about me
Who am I?
You can call me Tal, or Li (้ฟ่), if you want!
๐ณ๏ธโ๐ I'm queer and I don't fit into a gender binary. I don't mind if you use any pronouns to refer to me (they, he, she) โค๏ธ
I was born and raised in New Jersey, USA. I learned English and Chinese growing up and I speak Chinese at home with my family (but I cannot read or write well). I feel very connected to my Chinese heritage. Here is one song that I love.
Some background
I pursued my undergraduate studies at Rutgers University. There, I worked with several psychology labs researching reasoning and cognitive development in children and adults. I was also fortunate to participate in an NSF REU program and conduct an international research study funded by my Honors Program. Over the years, I became fascinated by puzzles of how people learn and act, and the missteps they take along the way. Continuing this path, I joined a PhD program at UC Santa Cruz in 2015 to study moral development with Dr. Audun Dahl, which has been lots of fun.
I like hiking, climbing, eating, learning from others, and spending time with my amazing research team.
Here is a more serious and professional-looking photo of me (taken by my friend Yifan with a fancy camera)
I am amazed by what a beautiful place the world is. In 2021, I went on a family roadtrip around the incredible northeastern United States. Here are some pictures from our trip.
Getting to know me is like looking at one thread in a larger social fabric: It makes more sense when you look at the context! I like being silly and spending time with loved ones. Below are some pictures with those who are near and dear to me.
