HKPFS Students
Achievement Emotions
Socioemotional Development
Positive Psychology
Educational Psychology
Second Language Acquisition
Nan CHEN is a PhD candidate in Educational Psychology at City University of Hong Kong, under the supervision of Dr. Na Na (Anna) Hui. She obtained her BA in English Language Literature and Teaching from Sun Yat-sen University and her MA in TESOL from University College London. Her research interests encompass achievement emotions, socioemotional learning, positive psychology, and second language acquisition. Since Year 2, she has been teaching courses on Psychology for Young Professionals and Psychology Research Design and Analysis. Additionally, Nan Chen is a certified life coach accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF). In her spare time, she volunteers to conduct workshops on intrinsic motivation, meditation, and career development for teenagers and adults. For further inquiries, she can be reached at nchen29-c@my.cityu.edu.hk.
Positive education
Social and emotional learning (SEL)
Emotional skills, including emotion regulation and emotional stability
Mental health and wellbeing
I pursued my Bachelor's and first Master's degrees in electronic engineering before realizing the significance of cultivating social and emotional skills. This realization led me to transition into the field of student wellbeing, where I obtained another master's degree in education. Currently, I am a PhD student under the supervision of Prof. KWOK LAI Yuk Ching Sylvia in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. My primary research interests revolve around positive education programs (PEPs) and emotional skills, exploring their impact on students' mental health and overall wellbeing. My ultimate aspiration is to offer valuable insights into designing and implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) curricula tailored to the needs of Chinese students, fostering their positive growth. If you share an interest in these fields, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at xinyidu9-c@my.cityu.edu.hk.
Human decision-making and learning
I received my bachelor's degree in Psychology from the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences at Zhejiang University, China and my master's degree in Cognitive Neuroscience (specialization in neural computation and neurotechnology) from Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour at Radboud University, the Netherlands. My research interest lies in the intersection of computational neuroscience and cognitive neuroscience. I am especially interested in how humans learn and make decisions in uncertain, complex environments, which can be formalized in the theoretical framework of reinforcement learning. Currently, I use behavioural paradigms, computational cognitive modelling and neuroimaging techniques (e.g., fMRI/EEG) to understand the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying human decision-making and learning.
Language processing and production
Prior to joining the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the City University of Hong Kong, I completed a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Psychology at the University of Klagenfurt (Austria) and the KU Leuven (Belgium) respectively.
During my Bachelor's studies, I developed a keen interest in quantitative methods and cognitive psychology. I expanded my academic experience by working as a tutor for Statistics and later joined the Department of Cognitive Psychology as a research assistant. Through my studies and research internships during my Master's program, I further enhanced my knowledge in these topics.
My current research interests include the processing, planning and production of language. I am interested in applying both behavioural and neuroscientific methods to study the underlying mechanisms.
Conceptualization of flourishing and languishing in college students using a longitudinal approach
SUN Chaoran is a Ph.D. candidate in the Social Science Ph.D. program under the mentorship of Prof. Sylvia Kwok. She is interested in the psychosocial mechanism of psychopathology and flourishing. Her current research explores the individual and ecological mechanism of flourishing and languishing and the influence of the Microsystem, Exosystem, and Macrosystem. She is also interested in leveraging computational strategies to conceptualize and predict long-term mental disorder onset and flourishing. Before joining CityU, Chaoran was a social-emotional counselor working with adolescents. She finished her counseling master's degree at UPenn and her psychology bachelor’s degree at Nankai University. Aside from research, Chaoran enjoys attending conferences, traveling, networking, and exploring new things.