More about Ying-Chen…

Ying-Chen (Anny) Chen is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management at the University of Florida. She earned both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Leisure Management from National Pingtung University, where she graduated as valedictorian in both programs. Her master’s thesis explored relationship-perception chains related to travel apps, reflecting her early interest in technology’s impact on tourism.

Her research spans topics such as immersive technologies in tourism, aging and leisure behavior, and sport tourism. She has presented at several international conferences, including The Academy of Leisure Sciences, the Leisure Studies Association Conference in Scotland, and the Decision Sciences Institute in the U.S.

Before pursuing her Ph.D., Ying-Chen served as a full-time research assistant on projects funded by Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology, focusing on digital consumer behavior and online systems. At UF, she is involved in multi-generational research on senior games and the use of immersive technologies among older adults, under the mentorship of Dr. Heather Gibson.

Ying-Chen can be contacted via email at yingchen.chen@ufl.edu.