I study media and communication to understand how power shapes the symbolic systems we use to articulate identity, coordinate interpersonal relationships, and make moral claims regarding social justice. 

The main framework I use is communication ecology, meaning that I'm interested in the ways individuals or organizations interact with one another to facilitate social networks and build communities.

I often work with minority communities and fringe groups, whose niche networks see complicated identities emerge and constructed. My current research focuses on LGBTQ+ communities in both China and the United States.