Blair Peng is a rising junior at the University of Chicago, where she is pursuing dual degrees in Sociology and in Law, Letters, and Society. Her research focuses on the intersection of sociolegal frameworks, student motivation, and digital learning environments. Peng serves as a part‐time researcher in the Achievement, Identity, and Motivation Lab at the University of California, Irvine, where she applies Situated Expectancy‐Value Theory to examine how adolescents’ subjective reasoning shapes their academic choices.
Peng has conducted research under the auspices of the American Psychological Association which investigated YouTube study tips and self‐regulated learning strategies to enhance academic performance. At Columbia University, she honed her skills in advanced data analysis, using techniques such as feed‐forward neural networks to explore unemployment trends and the regional factors that influence them.
Outside the lab and classroom, Peng likes to debate and is active in the Chicago Debate Society. She serves on the board of Women and Youth Supporting Each Other. She also likes to dance and is currently involved in a competitive dance group Ex Crew at UChicago.
After graduation, Peng plans to continue blending her legal and sociological perspectives with data‐driven approaches to advance equitable policies and empower diverse communities. This summer, Peng will be working with MacCrate Research Chair in the Legal Profession Robert L. Nelson on the After the JD project.