Runhua ZHANG | 张润花

I do HCI research for care and love, and I am sceptical of techno-utopianism.

Hi, I am Runhua, a Ph.D. candidate at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Advised by Prof. Huamin QU and Prof. Xiaojuan MA, I work in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), with a particular focus on women’s empowerment through the lenses of critical computing and feminist HCI. Previously, I received an M.A. in Design (🏆 Best Thesis Award), under the supervision of Prof. Qi WANG, at College of Design and Innovation(D&I), Tongji University. I received a B.E. in Industrial Design (🏆 Best Thesis Award) from Sichuan University.

I find community-building deeply empowering, both personally and professionally. I organize online feminist reading seminars and bring people together through feminist HCI meet-ups at conferences, e.g., at CHI 2026. We are also building a long-term hub for the feminist HCI community.

Outside of research, I enjoy pour-over coffee brewing ☕️ and photography (both digital and film) 🎞️. I hope to have my own café one day. (You are very welcome to sponsor my café 😄)

Publications

  • When LLMs Enter Everyday Feminism on Chinese Social Media: Opportunities and Risks for Women’s Empowerment
    Runhua Zhang , Ziqi Pan , Kangyu Yuan , Qiaoyi Chen , Yulin Tian , Huamin Qu , Xiaojuan Ma
    CHI'26
    selected
    PDF DOI arXiv Video
  • "Without AI, I Would Never Share This Online": Unpacking How LLMs Catalyze Women's Sharing of Gendered Experiences on Social Media
    Runhua Zhang , Ziqi Pan , Huiran Yi , Huamin Qu , Xiaojuan Ma
    CHI'26 Poster
    selected
    PDF DOI arXiv Project
  • Conversations With The Stressed Body: Facilitating Stress Self-Disclosure Among Adolescent Girls Through An Embodied Approach
    Xinglin Sun , Caroline Claisse , Runhua Zhang , Xingyu Wu , Jialin Yuan , Qi Wang*
    DIS'25
    selected
    PDF DOI arXiv
  • Exploring Aggressors’ In‑Match Cognitive and Emotional Formation and Toxic Behavior Trajectories in MOBA Games
    Kangyu Yuan , Hanfang Lyv , Runhua Zhang , Hansika Murugu , Xiaojuan Ma
    CHI'26
    PDF DOI
  • From Platform Migration to Cultural Integration: the Ingress and Diffusion of #wlw from TikTok to RedNote in Queer Women Communities
    Ziqi Pan , Runhua Zhang , Jiehui Luo , Yuanhao Zhang , Yue Deng , Xiaojuan Ma*
    CSCW'25 Companion
    selected
    PDF DOI arXiv Project
  • [ProcrastiMate] Walk in Their Shoes to Navigate Your Own Path: Learning About Procrastination Through A Serious Game
    Runhua Zhang , Jiaqi Gan , Shangyuan Gao , Siyi Chen , Xinyu Wu , Dong Chen , Yulin Tian , Qi Wang* , Pengcheng An*
    CHI'25
    selected
    PDF DOI arXiv Video
  • PaperBridge: Crafting Research Narratives through Human-AI Co-Exploration
    Runhua Zhang , Yang Ouyang , Leixian Shen , Yuying Tang , Xiaojuan Ma , Huamin Qu , Xian Xu*
    UIST'25
    selected
    PDF DOI arXiv Video
  • Designing Smart Legging for Posture Monitoring based on Textile Sensing Networks
    Qi Wang , Fang Cui , Runhua Zhang , Leheng Chen , Xiaohua Sun , Bin Yu*
    IJHCI
    PDF DOI
  • Textile-sensing Wearable Systems for Continuous Motion Angle Estimation: A Systematic Review
    Runhua Zhang , Leheng Chen , Yuanda Hu , Yueyao Zhang , Jiayi Chen , Tianzhan Liang , Xiaohua Sun , Qi Wang*
    IJHCI
    PDF DOI
  • A Tailored Textile Sensor-based Wrap for Shoulder Complex Angles Monitoring
    Runhua Zhang+ , Yuanda Hu+ , Yuxuan He , Shiwen Fang , Bin Yu , Xiaohua Sun , Qi Wang*
    Ubicomp/ISWC'23 Adjunct
    PDF DOI Video
  • EmTex: Prototyping Textile-Based Interfaces through An Embroidered Construction Kit
    Qi Wang , Yuan Zeng , Runhua Zhang , Nianding Ye , Linghao Zhu , Xiaohua Sun* , Teng Han*
    UIST'23
    PDF DOI Video
  • LayTex: A Design Tool for Generating Customized Textile Sensor Layouts in Wearable Computing
    Yueyao Zhang , Nianchong Qu , Runhua Zhang , Ye Tao , Guanyun Wang , Qi Wang*
    Ubicomp/ISWC'23 Adjunct
    PDF DOI Video

Education

2024–present
PhD student in individualised Interdisciplinary Program (IIP) · HKUST 🇭🇰
2021–2024
Master of Art in Design, College of Design and Innovation · Tongji University 🇨🇳
2022–2023
Exchange Program, School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS) · Aalto University 🇫🇮
2017–2021
Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Design, School of Engineering · Sichuan University 🇨🇳

Awards

Best Thesis Awards
06/2024
Best Thesis Award for Master’s Degree Research Topic: Designing for Reflection, Personal Informatics
06/2021
Best Thesis Award for Bachelor’s Degree Research Topic: Voice User Interfaces, Automotive
Scholarships
10/2023
National Scholarship of China <1%, top award in China
11/2022
Excellent Master Student Scholarship at Tongji University <5%
12/2020
Jianguo-Peng Scholarship for Students at Sichuan University 10/400
09/2020
National Scholarship of China <1%, top award in China
09/2019
National Scholarship of China <1%, top award in China
09/2018
National Scholarship of China <1%, top award in China
Honors
06/2024
Outstanding Graduate in Shanghai, China <1%
06/2024
Best Graduate at Tongji University <1%, sole winner at the College of Design and Innovation
06/2021
Outstanding Undergraduate Graduate in Sichuan Province, China <1%
07/2020
“TOP 100” Students at Sichuan University Ranked 100/30,000, biennial

Acknowledgements

In A Moment!