Xiaomei Sun was born and raised on a small rural island in northern China. As a first-generation college student, she earned her B.A. in journalism and media studies at Ritsumeikan University in Japan. She is now a Ph.D. candidate in communications (minor: sociology) in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Xiaomei’s research interests lie in global political communication, employing a range of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods to study the intricate relationship between information, technology, and democracy in multiple cultural contexts. Building upon her academic background in communications, sociology, and journalism and her expertise in the regions of Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and the United States, her study centers around online political behavior, collective action and journalism.
Xiaomei serves as a teaching assistant in multiple fields and at different departments, including the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Department of Sociology and the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. The courses she has taught range from introductory to advanced levels. Xiaomei also had mentor experience in Japan, where she mentored undergraduate students with theses and news production.
Xiaomei loves skiing, paddle boarding, and martial arts.