Meet the Fellows: NYU Shanghai Edition
This fall, NYU Shanghai is home to an international cohort of fellows from around the world, excited to make impact in China and beyond.
Read on for some highlights from their projects-in-progress!
Maïlys Oka, 2026 Coachtopia Scholar: "During my fellowship, I’m developing «Should I Buy» a digital shopping assistant that helps consumers check clothing quality and spot fast-fashion greenwashing before they buy. I'm using my fabric science research at NYU Shanghai to analyze garment durability, fiber types like Lyocell, and brand claims. My goal for the fellowship is to build the tool's framework and test it with students to help them make smarter, long-lasting fashion choices"
Messi Mei: "Messi Mei is studying how Chinese students from primary school to university practically use AI when they prepare for and compete in extracurricular activities like Model UN, drawing on more than seven conferences and competitions across the Greater Bay Area, Shanghai, Beijing, Indonesia, and Singapore in
2026. The project compares how students lean on AI in all-Chinese English-language rooms versus international ones, and turns the findings into an AI-literacy module that teaches critical use at every stage of the MUN cycle, from research to reflection. The goal is for every student, not only those at well-resourced schools, to leave Model UN knowing how to think with AI rather than copy from it, advancing SDG 4 and SDG 10."
Cindy Zhang: "CareWise is a student-led health awareness initiative that aims to make reliable, practical health information easier to understand and apply in everyday life. Focusing on topics such as healthy eating, daily habits, stress management, and preventive care, CareWise shares evidence-based health knowledge through social media content, workshops, podcasts, and community activities. By listening to what people are most concerned about and turning scientific information into accessible guidance, CareWise hopes to encourage healthier, more informed choices and make self-care a natural part of daily life."
Xinyi and Lingyue: "Inside Out is a student-led broadcast project exploring physical and mental well-being through engaging conversations and accessible knowledge. While we pay particular attention to challenges commonly experienced by students—such as stress, homesickness, peer pressure, and the transition to university life—we aim to go beyond personal experiences by introducing the principles and emerging knowledge behind healthy minds and bodies, including insights from psychology, neuroscience, and physical health. Through broadcasts featuring student perspectives, expert conversations, and practical ideas, we hope to make complex knowledge understandable and relevant to everyday life, helping students better understand how the mind and body work together and discover informed ways to support their own well-being."
Jiaxi Cai and Yue Hao: "UniCare Bridge is a student-led project that connects international residents in Shanghai with university students for affordable medical escort and non-professional translation support. Priced hourly or daily, it offers a more accessible alternative to professional agencies while helping students serve their community."
Article written by Anna Kathryn Kendrick, Ph.D, Clinical Professor of Literature & Director of Global Awards
NYU Shanghai | 上海纽约大学
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