I am a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University in the School of Computer Science's Human-Computer Interaction Institute. I am advised by Professor Haiyi Zhu in the Social AI Group.
I broadly study computational social science, particularly involving online social networks and personal well-being (e.g. mental and emotional health).
Hi, I'm Anna (she/her)! I graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Computer Science in 2019. I also worked as a software engineer @ Amazon on recommender systems and the eCommerce platform before grad school.
Outside of research, I enjoy drawing, ceramics (wheel-throwing), papermaking, sewing clothes, watching UFC & F1, reading, and listening to neo-psychedelic & hard rock music!
You can find some of my random art scraps (mostly in pop surrealism style) at @brainfree.ze and things I sell for charity at my online store.
I also really enjoy discussing and learning about 🌱 sustainable living & animal rights, ❤️🩹 emotional health, and ☸️ mindfulness.
Most importantly, I have a 11-year-old greyhound named Milo, who is often with me around campus. Milo is a former field trial racer adopted in 2019 from GPI. Many greyhounds are rescued racers and now in need of good homes. They are famously lazy, quiet, and great for apartments. Please consider adopting a greyhound if you're looking for a dog!
My research is in computational social science at the intersection of online social networks and well-being. I study how social technology can enable both personal well-being (e.g. mental health, social relationships) and community well-being (e.g. productive discourse). I am predominantly interested in proactive approaches — those that are self-sustaining, self-correcting, or promote positive behaviors — rather than retrospective handling of harmful behaviors after they have occurred. I draw from any relevant methods and fields, but most often use a combination of network science, artificial intelligence, and social science.
I am always excited to chat about social technologies and/or tech that helps people feel happy (e.g. healthier, joyful, safe, ...). Email me at: annafang [at] cmu [dot] edu.
(* = equal contribution)
☆ Shaping Online Dialogue: Examining How Community Rules Affect Discussion Structures on Reddit. Anna Fang, Chris Wenjie Yang, Haiyi Zhu
I was formerly a youth & young adult competition artist in Indiana for a decade, primarily working in graphite portraits. Although I no longer compete or sell original pieces, I enjoy experimenting recently in things like pop surrealism (i.e. low brow art) and portrait sketches using a variety of mediums. I also enjoy other visual & applied art (i.e. ceramics, jewelry-making, papermaking).
Below is info about the wonderful animal(s) currently in my foster care from the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh. Email me at annafang [at] cmu [dot] edu for adoption info!
