Ling Qiu: Research scientist, Meta
Qiu earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Clemson University in 2019 and his doctorate in informatics from Penn State in 2025.
He began his doctoral studies in quantum computing but shifted to informatics to focus more on human-centered technology.
“IST’s interdisciplinary environment was a perfect fit for my interests,” Qiu said. “The program emphasizes real-world impact and brings together researchers from a wide range of fields — engineering, education, communication and the humanities. These diverse perspectives enriched my research and helped me think more holistically about technology’s role in society.
Qiu’s research sits at the intersection of human-computer interaction and digital health intervention design. He has always been driven by the desire to create research with tangible, positive impact — especially in areas that improve human wellbeing.
Working in the WHI Lab gave Qiu the opportunity to design systems that directly support underserved populations.
“Seeing our work positively affect people’s lives — especially those living with chronic conditions — was deeply rewarding,” he said. “Long term, I hope to continue advancing personalized health systems in industry or research settings.”
In the WHI Lab, Qiu focused on designing and developing data-driven, conversational systems to support both physical and mental health. He led projects that use smart speakers to deliver tailored health inventions, one supporting women living with breast cancer and another providing individualized cognitive stimulation therapy for people with dementia.
“These projects have been well-received both in academic circles and among the patient populations we worked with,” Qiu said.
Now, he’s a research scientist at Meta, where he works on state-of-the-art advertising ranking models.
“My team aims to deliver personalized ad experiences to users while maintaining a high-quality overall user experience on the platform,” he said. “Meta is an excellent environment for learning, with access to world-class engineers.”
Looking ahead, Qiu’s long-term goal is to return to the health tech space — ideally working with an innovative company that focuses on improving public health and wellness through technology.
“The College of IST offers a rich, interdisciplinary environment that’s ideal for students who want to make a real-world impact,” Qiu said. “One of the most valuable things I did during my time there was to build relationships with peers and professors from different disciplines—those collaborations provided both academic insight and personal growth.”