Degrees:
M.A., Journalism, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
B.A., Journalism, Jinan University
Teaching experience:
COM 105: Communication in Global Contexts (TA)
COMSTRAT 301: Foundations of Persuasion (TA)
COMSTRAT 380: Advertising Principles and Practices (TA)
COMSTRAT 383: Media Strategies and Techniques for Public Relations (TA)
Research interests:
Health communication
Language and social interaction
Mental health
Narrative analysis
Conference presentations:
Zhang, W. (2023, May). How people whose spouses have mental health issues construct their identities on social media: A narrative analysis [Paper presentation]. International Communication Association (ICA) conference (Language and Social Interaction Division), Toronto, Canada.
Seo, H., & Zhang, W. (2023, May). A meta-analysis of media literacy interventions for adolescent substance use [Extended abstract presentation]. International Communication Association (ICA) conference (Children, Adolescents, and Media Division), Toronto, Canada.
Zhang, W. (2022, November). Three stories or one? The frame analysis of HPV vaccine news on People’s Daily across its three platforms [Paper presentation]. National Communication Association (NCA) conference (Health Communication Division), New Orleans, LA, USA.
Bio:
Weiyi Zhang is a Ph.D. student at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. Her research agenda currently focuses on the informal care system and carers, supportive communities, mental health-related topics, and mental health screening among adolescents. Weiyi is particularly interested in language and social interaction among all the areas of communication, she specifically pays attention to how people narrate their stories when living with or taking care of people who have mental illnesses, what are the ways the “carers” form and navigate their roles during this interaction, and what are better ways to support them, both in the social media supportive communities and in real life. Also, Weiyi wants to investigate the practice of informal care using the community participatory research method, where both researchers and informal carers can jointly make efforts in understanding the situation and coming up with support plans. Weiyi is currently studying social interactionism and some essential methods of language and social interaction, including narrative analysis, conversation analysis, and so on. In the future, she will use the lens of performance to study the interactions, preferably in the clinical setting, under the influence of Goffman.
For Weiyi, a way of understanding human beings is through understanding their mental states, and a way of understanding herself is through music, Weiyi Zhang has been playing clarinet in WSU symphonic wind ensemble and symphonic wind band since 2021, and previously she played clarinet in her undergraduate band. She loves playing piano as well. Weiyi is also willing and glad to perform at various events if available!