What brought you to URI?
I was impressed by how supportive the department and college was and how engaged the students were during my campus visit. Everyone was genuinely curious to learn from one another and cared about each other. I really liked the close-knit atmosphere at URI. I also saw so many exciting innovations and opportunities happening at URI, and I would love to contribute to the positive changes the university is bringing to its students, the community, and the broader research community.

How did you become interested in your field?
As a first-generation college student in China, I completed both my undergraduate and master’s degrees in public administration without ever imagining that this field would become my passion. That changed in 2017, when I went to the University of Oslo for an exchange program. I audited a course called Family, Gender Equality, and the Welfare State, and for the first time, I began to see governments and public policies through a completely different lens. Instead of pursuing a career in government, I became curious about government: How do governments come to look the way they do? Who gets to speak, who gets heard, and who gets to decide? That curiosity eventually brought me to Rutgers, where I earned my PhD studying gender equity in public administration and policy. It is a field I am passionate about and hope to continue exploring in my research.

What are you most excited about in your new role?
I am most excited about working with students and colleagues in my new role. I see so many opportunities to collaborate with people on exciting projects and learn from one another.

What are you currently researching?
I am currently researching how women’s representation shapes public organizations and public policies.

Is there a particular project you’re especially excited about right now?
I have so many projects I’m excited to share, but one I’d especially like to highlight is an interdisciplinary project in which we worked with colleagues in computer science, engineering, and local government to study smart cities. In the project I lead, I study the city’s 311 system, a non-emergency service that allows residents to report issues such as potholes, broken streetlights, and missed recycling pickups. I examine how the emotional demands of these requests, measured using a BERT-based model, influence government responsiveness and how this relationship varies by the gender of the bureaucrat handling the request. This project not only aligns with my interests in gender and government accountability, but has also given me a meaningful opportunity to work with local government officials and researchers from different disciplines.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
It is the students I enjoy most about teaching. I sincerely enjoy interacting and working with students. I love sharing what I have learned about public administration and policy with them, and I am equally eager to learn from their perspectives and ideas about government and public policy. I also recognize my important role as an educator in preparing future public servants and engaged citizens. That gives me a strong sense of purpose as a teacher.

Are there faculty or departments you’d especially like to collaborate with?
In addition to colleagues in my department, I am interested in collaborating with colleagues across disciplines. My research increasingly draws on computational and interdisciplinary approaches, so I would love to connect with faculty working in related areas, particularly those interested in governance, public policy, or community-engaged research.

How can students best approach you if they’re interested in your research?
I’d love to work with students! I previously worked with computer science students to explore how GPT models can be used in public policy research, and I am currently working with an MPA student on a community-engaged project about immigrant-serving organizations. I would especially love to work with students who are interested in public administration, public policy, and gender related topics. If you are interested in my research, please feel free to send me an email at ying.liu@uri.edu. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of academia?
I used to be a backpacker, and I love hiking and camping. I am also a Latin ballroom dancer. And I enjoy reading for fun!