Post-Doctoral Research Associates
Dr. Nigel Mantou Lou
My research focuses on three interrelated topics: language learning motivation and emotion (e.g., language mindsets, self-determination, and language anxiety), cross-cultural adjustment, and intergroup communication and relations. When I am not doing research, I enjoy travelling and exploring new recipes for my after-retirement career — a cook.
Email: mantou@ualberta.ca
Dr. Jingjing Gui
Before joining the Intercultural Communication Lab, Jingjing received her Ph.D. in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. Her research area is social psychology of leisure, focusing on the context of leisure in developing, maintaining, and communicating cultural values. She is interested in examining the mutual relationship between culture and individuals’ leisure experiences, especially among Chinese and Chinese Canadians.
In her own leisure time, Jingjing enjoys a balance between casual leisure (such as watching TV)
and serious leisure (such as baking, badminton, and Japanese).
Email: jgui@ualberta.ca
A representative article:
Meanings of xiū xián and leisure: Cross-cultural exploration of laypeople’s definition of leisure
Graduate Students
Doris Zhang
Doris completed a joint major in Psychology and Business Administration during her undergraduate studies. She then pursued a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Denver. Doris’ passion and interests in acculturation and multiculturalism research led her to the Intercultural Communication Lab at the University of Alberta. Doris is interested to examine the impact of social and cultural factors on the cross-cultural adjustment and well-being of international students and immigrants. During her spare time, Doris enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures, especially the food culture!
Email: ydz@ualberta.ca
Xijia Zhang
My name is Xijia Zhang and I am from China. I am interested in the psychology of language learners, especially how their language learning is affected by their motivation, how their motivation may be influenced by social factors such as acculturation, and how students’ motivation may interact with language teachers’ teaching motivation. I am also interested in the role of psychology and social contexts in Chinese heritage language learning.
Email: xijia1@ualberta.ca
Jingyi Zhang
I am Jingyi Zhang, a new graduate student. Benefiting from traveling, I have interacted with numerous international people and experienced colorful cultures, which strengthened my research interest in immigration families’ acculturation and multicultural competence. Also, working with children inspired me to explore inner and social (especially family) factors influencing their developmental trajectories. At leisure, I enjoy handcraft and design, going to museums, freely cooking without recipes, hiking and camping.
Yetka Sharafaddin-zadeh
My name is Yekta Sharafaddin-zadeh. I completed a Bachelor of Science with Specialization and Research Certificate in Psychology (winter 2020). I matriculated in the Master of Science (thesis) in Psychology program to research Canadian Population health with a focus on social groups relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. My research interests include: public health, preventative medicine and health services research and creating population-based research. Additionally, I am interested in Knowledge Mobilization (KMb), particularly, translating and disseminating academic knowledge to laypersons. I am passionate about utilizing creative techniques to make critical knowledge accessible for those who need it and to communities who can benefit.
During her time with the IClab, Yekta won an award for the best undergraduate oral presentation at Royce Harder Conference in Winter 2019. The Royce Harder Conference is the University of Alberta’s Department of Psychology annual conference.