Dr. YU Xiaonan Nancy (于肖楠)

Dr. Nancy Xiaonan Yu is a health psychologist with training in public health. Her research program has focused on resilience in adversities, by examining the resilience process and associated factors at the individual, dyadic, family, and community levels. Her resilience-oriented studies involve chronic illnesses (e.g., HIV, cancer, coronary heart disease), acculturation (e.g., migration, cross-border adjustment), losses (e.g., parental absence, bereavement), challenges (e.g., discrimination and stigma, parenting stress, aging), and crisis (e.g., natural disasasters). In addition, she has applied the community-based participatory research approach to develop and implement culturally sensitive interventions to promote resilience in stressful populations. With strong passion for interdisciplinary research, Dr. Yu has been working closely with researchers and practitioners in social work, public health, data science, and biomedical science.

Award and Achievement

• 2020−present Honorary Associate Professor, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong

• 2017 “Outstanding Supervisor Award” City University of Hong Kong.

• 2017 “Award for the Best Oral Presentation” The 1st Interdisciplinary Behavioral Health Conference.

• 2017 “Award for Chinese Young Scholars（华人新秀奖）” The 10th Conference for Chinese Psychologists.

• 2013 “Excellence in Knowledge Transfer Award” College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. Dr. Yu has been disseminating the research findings on the resilience intervention designed for new immigrants and training social workers to conduct evidence-based practice in social services. [URL]

Public health psychology, especially resilience in adversities: 1) To investigate positive effects of resilience in vulnerable populations 2) To develop effective interventions to promote resilience

Administrative Assignment

• 2016 - 2020, Joint Bachelor's Degree Program with Columbia University, Member.
• 2015 - 2020, Academic Conduct Committee , Department member.
• 2015 - Now, Graduate and undergraduate mentors and alumni development , Department member.
• 2014 - 2015, Teaching allocation in department, Team member.
• 2013 - 2014, The Master of Social Sciences in Applied Psychology Program, Admission Tutor.

Research / Thesis Supervision

• 2021 - Now, Bowen Chen, PhD candidate.
• 2021 - Now, Jianhua Hou, PhD candidate.
• 2020 - Now, Rong Fu, PhD candidate.
• 2019 - Now, Jinghan Hu, PhD candidate.
• 2019 - Now, Shiyun Ji, PhD candidate.
• 2019 - Now, Xueli Chen, PhD candidate, Co-supervision with Prof Xiaochu Zhang, University of Science and Technology of China.
• 2018 - Now, Yanlin Zhou, PhD candidate, Co-supervision with Prof Qiong Zhang, Zhejiang University.
• 2018 - Now, Miss Chen Chen, PhD.
• 2018 - Now, Miss He Bu, PhD.
• 2017 - 2020, Miss Xingyun Liu, PhD, Co-supervision with Prof Tingshao Zhu, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Lecturer in Central China Normal University.
• 2017 - Now, Miss Diyang Qu, PhD.
• 2016 - 2019, Miss Jiasheng Huang, PhD. Postdoctoral fellow in Sun Yat-sen University.
• 2014 - 2016, Miss Jinfeng Zhang, PhD, Co-supervision with Prof Jianxin Zhang, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Assistant Professor in Chongqing University.
• 2011 - 2015, Miss Samantha Sze Wan Fung, PhD, Co-supervision with Prof TH Lam and Prof SM Stewart, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong. Lecturer in PolyU SPEED.