Dr. Li Zhu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at the Academy of Future Education, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU).  Her research draws on sociological theories and uses quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how students move from school, through university, and into the workplace. She has two ongoing lines of research.

1. The first explores students’ career learning, career decision-making, and transitions from education into employment. Within this area, she is also interested in how AI is changing students’ learning, career thinking, and preparation for future work.
2. The second examines how beliefs about effort, success, and social mobility shape students’ educational and occupational expectations and well-being. 

Across both lines, she seeks to understand how young people respond to changing educational, technological, and labour-market conditions. Her research has been published in internationally recognized SSCI journals, such as the British Journal of Sociology and the British Journal of Sociology of Education, and Chinese CSSCI educational journals like Tsinghua Educational Research. She currently serves as a peer reviewer for several SSCI Q1 journals and is an Editorial Board/Panel Member of the British Journal of Sociology of Education and Cambridge Journal of Education.

 She has supervised/ is supervising Master’s students and is open to supervising doctoral students. Prospective Master’s and doctoral students with shared interests are welcome to contact her.

2021-2023, Graduate student instructor, UC Berkeley

2021-2024, Graduate student researcher, UC Berkeley

EDS 424 (MA): Introduction to research methods (Module leader; AY2526 Fall, AY2627 Fall)

PGR 412 (PhD): Grounded theory (Module leader; AY2526 Fall)

EDS 442 (EdD): Engaging with educational literature (Co-teacher; AY2526 Fall; AY2627)

PG transition (Field supervisor)