Wanqi Zhang

Wanqi Zhang earned her Master of Science in Information Sciences from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She received the 2026 Graduate Student Research Award from the College of Communication and Information (CCI) in recognition of her research. Her research focuses on using social robots to support human well-being. She is particularly interested in designing emotionally responsive robots that can provide personalized support, reduce anxiety, and promote psychologically safe interactions.

Her work explores how robots can support learning, skill development, and other emotionally demanding experiences. She is also interested in the potential of social robots to support children’s learning, emotional regulation, and constructive communication. She primarily uses qualitative methods to understand users’ emotional experiences, perceptions, and interactions with social robots. Through this research, Zhang aims to develop adaptive and empathetic robotic systems that respond meaningfully to users’ emotional and social needs.