I am an astrophysicist specializing in the theory of galaxy formation and evolution. I currently serve as an Assistant Professor and Boya Young Fellow at the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University. Previously, I was a Troesh Scholar at Caltech and a joint Theory Fellow at the Carnegie Observatories. From 2016 to 2019, I held a PBC Fellowship at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I earned my Ph.D. in Astronomy from Yale University in 2016 and graduated from the Kuang Yaming Honors School at Nanjing University in 2010.
My research investigates the interplay between galaxies and their host dark matter halos through semi-analytic models and numerical simulations, with a particular focus on halo substructure, galaxy morphology, and the nature of dark matter. I use satellite galaxy statistics and galaxies of extreme morphologies as testbeds for probing dark-matter physics and baryonic feedback.

I develop a semi-analytic framework ("SatGen") for generating and evolving satellite galaxy populations in host systems of desired mass, redshift, and environment, incorporating the dynamical laws known as tidal evolutionary tracks as well as the sturctural response of dark-matter (sub)halos to baryon processes.

I study galaxy-halo connections using a variety of hydro-cosmological simulations. I am particularly interested in the connection between galactic disks and dark-matter halo structures, the mechanisms for disk settling (spin-up), and the response of dark-matter halos to baryonic processes.

I keep an active eye on galaxies of extreme morphologies throughout cosmic time, including giant disks in the early Universe, ultra-diffuse galaxies, red/blue nuggets, compact disks, and recently, the little red dots... These systems are used as stress tests of my understanding of galaxy-halo connections as well as dark-matter physics.