Dr. Yixue Zhao holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of Southern California (USC). Her outstanding academic contributions have led to prestigious publications, U.S. Patents, and notable awards, such as Computing Innovation Fellow recognized by National Science Foundation and Computing Research Association, Microsoft Research Dissertation Grant, and Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) Merit Award.
These conditions in a high-stress Ph.D. environment also taught her that “fame can’t buy happiness”. Inspired by a major mental breakdown, Dr. Zhao was determined to find a way out of her mental suffering. As a scientist at heart, she experimented with all kinds of methods of well-being, including many mindfulness practices, numerous well-being courses and books, and different types of therapy.
In 2020, to celebrate her Ph.D. graduation, Dr. Zhao joined a TWIM (Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation) online retreat led by David Johnson from Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center. The unconditional happiness and peace were beyond her wildest dreams and had long-lasting effects after her retreat. This turning point has changed her trajectory to dedicate her remaining life to the well-being of herself and others. She has been trained under Bhante Vimalaramsi, Bhante Kusala, and Acariya Delson Armstrong.
Dr. Zhao was a Research Scientist at USC’s Information Sciences Institute and AI4Health Center, conducting interdisciplinary research on well-being using modern technology. In 2025, she was laid off due to the lack of funding and became a free spirit to continue her same passion on well-being research without any “labels”. Among all her titles, Dr. Zhao is most proud of “the most positive person I’ve ever met” and strives to maintain it. Dr. Yixue Zhao’s website: yixuezhao.com.
Dr. Yixue Zhao is an Independent Researcher working on interdisciplinary research centered around Mental Health & Well-being with amazing collaborators in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Psychiatry, Behavioral Science, Neuroscience, and Psychology. Before her independence, she was a Research Computer Scientist at Information Sciences Institute (ISI) of the University of Southern California (USC). Prior to ISI, Dr. Zhao was a Computing Innovation Fellow (CIFellow) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, funded by Computing Research Association (CRA) and National Science Foundation (NSF). She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from USC in 2020, with a research focus on Software Engineering. Her work has been published at prestigious venues, spanning diverse research areas including mental health, digital well-being, mobile applications, program analysis, software testing, and open science. Dr. Zhao's work has been recognized by numerous awards throughout her career, including the Best Dissertation Award Finalist at USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, Microsoft Research Dissertation Grant, WiSE Merit Award, Best Research Assistant Award, Jenny Wang Excellence in Teaching Award, and UIUC EECS Rising Star. Dr. Zhao has also been actively involved in academic services and outreach programs, such as launching “Africa Initiative” to bring students from Africa to international research conferences, serving on the Steering Committee for student mentoring, and actively participating in mentoring programs with over 20 students mentored in the past, including high school students and underrepresented groups. Dr. Yixue Zhao’s website: yixuezhao.com.