Lan HU, Nicole

Hi!

I am a PhD student at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. My research applies sociological methods to three connected areas: large language models in tourism, the sociology of tourism, and accessible tourism. I work at the intersection of human-centered approaches and advanced computational techniques, and I aim to produce insights that are both academically rigorous and practically useful.

Before my doctoral studies, I spent four years as a User Researcher at DiDi, working on ride-hailing and food delivery services across Latin America, with a focus on Brazil and Mexico. My work covered multi-sided research, including driver and passenger experiences, city-level market analysis, and cross-cultural insights. I drew on both qualitative and quantitative methods to inform product and business decisions.

I began my academic path with a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Sociology. I then worked as a research assistant in the Hong Kong education sector, where I gained hands-on experience in designing studies, collecting data, and translating findings into actionable recommendations.

I am always open to new ideas and collaborations. Please feel free to reach out if you are interested in working together on research, projects, or other initiatives related to AI, tourism, or user experience.

Email：hulan.hu@connect.polyu.hk