Ruining Hu is a first-year PhD student. She received her bachelor’s degree in finance from Pennsylvania State University and her master's degree in Customer Analytics from Washington University in St. Louis. Her experience as a social media assistant ignited her passion for studying the effects of social media on users' behavior and mentality. This professional experience has led Ruining to pursue research in health communication and strategic communication, exploring topics such as social media interventions for health promotion during her doctoral studies.