Professor and Master’s Supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Shanghai University, China. She specializes in intelligent communication, human-machine communication, emotional communication, health communication, and youth culture studies. She earned her Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and serves as a researcher at the Global AI Media Communication Institute. Lin Zhang has led numerous national and international projects, published widely in SSCI and CSSCI journals, and contributed significantly to AI communication studies. She is also an experienced former journalist and editor with extensive policy advisory and academic leadership experience in China.
Professional Profile
Education
Lin Zhang completed her doctoral studies at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where she specialized in media and communication research. Her academic foundation integrates journalism, intelligent communication, health communication, and digital media studies. During her academic journey, she developed strong interdisciplinary expertise combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. Her scholarly training prepared her for advanced research in human-machine communication, emotional AI, youth culture, and social governance. She further enhanced her academic profile through participation in national and international collaborative research initiatives, academic exchange programs, and talent development projects supported by Shanghai municipal and educational institutions, contributing to her reputation as an emerging communication scholar.
Professional Experience
Lin Zhang currently serves as Associate Professor and Master’s Supervisor in the Department of Intelligent Communication at Shanghai University. She is a researcher at the Global AI Media Communication Institute and editor of the journal Intelligent Communication Studies. Before entering academia, she worked as Deputy Director of the Current Political News Editing and Reporting Office at Yangcheng Evening News and became one of the first Chinese journalists assigned overseas coverage for the “Belt and Road” initiative. She has extensive experience leading government, university, and industry-funded research projects while teaching undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral courses in communication and research methodology.
Award and Honor
Lin Zhang has received numerous prestigious honors recognizing her contributions to journalism, communication research, and education. Her accolades include the Second Prize at the China News Award and the Third Prize at the China News Award, two of China’s most respected journalism honors. She also earned the Outstanding Contribution Award in Scientific Research from Shanghai University in 2025, the Outstanding Supervisor Award at the 8th Undergraduate Academic Forum, and the Shanghai University Youth May Fourth Medal in 2024. Additionally, she was recognized as an Annual Advanced Worker by the School of Journalism and Communication in both 2024 and 2025.
Research Focus
Lin Zhang focuses her research on human-machine communication, emotional communication, health communication, youth culture, and digital society studies. Her work examines the interaction between artificial intelligence, media technologies, and human emotions, particularly among youth, women, and elderly populations. She explores topics such as emotional AI, online anxiety, digital trust, health communication, and social support systems using mixed qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Her projects frequently address contemporary issues including AI-driven cultural innovation, digital accessibility, youth social mentality, and elderly digital inclusion. Through interdisciplinary scholarship, she contributes to understanding how intelligent technologies reshape communication practices, public wellbeing, and societal governance in China.
Publications Top Noted
Zhang, L. (2026). Balancing multidimensional health through re-domestication of algorithms: A qualitative study of female digital laborers in China. Chinese Journal of Communication. Advance online publication.
Zhang, L., Mou, Y., & Guo, C. (2024, November). Emotion impact factors and emotion management strategy among quarantined college students as close contacts during COVID-19 epidemic: A qualitative study. Current Psychology.
Zhang, L., Mou, Y., & Guo, C. (2024, September). Correction: Emotion impact factors and emotion management strategy among quarantined college students as close contacts during COVID-19 epidemic: A qualitative study. Current Psychology.
Mou, Y., Zhang, L., Wu, Y., Pan, S., & Ye, X. (2024, May 18). Does self-disclosing to a robot induce liking for the robot? Testing the disclosure and liking hypotheses in human–robot interaction. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction.
Zhang, L. (2024, March 20). Middle-aged and older adults in AIDS village: A mixed methods study on talking about death and well-being promotion based on social support theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1363047.
Zhang, L., Mou, Y., Wang, J., & Zou, H. (2023, August 21). East–west disparities in safer sex inside China: A sociocultural perspective. Sexual Health.
Zhang, L. (2023, July 3). The relationship between social media use and collective identity among the HIV/AIDS-affected adolescents: From the online social support perspective. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies.
Zhang, L., Mou, Y., & Zhang, L. (2023, May 22). Promoting condom negotiation self-efficacy among young women in China: The effects of traditional sexual values and descriptive norms. Health Education Research.
Wu, Y., Zhang, L., Wang, J., & Mou, Y. (2021, October 8). Communicating Air Quality Index information: Effects of different styles on individuals’ risk perception and precaution intention. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10542.
Conclusion
Lin Zhang represents a distinguished voice in contemporary communication and AI media research in China. Combining academic excellence, professional journalism experience, and innovative interdisciplinary scholarship, she has contributed significantly to intelligent communication, health communication, and emotional AI studies. Her leadership in major research initiatives, influential publications in international journals, and extensive policy advisory contributions demonstrate her impact across academia, media, and public governance. Through teaching, research, and public engagement, she continues to shape emerging discussions on digital society, artificial intelligence, and human-centered communication, establishing herself as an influential scholar and thought leader in modern media and communication studies.