Liwei Zhang

I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia and the director of the Children, Families, & Policy Lab. 

My research focuses on how economic hardship affects families and children, especially how financial stress can increase the risk of child maltreatment. I’m particularly interested in understanding how social policies, such as SNAP and housing assistance, can help families stay stable and safe. Much of my work uses large population datasets to understand how policies affect people’s lives. 

In our lab, we also explore new tools such as artificial intelligence and data science to help answer important policy questions. But at the heart of our work is a simple goal: using research to help inform policies that better support children and families. 

I strongly believe research should be connected to real communities. Our team collaborates with community partners and organizations both in Georgia and around the world to make sure our work can inform meaningful policy change. 

Working with students is one of the best parts of my job. In the lab, students get hands-on experience with policy research, data analysis, community engagement, and scientific communication. Whether you are interested in social policy, research methods, data science, or community work, I love working with students to explore their interests and grow as scholars and practitioners. If you’re curious about research and want to make a difference in policies that affect children and families, you are always welcome to reach out and get involved in the lab! 

If you were an animal which animal, would you be? A cat!