Seven Questions with... Kun Wang

What are you studying, why are you interested in this subject and what do you plan to do in the future?

I am a PhD candidate in Organisational Behaviour (OB) at the UCL School of Management. I'm broadly interested in how and why interpersonal relations and social networks influence individuals (e.g., how they influence people’s personalities, perceptions, and behaviours). Before pursuing my PhD, I literally spent most of my college life on learning economics. Personally, though I found economics super meaningful and conducive to solving real-world problems, behavioural science that integrates human cognitions and psychologies fascinates me even more – for that reason, I decided to transfer from economics to OB. In the future, I hope to become a behavioural scientist who can contribute to the wellbeing of people not limited to the organisational context.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done, seen or got involved with while at UCL?

I love researching human behaviour and exploring its underlying psychological mechanisms. I can still recall how thrilled I was to get my first lab experiment organised at UCL – it was an in-person experiment within the Behavioural Research Lab at the School of Management. During the study, participants played games together and collaborated on a hypothetical business problem. It was a great experience for both researchers and participants, and gave me the opportunity to see and experience the different ways we think and make decisions. The participants involved enjoyed the academic games I organised too.

Have you discovered any hidden gems during your time at UCL?

Yes, I like the sofa just by my spot at the School of Management. It is covert and quite cozy. After having lunch, I like to take a nap on it. It’s like a secret place only I own (but of course it isn’t haha!).

Give us your top three things to do/see/go to in London:

Visit the British Museum, walk around Camden Market, and see a show in the West End.

What’s one thing you’d like to see in a post-Covid world?

The pandemic has had a profound impact on our world, highlighting both the best and the worst of humanity. As we move towards a post-Covid world, it is important to become more humane and inclusive in our actions and attitudes. I hope people can show more compassion and kindness towards others – especially those who have been most affected by the pandemic, – value diversity, and create a society that is welcoming and accepting of all people, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.

Who inspires you and why?

My interest in organisational behaviour stems from my inherent curiosity in human psychologies and cognitions. My supervisors have really supported and inspired me a lot. My primary supervisor, Martin, is super knowledgeable, supportive, nice, and warm. He shares a very healthy and productive mentoring relationship with me, giving me a strong sense of psychological safety that boosts my research progress and optimises my way of interacting with top-notch faculties. My secondary supervisor, Sunny, is my role model in academia. As an outstanding female scholar from Korea, she serves as an inspiration for young women and girls like me who aspire to pursue careers in fields that have traditionally been dominated by white males.

What would it surprise people to know about you?

I am not sure whether this would surprise others, but I am actually an (amateur) dancer. I started learning dance from my kindergarden years. I can dance ballet, jazz, aerobics, and Chinese classical dance. In addition to spending time with my puppy, dancing is another good way for me to enrich my leisure life and boost my mental health.