Yini Zhang (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison) uses computational methods and big data to study social media and political communication. Her current research program centers around three questions: 1) within social media, how people express themselves and interact with each other, 2) as an ecosystem, how social media platforms relate to one another in terms of the flow of information, and 3) beyond social media, what can influence and be influenced by communication and interaction on social media. She also collaborates with experts in other disciplines to pose new questions and develop new methods to advance communication research.