I am a final-year PhD Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Queensland, Australia. My doctoral research investigates the intricate ways in which young Uzbek men navigate changing social norms and individual aspirations, as they perceive and practice everyday masculinities in the capital city of Tashkent. This project, based on 13 months of fieldwork conducted from 2021 to 2022 during COVID-19, aims to unravel the complex negotiations and strategies employed by these men in constructing masculine identities to understand post-Soviet transitions.

My research interests and ethnographic experience revolve around gender and health issues in Central Asia and China, particularly in Uzbekistan and China's Xinjiang UAR and Guangdong. Prior to my doctoral studies, I worked as a research assistant and coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Project China. During my two years of work, I conducted ethnographic research to examine the social and ethical implications of HIV cure, primarily among men who have sex with men, people living with HIV, and people who inject drugs in Guangzhou, China.

As part of my doctoral research, I have actively leveraged digital methods, with TikTok playing a crucial role in recruitment and data collection. Additionally, I am proficient in several languages, including Mandarin, Uzbek, and Uyghur.

Personal Website: https://www.yangzhao-anthropology.com/