about me

Who am I?

You can call me Tal, or Li (้˜ฟ่Ž‰), if you want!

๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ 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) โค๏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.

Hiking to Lonesome Lake
Mount Lafayette and the Franconia Ridge
Rocky Gorge Scenic Area
Schooner Head Overlook, Acadia
Otter Cliffs, Acadia
Jordan Pond, Acadia

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.