Yan Bing Zhang

Ph.D., University of Kansas
Relationships & Social Interaction

Dr. Yan Bing Zhang is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas. She is a scholar specializing in intergroup and intercultural communication, with research focusing on the intersections of communication, relationships, social cognition, culture, and identity in face-to-face and mediated contexts. Dr. Zhang has received several prestigious awards, including the 2007 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence, the 2019 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Students in Research, and the 2020 Howie Giles Mentorship Award from the International Association for Language and Social Psychology. Her work has been published in leading U.S. and international journals in communication and social psychology, such as Journal of Communication, Communication Monographs, New Media & Society, Communication Research, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, and International Journal of Communication. In recognition of her scholarship, the Communication and Aging Division of the National Communication Association honored her with the 2021 Giles-Nussbaum Distinguished Scholar Award.

Aligned with her research agenda, Dr. Zhang’s graduate teaching and supervision emphasize three core areas: (1) Culture and communication, (2) Quantitative research methods and statistics, and (3) Communication in intergroup and intercultural contexts

Dr. Zhang has directed many theses and dissertations and has reviewed articles for over 30 academic journals. Dr. Zhang previously chaired the Communication and Aging Division of the National Communication Association and the Intergroup Communication Interest Group of the International Communication Association. She also serves on the editorial boards of several communication journals and on the executive board of the International Association of Language and Social Psychology.