New MCI postdocs to pursue research with impact, tackling global inequalities

Dr. Han-Wu-Shuang (Bruce) Bao 包寒吴霜 received a BSc degree in psychology from Beijing Normal University and subsequently a PhD in social psychology from Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interests range from social cognition to cultural psychology, with a focus on personal names in studying social perception and cultural change. 

Bruce’s expertise lies in quantitative research methods such as time series analysis and word embedding, and he has developed a suite of programming toolkits for more efficient data analysis in psychological and behavioural sciences.

“I have long been investigating Chinese cultural psychology and this position at MCI is a fantastic opportunity which perfectly fits my research interests. I look forward to the next two promising years alongside Prof. Peter Gries and my other new colleagues at MCI.”

Aoife Cantrill’s research looks at the politics of gender, literature and language in Taiwan and China under Japanese imperialism. She is currently finishing her PhD at the University of Oxford, which explores how translators have used women's writing to shape narratives of Japanese rule in Taiwan. 

Her postdoctoral project will examine everyday objects of the cloth industry alongside literary representations of clothing in Shanghai and Manchuria between 1930 and 1945. She is excited to begin this new project at MCI in September, especially given Manchester's historic links with the global textile industry. 

“We are absolutely delighted to have two such passionate and talented academics join the research team,” MCI Director Peter Gries wrote. “Their areas of expertise perfectly match the core principles central to the MCI mission, focusing on impact, equality and understanding”.