Biography
Leah Li is a Ph.D. candidate in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago, expected to graduate in May 2026. Her research explores how film, animation, and data infrastructures shape collective understandings of health, environment, and life in modern and contemporary China. Bridging media theory with science and technology studies, her work examines the design of communication in contexts ranging from socialist health campaigns to algorithmic governance. Leah’s writing and filmmaking have been recognized internationally, with her films screened at the Cannes Film Festival, the LA Women’s International Film Festival, and the China Independent Film Festival, where she received the Special Contribution Award.